Page 15 of Drowned in the Pleasure of a Devilish Baron
He and Acorn thundered down the road towards the Marlow house, a small estate that had seen better days just a few miles from his own cottage. As he arrived, he was sure that today’s trip was the quickest he had ever made on the well-travelled road between the two.
Dismounting and handing off Acorn to the stablehand, he looked up at the sky. It was quite early still, in truth, too early to be visiting. He considered waiting in the yard for another half hour or so, but then he saw a movement at the upstairs window.
Up on the second floor, he saw Sarah’s sweet face peeking through the white curtains. She raised a tentative hand to the glass, her face uncertain.
I’ve made her worry long enough. She deserves to know why I didn’t come yesterday, and to know my intentions are true.
He squared his shoulders and marched to the front door. It was early, true, but not so early that it would be unforgivable to call on them. Besides, he and John had known each other since they were children. Surely a little understanding came from that? With that thought in mind, he rapped on the door.
The Marlow butler, Mr. Carlisle, answered the door.
“Good morning, Carlisle. Is Lord Marlow in? I’d like to speak with him.”
He raised an iron-gray eyebrow. “Apologies, sir, but it’s quite early for a social call. I don’t believe I can disturb him yet. Might you leave your calling card?”
“Please summon the master, it is very urgent.”
“Perhaps if you came in another hour or so—”
His polite refusal was interrupted by John himself rounding the corner, buttoning his sleeve. When he saw the open door with Felix on the other side, he stopped in surprise.
“Andrews? What on earth are you doing here at this time?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but it’s important. I had planned to call yesterday, but there was an issue with my housekeeper.”
“Issue or no, I don’t see why that should mean you’re at my doorstep before I’ve even had my tea.” John said with a frown.
There was a commotion at the stairs and Sarah came quickly down them, dressed in a simple white gown, Rebecca trailing behind with a disapproving glare.
“Good morning, Miss Marlow. I’m sorry to disturb you and your family so early, but I wanted to get here as soon as I could.”
John shot a mocking grin over his shoulder. “Looks like you weren’t making it all up after all, Sister.”
Felix fought the urge to defend her, knowing it would not help his case. “John, I’ll make it up to you. Let’s just sit if you don’t mind and hear me out. Have your tea while I talk.”
“Please, John.” Sarah said softly.
John rolled his eyes but nodded to Carlisle. “Send us tea in the drawing room. Come on, Andrews, we’ll talk here,” he threw over his shoulder as he walked through the hall to the drawing room.
The Marlow’s drawing room was empty but for a few high-end pieces that even Felix’s untrained eye could detect. As a child, he had seen Sarah and John in just two outfits, because instead of having three or four lower-quality pieces of clothing made, their mother would rather them re-wear the same pieces of higher quality day after day. The drawing room was the same, empty and cold, with just a couch, a chair, a table, and an ornate mantelpiece.
The Dowager Lady Marlow, John and Sarah’s mother, was sitting straight-backed on the couch when they entered, extravagantly dressed even for the early hour. There was only one small, richly ornate table, clearly bought for style rather than utility, so when Carlisle brought in the tea, she simply handed the cups to them with saucers to hold in their laps. Felix sat on the uncomfortably hard chair, Sarah across from him on the couch with her mother, and John was leaning against the wall behind her. He watched Sarah pick at her skirt in her lap. When she saw his eyes there, she blushed and stilled.
I wish I could take those hands in mine to keep them still. One day I will.
Seeing her here, surrounded by the minimal trappings of wealth that her mother had prioritized above all else—for even the tea tasted watered down, as if it were thinned to double its use and therefore halve the price—he was able to picture her in his own little cottage. Old, yes, and certainly not luxurious, but it felt like a home, having plenty of places to relax and sit with plenty of places to lay down your teacup.
With this in mind, Felix felt ready to begin courting Sarah formally. Maybe he would not be whisking her away to a rich estate, or making the rest of her life comfortable with piles of money, but he would be taking her from this cold, empty room, and out from under the sharp and watchful eye of her mother.
“Lord Marlow, I do apologize sincerely for missing our appointment to speak yesterday,” he said. “There was an emergency at my home. My housekeeper was severely injured. Otherwise, I would not have dreamed of breaking my word to your sister.”
“Is she all right?” Sarah asked.
But John waved the question and the explanation away. “A housekeeper is certainly no reason to miss an appointment with a gentleman, but I have always known that you and I run our households quite differently.” Here he exchanged a sly, amused glance with his mother, whose thin lips lifted in response.
Felix took a deep, steadying breath before he responded. “She was badly hurt. I couldn’t just leave her there.” He turned to Sarah. “She fell down the stairs and I couldn’t get her to waken. I was worried she was dead.”
At his words, Sarah’s face softened. “I’m so sorry. Of course you had to stay with her.”
