Page 185 of The Scandal You Started
“Then do not talk,” Raven said, taking a corner seat as Severin sat next to him. “Hamilton, lock the door and come here.” Candreas did as he was told, then Raven waved in Dominic’s direction. “Tell us why you think your imbecile of a master has been acting bizarre ever since he disappeared for a week. And no need to mince your word. You’ll be family soon anyway.”
Candreas spluttered out a cough into his fist, his cheeks going tomato red. “I beg your pardon, my lord. I do not know what you mean.”
“Bollocks,” Raven said dismissively. “Now go on. Tell us. Why is Thorney sulking?”
It took a moment for Candreas to gather himself, though the flicker of his lashes clearly suggested he wished Raven wouldelaborate on the family comment. “I cannot say with certainty, my lord,” he answered. “But I can confirm the whole household is…worried. His lordship has…” Candreas shifted on his feet. “He has offered me funds on multiple occasions, and it would seem from his other actions that…”
“Spit it out,” Severin encouraged.
Candreas cleared his throat. “It would seem his lordship is either ailing and may possibly be preparing for the worst. Or…he is planning to leave.”
Four heads swung from Candreas to Dominic.
“Well?” Bentley said with Flyn next to him. “Which is it? Are you dying or are you leaving?”
“I’m not dying.”
“So you are leaving?” Flyn asked. “When? And why? Have you informed anyone? Mary? Lady Norland? Solomon, Art, Lady Patricia? Do any of them know?”
Dominic’s gaze fell to the dark wood table in front of him. “No, I have not informed my family yet. Nor do I know when or if I can leave.”
“But why do you wish to leave?” Severin said. “Are you being threatened? Is someone after you?”
“I am the one who is after someone.”
All his friends, even Candreas, puffed out their shoulders like war-ready warriors.
“Who is he?” Bentley demanded. “Let us help you get to him.”
“She,” Dominic corrected with a wistful smile.
Bentley blinked dumbly, then whipped around to glance at Flyn as if he were confirming he’d heard correctly.
Raven chuckled. “What is wrong with you, Thorney? Why on Neves are you after a poor wench?”
“Exactly,” Severin said. “Leave her alone. Neves knows whose hands she’s already suffered at. And what exactly has she done that you’re trying to leave to find her?”
Raven’s ruby-red eyes shone with love and sympathy. “I am learning more from my pretty, expectant wife every day how hard women have it in this world. It is not fair that she must suffer from a bad case of swollen feet. One day, that woman you are after might have swollen feet too. Think of that, Thorney. Have some mercy and leave her alone.”
A puff of tired laughter shook Dominic’s shoulders, Severin’s lips curled in disgust, and Flyn was practising a moment of fatherly patience as he pinched his nose under his spectacles.
“You are bloody chuckle-headed, the both of you,” Bentley ground out and threw a hand towards Dominic. “He’s not going after her to hurt her. He is in love with her!”
“What?” Raven exclaimed in laughing delight.
Severin clapped his hanging jaw together and groaned. “Not you too.”
Dominic’s friends had had different reactions to hearing that he’d lost his heart.
“Why the bloody woods are you sulking here for?” Raven had snapped. “Go after her now.”
“Love is a fool’s game, and you’ve turned yourself into a fool, Norland,” Severin had grumbled. “I mean, look at you. You are falling apart. Forget her and save yourself from this nonsense.”
Whereas Bentley and Flyn had asked more questions, taking the pragmatic approach of trying to understand why he had to leave for the most part to be with Rayna.
Yet, all of them, even Candreas and, reluctantly, Severin too, had encouraged him not to let her go if that was what he trulywanted. And that encouragement had reignited his motivation to overcome the impossible.
Dominic had walked into Mary and Flyn’s ball that evening with Mother Penny and Patricia on his arms, his head held high, and tentative confidence pumping through his blood.
