Page 33 of The Jewels of Halstead Manor (Ladies of Devon 1)

Chapter 12

The sun rose far too early and Nick groaned. He hadn’t gotten much sleep, thanks to his healing shoulder. His entire body felt stiff and he craved a good, sweaty battle of fisticuffs. Or even a large pile of wood to chop. Really, anything he could do to overwork his arms and give himself the overwhelming feeling of satisfaction he received when he worked his muscles good and hard.

But, no. That was not to be. Not for a long while, according to Dr. Mason. The bullet did a number on his shoulder, and while it was healing nicely, he would not regain full use of his arm or even full rotation of his shoulder for a couple of months. Months.

He turned onto his good arm and lay sideways while he watched the sun rise. The letters stacked on the bedside table caught his attention and he grew even more solemn.

Poor Giulia; as if she needed more heartache. And that wretched mother of hers. There was obviously something of value related to that key. Given the description, ‘jeweled,’ it could very well be the key itself that was valuable. And the woman’s plea to Giulia to name a date and place and she would travel to England to retrieve it? That was the largest clue, to be sure.

One did not cross an ocean for a mere trinket. Particularly when she had waited for its owner’s demise to claim what she belonged to be hers.

Nick wanted to burn the letters. If only he could erase Giulia’s problems so easily.

He stilled at the thought. He had only known the girl for a week, weeks if one counted his semi-lucid bouts of listening to the stories of her unconventional life. Where had this sudden overprotectiveness come from?

She was alone, that was why. Her father was gone, and she had no one in the world whom she could rely on. That must be the reason for his sudden need to protect her. That, and her tiny, delicate frame. It just begged to be protected. And the way she straightened her back like she was preparing for battle. That, too. He wanted to obliterate any need for her to ever fight a battle again.

Now, if only he could get Robert to come around a little faster. If he could convince Robert of her worth then he need not concern himself with defending her. Robert could do that in spades. The man was immensely loyal when he chose to be. It begged the question: why had Giulia not ignited his paternal instinct already? Really. The man had sat her at the foot of the table. The foot of the table, for pity’s sake!

Nick groaned. A reconciliation was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated. Had he really been so naive as to assume that he could suggest shared dinners and the two would fall into a relationship? Of course it had been that easy for him when he came to Halstead, but he was the heir. Robert wanted to mold and craft him, and Nick had submitted willingly. Well, semi-willingly.

Perhaps he ought to include his valet in his scheme. Jack, the lucky man. Did he notice how Giulia placed a hand on his arm when they talked? Did she even notice that she was doing it? Nick noticed, that was for certain. The little waif.

Speak of the devil.

“You are awake,” Jack said with his characteristic cheerfulness as he entered the room with the large tin tub. “Care for a bath?”

“Food. I would prefer food.”

Jack nodded and placed the tub on the rug near the fire before stoking the flames.

“How does your shoulder fare?”

Nick groaned as he forced himself into a sitting position. “I’ve been better.”

“Would you like me to call up Miss Pepper? Maybe she can cut your ham for you again.”

“Yes, why don’t you do that,” Nick said, his tone even.

Jack chuckled to himself as he walked out of the room and Nick felt an immediate rush of envy flood his body. What he wouldn’t give to be walking down those stairs himself. To fill a plate at the sideboard in the breakfast room all alone. To eat in silence. An uncharacteristic malaise settled over him and he let out a breath in one long, slow whirl. He needed to find a way to pass the days quicker. Giulia was not coming to him as often as she had before, and he could only do so much detective work from the comforts of his room.

But if he rose and left his bedchamber, her time at Halstead would be at an end.

A knock sounded at the door and he ignored the disappointment he felt when Robert came in.

“Good morning, my lord.”

Robert grunted and sat in the wingback chair beside his bed. Giulia’s chair. Somehow the piece of furniture did not look so monstrous with the earl filling its cushions.

“I’ve had my men scouring the land and they may have found something connected to your attack.”

That piqued his interest. “Yes?”

“There was a bag left behind in the woods where the scoundrel hid. It contained mostly the remnants of food from the imbecile’s meal, but there was a ticket, too. A ticket into Graton from London.”

“Well, that’s a lead,” Nick retorted.

“It’s a start. But the odd thing was the date. The ticket was three months old,” Robert said with a meaningful look. “Wells sent Briggs’s kid to town to question Jolly.”

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