Page 56 of The Jewels of Halstead Manor (Ladies of Devon 1)

Chapter 19

Nick put down the leather-bound journal and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. Patrick Pepper was one of a kind, that was certain. Who else in their right mind would traipse across oceans and continents to satisfy mere curiosities? For that seemed to be all the man thought about. He was curious, endlessly curious about other countries. Their customs, their weather, the way people dressed or cooked or spoke. Patrick Pepper wondered about it all. And then, he satisfied his fascinations and wrote about them.

Nick had yet to discover where The Adventures of Patrick Pepper and his Assistant Jules had been published. He could not ask Giulia, of course, for she obviously did not want the stories read. And Robert was a brick wall when it came to inquiries regarding Patrick. The earl did not seem to shrink away from the topic any longer as if he was being burned by a fire that only he could see or feel, but he was steadfast in his refusal to discuss it.

Giulia, however, was not as forbidden a topic as she had been previously. Robert still refrained from speaking about her, but he did not dissuade Nick from sharing the odd anecdote about her. In fact, Nick had found more and more ways of sneaking Giulia into his conversations with the earl, and even found the old man struggling to refrain from commenting himself lately.

If Giulia’s information was correct, then Robert was holding conversations with her at dinner now. What started out as mere polite chatter had slowly developed over the week into basic debates about various neutral topics such as the upkeep of the castle or the best meal to feed an invalid based on their stage of healing. Robert himself did not give away any hints of softening toward his niece, but Nick sensed the man’s resolve dissolving.

Whatever had changed Robert’s mind, it must have had something to do with Giulia’s outburst the week before, and Nick could do nothing but wonder why it had had any impact on the earl.

Much as he could do nothing but wonder precisely what Giulia was doing at that very moment. She had gone to visit with the local ladies earlier, but that had been hours ago, and she should be home by now. The sun had already begun its descent and the sky was dimming quickly.

Nick slipped the book under the pillow beside his own that went unused and hoisted himself from the bed. His strength was nearly fully returned to him and he felt good using his muscles once again.

He feigned more exhaustion than he felt, but only to prolong his invalid status for Giulia’s sake. And for Robert, if he was being honest. The man might be warming up to his niece, but Nick wouldn’t put it past the earl to force her out now due to his own misguided pride if Nick showed just how recovered he really was.

An uneasiness spread through him and he crossed over to the rope and gave it a tug before moving to the window to scan the horizon. His window faced the wrong direction to watch for her arrival, but he had a clear shot of the stables, which appeared busy for some reason. The door opened behind him and he heard Jack enter.

“Has Giulia come back yet?” he asked.

“No,” Jack said in a strained voice.

Nick spun around. “What is it?”

Jack looked uncomfortable. “It may be nothing.”

Nick felt his stomach drop to his feet. He froze in place, focusing on his valet. “What may be nothing?”

“Well…”

Nick crossed the room in three large steps and took Jack by the coat with his good hand. The fear in his gut was reflected in his servant’s eyes and he knew it was most definitely not nothing.

Jack placed his hands over Nick’s. “Her horse has returned.”

Nick struggled to swallow. “Just her horse?”

“Yes…without her.” Jack hurried to add, “It may be nothing, and Baker is already gone in search of her. A few more grooms are saddling now to join in the search; they are going to fan out between here and the Green’s old barn. Baker believes she may have gotten lost returning, but they are going to check the roads just in case.”

Nick released Jack’s coat and took a step back. “I must go help.”

“No.” Jack straightened to his full height and stood firm. “You will be no help in your condition. I know you are healing fast, but you are hardly fit for horseback.”

“But Robert?”

“Yes, the earl has been informed.”

“Informed?” Nick yelled. “He has been informed? And what in blazes does he plan to actually do about it?” His chest was heaving in all of his fury and he wanted to storm the earl’s study and pound some sense into the man.

Jack remained calm. “He is out searching as well.”

Well, that sobered Nick quickly. He sank into his chair and dropped his face into his hand. He could sense Jack approaching him and wanted to utter an apology but knew the man could sense it. They understood one another in that way.

“I will go out as well,” Jack said.

“Yes, you should,” Nick agreed.

“Let me help you downstairs first. Then you can be there when she gets back.”

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