Page 40 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

There was a tone to his voice that she had not heard before, and Vi wondered at it.

“I’m quite all right, really.”

“Oh, yes, just caught up in the middle of a fight in a disgusting hovel with criminals and guns and—”

“Oh, don’t take a pet now,” Vi said, shaking her head at him. “Pembury is our footman, for heaven’s sake. He’s obviously been planning this since that incident when Mau savaged him. That’s unfortunate, but it’s hardly your fault the man’s a villain. You tried your best to keep me at the inn, didn’t you? I was the one who came after you, you did not bring me along.”

“No, but I wanted to, damn me for a scoundrel. I hated leaving you behind, and when I think of what might have happened—” Leo closed his mouth with a snap, but his voice had sounded a little odd, shaken.

“You did?” Vi asked in surprise. “You wanted me to come with you?”

“I always want you with me, Vi. Have you really not understood that yet?” he said in frustration. “The trouble is that you were right all along. You ought not to be in company with me. I… I’m a magnet for trouble, just as you always said I was.”

Vi considered this as Leo carried her back to the dogcart and settled her on the seat. Mick and Burt had hauled a struggling Pembury into the back of Mick’s cart between them, and Mick had carried Edgar, the man slung over one shoulder like a sack of coal, apparently still unconscious, which was probably just as well.

“Mau?”

Leo called anxiously and Vi smiled as a dark shape slid sinuously from the black shadow of the woods and wound itself in and out of Leo’s ankles.

“Come on, Mau,” Leo said, climbing in and patting his lap. Mau looked at the pony and cart with an expression that suggested such means of transport was beneath his touch but deigned to join them. When Harbottle got up too, it was a snug fit, but soon they were on their way back to the inn. Every rut in the road made Vi close her eyes against the throbbing in her head and she was more than relieved when they made it out of the wretched little lane and onto the main road.

“I’ll drop you both back at the inn and then take myself off home, Mr Hunt,” Harbottle said cheerfully. “Goodness, what an exciting evening it has been! I’ve not enjoyed myself so much in years.”

“I’m glad we’ve entertained you, sir,” Leo said, but Vi heard the concern in his voice as he glanced over at Harbottle. “Perhaps if you would be so good to receive me, sir, you might allow me to call on you in the morning. I believe there are… things we need to discuss.”

Harbottle slanted a look at Leo before returning his attention to the road. “Perhaps, sir. Perhaps there are, at that.”

Vi wondered what he meant by that but was too tired to consider it further. The sight of the inn ahead was a tremendous relief, and it took every scrap of energy remaining to climb down from the cart and make her way back to their room. Leo would have carried her, but she did not want to give any further cause for gossip. As it was, the reverend had to take some time placating his sister, Mrs Caruthers, and assuring her that all was well, that their cat would not cause havoc or make a mess in her best room, and her guests were perfectly respectable. He had a twinkle in his eyes as he bade them both a good night, however, that made Vi wonder.

Leo had asked Mrs Caruthers to fetch a doctor but Vi had persuaded him that the morning would be soon enough, and a good night’s sleep was the best thing for her. Unhappy but resigned, Leo agreed, providing the doctor came first thing. This arranged, he helped her upstairs.

Leo unlocked the door and pushed it open but, before Vi could take a step, he picked her up and carried her inside. Mau shot in ahead of them, as keen as they were for his bed.

“Hush,” Leo said, when she might have protested, so she hushed, and allowed him to strip off her bonnet and gloves, her gown and her corset, standing placidly as he made quick work of strings and buttons and fastenings.

Plenty of practise, she thought morosely, wishing tonight had been different. He had promised her more pleasure than she had ever dreamed of, and now it would be worse than before, knowing that he could have made her feel such wondrous things and she would never know. Unless she married him.

She could marry him.

The image of Pembury holding a gun on Leo flashed behind her eyes and she shuddered, her heart squeezing in her chest, such terror filling her as she considered what might have happened. Leo might have been killed. If anything happened to him, she did not know how she would survive it, but how much worse if he was her beloved husband, father of her children, rather than merely a very dear friend?

Leo didn’t bother lighting the lamps, for which she was grateful. Instead, he moved her this way and that until she stood in her shift, guiding her to the bed and drawing back the blankets, helping her in and pulling the covers back up. She allowed it all placidly, too tired to protest his treating her like a child. In truth, it was rather soothing to be cared for, not to have to think, but to leave it all to him. She felt Mau jump onto the bed and curl up by her feet.

“Look after her, Mau,” Leo said, stroking the cat’s head before he moved away and sat down in the chair by the fireplace with a muffled groan.

Vi waited hopefully, but he didn’t move.

“Leo?”

“Yes, love?”

“What are you doing?” she asked, peering into the darkness to see if she could make him out.

“I’ll sleep in the chair, Vi. You need your rest, and I don’t want to disturb you.”

Vi swallowed, gathering her nerve. “B-But I don’t want you to sleep in the chair.”

There was a brief silence.