“Thank you for coming to see me, Mrs. Dunnavant. I will return the favor and lurk around your kitchen during my stay at Fairfield.”
He ate every delicious item on the tray. His belly full, sleep seemed a possibility. Once he rid himself of his boots, lethargy blanketed him and he climbed on the bed, fully clothed, promptly drifting off.
As usual, a nightmare woke him. Evan sat up in the dark, his heart pounding furiously, darkness surrounding him. It took him several moments before he realized where he was. He rose from the bed and went to the window. Moonlight shone across the lawn. Restlessness filled him. He was also thirsty.
Not bothering to pull his Hessians back on, Evan went downstairs to the kitchen. A fat tabby sat next to the hearth. He found some cider and drank it. Now wide awake, he decided to go to the library. Maybe if he could find something boring, such as a seed catalogue, that might help put him back to sleep. He went to the library as a clock chimed midnight. Since he’d seen no one, he supposed all of Alex’s guests had gone to bed, keeping country hours.
He lit a single lamp and browsed the shelves. Nothing jumped out at him. He went to a chair in the far corner and turned it so it faced the window. A strong breeze blew clouds across the night sky and the moon peeked out several times. The movement lulled him and his eyes started drooping. He closed them, thinking he would get up in a minute and go back to bed.
The next thing he knew, he heard voices. Feminine voices.
And their conversation was most interesting.