Page 48 of Grave Expectations
"I beg to differ."
"You should speak to her to find out who helped her, granted, but do it gently, and in daylight. I'm sure she'll tell you if you ask nicely."
"I have to do this now," he ground out through a clenched jaw. "And I certainly can't benice."
"You need to calm down first."
"Ineedto do thisnow." He stretched out his fingers then bunched them into fists. "Move aside."
I folded my arms. "The Drinkwaters are victims. The poor woman just lost her husband."
"She kidnapped you and held you captive for hours, and you feel sympathy for her?"
"She didn't hurt me, or Gus, and she could have." I wasn't sure when my feelings toward her changed from anger to sympathy. Perhaps when I realized she'd only tried to bring back the man she loved and had never planned to kill anyone. Perhaps I would have acted just as irrationally in her position.
He thumped his palms flat on the door, either side of my head. He leaned in, but I was under no illusion that he would kiss me. His temper was written in every hard plane of his face. "She is the reason I was sick with worry all day. I don't like worrying. It prevents me from thinking clearly, and that makes me useless." He stepped back. "Move."
I lifted my chin.
He grasped my arms, picked me up and set me down again, out of the way. He jerked the door open.
"Don't kill her!" I called after him.
"I'll do as I see fit."
I watched him stride along the corridor to the stairs and listened until I could no longer hear his light steps. He wouldn't kill her. He simply wanted answers.
If I repeated that over and over perhaps I might eventually convince myself.
Lincoln hadn't returnedby the time I awoke in the morning. According to Doyle, his bed hadn't been slept in, although that didn't mean Lincoln hadn't returned, merely that he hadn't been to bed.
I felt too restless to sit in the parlor alone and present a show of being a lady for the butler's sake, so I ignored Doyle's disapproving frown and ate breakfast in the kitchen. Afterward, I joined Seth in the stables, only to be summoned back inside when Doyle announced we had a caller.
"Mr. Andrew Buchanan to see you, miss."
"Buchanan!" Seth and I exchanged glances. "Is he here to see me or Mr. Fitzroy?"
"You, miss."
Seth followed me inside, and we were joined by Gus and Doyle. It would seem I wasn't to be left alone, even with someone we knew. Not that I trusted Buchanan. Not in the least. I mentally added him to my list of people who may have helped Mrs. Drinkwater kidnap me, although I couldn't think why he'd do it.
"Miss Holloway." He stood with his hands behind his back and bowed upon my entry. When he straightened, I saw that he appeared fully recovered from his ordeal in Bedlam's insane asylum. The color had returned to his cheeks, and the shadows had been erased from his eyes. He gave me a lazy smile that would have melted most female hearts, but not mine. I knew him well enough to dislike him.
"Good morning, Mr. Buchanan. You're looking in fine spirits."
"Thanks to you." He cleared his throat and glanced pointedly at each of my chaperones.
"You know Seth and Gus, and you've just met our new butler, Doyle."
Doyle dutifully bowed.
Buchanan acknowledged only Seth with a curt nod. "Good to see this old place getting some staff finally. If you're in need of maids, please allow me to direct you to several I know. All good girls, I assure you."
Behind me, either Seth or Gus snorted. I, however, was intrigued with how much he knew of our domestic situation.
"Do you know someone who will make a suitable housekeeper?" I asked.
"Maids only. You'll want someone staid for a housekeeper, and I don't know any women who'd fit that description." He smirked. "None from the serving classes, anyway."
