Page 134 of Their Master

Luke suspected things were not quite so simple.

It was David, his erstwhile lover, who answered the door, his eyebrows lifting when he saw it was Luke. “Not normally your day, is it?”

“No, I just need a few minutes with the master. Is he here?”

“Yes, he’s alone. The doctor just left.” He paused. “How is Miss Moira? Nothing wrong, I hope?” All the servants knew about the impending baby, of course. Most were almost as excited as Luke about the prospect of a child in the house.

“No, nothing wrong.” Luke suppressed a slightly hysterical urge to laugh.

“Why don’t you wait in the small sitting room and I’ll go and see—”

“Ah, Luke.”

Luke’s head whipped up to find Mr. Smith standing at the head of the stairs. His face was in shadow, but he sounded as pleasant as ever. So perhaps the doctor hadn’t told him anything?

“Hello, sir. I’m sorry to come outside the appointed time, but I wonder if I could take a moment of your time?”

“You are always welcome, Luke. Come join me in the study.” He turned and disappeared.

Luke handed his hat and cane to David and stripped off his gloves.

“Should I send tea, do you think?” David asked.

“Er, I would wait to see if he rings for it.”

Or if he just throws me out a second-floor window.

Luke climbed the stairs with the reluctant step of a man mounting a gibbet. But that did not mean he wanted to back out of his decision and run. He needed to sort this out; matters had become too complicated, emotions too entangled for him to continue as if he viewed Moira as nothing more than an employer.

All night long he’d pondered the situation. Finally, after taking out fear of whatmighthappen, he had simply looked at what he wouldliketo happen.

What he would like is for all three of them to be back under the same roof—even if that meant fewer nights alone with his master. But that wasn’t going to happen.

So that left Luke and Moira.

And he liked her a great deal. More than liked her.

Smith had thrown her out. Why should she be alone?

As for Smith not liking to share… Well, that’s where things became difficult.

Smith had left his door open so Luke entered and shut it quietly behind him. Smith was at his desk and gestured to one of the chairs across from it.

“You look upset, Luke.”

Upset. Yes, that was probably as good a word as any.

“You have come about Moira,” Smith said when Luke appeared incapable of speech.

“Yes, sir.”

“You are the reason she has asked Doctor Felson about the health issues regarding sexual intercourse.”

Luke swallowed and made himself raise his eyes to meet his master’s. “Yes.”

“I see.” He remained inhumanly still, the air around him strangely charged.

Then suddenly he stood and Luke immediately followed suit. When the other man came toward him, it was all he could do not to back away. Smith didn’t stop until he was almost standing on Luke’s toes.

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