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Her gaze cut to her fiancé and her tears overflowed "Please, Sain, both in his body and in his heart Saht "Daered down the stairs and out into the cold night
Chapter Sixteen
That night, Iron Heart lay chained in the dank, cold dungeon and knew that he had lost everything His baby son was gone, his princess as in despair, the kingdom stood undefended, and before the dawn, he would be put to death One word from his lips would exonerate hi the streets and kill Princess Solace He did not care how his life ended, but he could not be the instrue and wonderful thing had happened in the six years of his e
He’d fallen in love with his wife
--from Iron Heart
When Rebecca descended the stairs the next , heads bent close together, whispering furiously At the sound of her footfall, they leapt apart and stared up at her
Rebecca lifted her chin "Good "
"Miss" The older one recovered first, bobbing a curtsy before hurrying aith her friend
Rebecca sighed The servants were naturally excited about the events of the night before Samuel had awakened the entire household when he’d stu down his face He’d been adamant that she not send for a doctor, but for once Rebecca had overridden her older brother The blood and his apathy had frightened her half to death She hadn’t seen Lord Vale, but froathered from the doctor and the servants, the viscount was in even worse condition
Rebecca wished desperately that she could tiptoe next door and just talk to Lady Emeline Sit and commiserate with her Lady Emeline always seeiven situation, and she was the type of wo that this probleht But Rebecca very ain She doubted that there was an etiquette rule that covered this situation How to approach a lady whose fiancé your brother has beaten into a bloody pulp It was very aard
She wandered into the dining rooht before, and she knew from the servants that he hadn’t stirred fro room to herself and her worries Actually, she felt the land She rather wished that there was so, and everyone else in the house was a servant
Rebecca reached for a chair only to find ait out for her She looked up--far up--into the face of O’Hare the footman
"Oh, I didn’t see you"
"Yes, miss," he said as formally as if he’d never talked to her so casually just a feeeks ago
There was another footman in the room, of course, and the butler lurked so a bit deflated She looked down at the tablecloth in front of her and struggled to hold back sudden tears Now, that was silly! To go weeping like a baby just because a servant didn’t acknowledge one as a friend Even if one could really use a friend right now
She watched as O’Hare’s big, reddened hand poured her tea "I wonder" She trailed off, thinking hard
"Yes, miss?" His voice was so nice, with that bit of a burr softening it
She looked up and reen eyes "My brother’s very favorite sweet in all the world is crabapple jelly, and he hasn’t had any in ages Do you think it reen eyes blinked He really did have the irl’s "I don’t know if there’s crabapple jelly at the grocer’s, o look--"
"No, not you" She sed felloho’d been watching their conversation ide, not-too-bright eyes "I’d like you to go"
"Yes’m," the second footman said He looked confused, but he ell trained He bowed and exited, presumably in search of crabapple jelly
Which left Rebecca alone with O’Hare
She took a sip of her tea--too hot, she usually let it sit for a minute to cool off--and set the teacup down precisely on the table "I haven’t seen you since our return from the country"
"No, miss"
She twisted the teacup a bit "I just realized I don’t even know your name"
"It’s O’Hare, miss"
"Not that one" She wrinkled her nose at her teacup "Your other name Your Christian name"
"Gil, miss Gil O’Hare At yer service"
"Thank you, Gil O’Hare"
She folded her hands in her lap He stood behind her like a proper footht need Except what she needed wasn’t on the table or sideboard
"Diddid you see ht?"
"Yes, miss"
She looked at the basket of buns in the ry at all "I suppose they’re all talking about it in the kitchens"
He cleared his throat but said nothingaffirhed forlornly "It was rather spectacular, how he staggered in and collapsed in the hall I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much blood in my life I’m sure his shirt is quite ruined"
Behind her, there was a rustle, and then his arreen coat He reached for the basket of buns "Would you like a bun? Cook made ’em fresh just this morn"
She watched as he picked one out for her and put it on her plate "Thank you"
"Yer welcome, miss"
"It’s just that I have no one to talk about it with," she said in a rush, staring down at the lone bun on her plate "For my brother to braith Lord Vale like thisIt’s very confusing"