Page 32 of A Masked Lady for Mr. Kenworthy
Faye nodded, feeling hope mixed with renewed fear for her mother’s wellbeing. As she bade the physician farewell, she prayed that, by some miracle, the medicine would begin working immediately and that her mother would be well in no time. But she knew there were probably still rough days ahead, and she could only rely on the doctor’s advice, the medicine, and her mother’s will to live.
“You are very brave, my lady,” Mr. Kenworthy said from beside her.
Faye jumped, having temporarily forgotten that he was there with her. Feeling overwhelmed with fear and emotion, she began to cry softly. When the gentleman pulled her into an embrace, she did not resist.
“Do not worry, my lady,” he murmured, patting her back softly. “Soon, this will all be over, and the marquess will be brought to justice.”
Faye pulled away from him, her blood boiling at her cousin’s negligence. It was mostly because of him that her mother was so sick, and, in that moment, she wanted to see him brought to justice, too.
“And what of Mayson?” she asked.
Mr. Kenworthy led her down the stairs and to where Lady Salisdene waited for them.
“He will be too, Lady Faye,” he said, his eyes reflecting the anger she felt toward her cousin. “I give you my word on that.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Thomas peeked out of the window of the carriage as it pulled away from Welborn Manor. Though he could spot no one, a prickling sensation all over his skin told him someone was watching them. It was a feeling he had had often in his time as an agent of the Crown, and it rarely deceived him.
He dared to maneuver himself to get a better view out of the window, and, to his astonishment, he saw a young boy staring at them from across the street. The boy’s expression was blank and disinterested, but his eyes were sharp and watchful. But what was it about a carriage leaving someone’s home that would capture the attention of a child?
With a firm mental shake, Thomas withdrew back to his hiding spot. They were not yet completely clear of Welborn Manor, and he could not allow a child’s presence to let him risk compromising that part of their mission. There were many reasons why the boy could be standing near the street, and Thomas knew that none of them likely had anything to do with him. He knew better than to worry about such a young child but dismissing the boy did nothing to assuage his unease. He forced himself to stop thinking of the matter. Being cautious had always served him well in his work. Suspecting everyone, on the other hand, had the exact opposite effect. It only led to him jumping at shadows rather than concentrating on the real issues at hand.
“Thomas, darling,” Lady Salisdene said, pulling Thomas from his thoughts.
Thomas looked at her, giving her a warm, curious smile.
“Yes, my lady?” he asked.
She looked at him, her eyes both knowing and excited.
“It is very obvious that you care a great deal for Lady Faye,” she said.
Thomas chewed his cheeks to keep his mouth from falling open. She had caught him completely off guard with her observation, and Thomas winced inwardly at having done anything to betray his feelings for Lady Faye. He shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.
“Of course, I care about her,” he said smoothly. “I care about any innocent people who get caught up in such terrible situations.”
The countess shook her head, her lips curling up into a smile which made Thomas feel like one of the criminals he helped to arrest, caught red-handed committing a crime.
“No, darling,” she said, still smiling. “This is different. I know you care about all good and innocent people, Thomas. But you have a certain look in your eyes whenever you look at Lady Faye. And it is not the same one you have for all the other people you help.”
Thomas closed his eyes and sighed heavily. There was no sense in trying to argue with the countess. She knew him far too well for him to try to continue to bluff her. But neither was he interested in discussing his feelings with Lady Salisdene. Even though he trusted her implicitly, it would not do to discuss such things while they were still in the midst of a mission. Besides, he had well and truly buried his emotions the day that Ruth died. And he had no intentions of digging them back up. Not even for a young woman as wonderful and beautiful as Lady Faye.
“She is a phenomenal young woman,” he said flatly. “But she is only helping Rupert and me with our case. After that, I should imagine that she and I will part ways and never speak again.”
The countess eyed him slowly, still smirking, while Thomas tried to ignore the boulder that had settled in his stomach as he spoke. Even though he had vowed never to love again, he found he dreaded the thought of never seeing Lady Faye ever again.
“Well, I think, if you should reconsider that idea, it would be a very good decision,” the countess said, clearly refusing to give up. “It is not every day that you meet someone who can put the expression on your face that I can see even now.”
Thomas instantly realized he had begun to smile, even despite himself. He folded his arms in front of him like a sullen child and fixed his gaze out of the carriage window.
“I shall take that under advisement,” he grumbled.
At last, the coach arrived at Salisdene Manor, and Thomas sighed with relief. He did not know which was making him more uncomfortable; the fact that the countess had so blatantly seen through his feelings for Lady Faye or that he was trying so hard, and failing, to deny those feelings. In any case, he was glad to be done with the subject, and he prayed that, despite how well the countess meant, she would stay out of the matter from that moment on.
Thomas escorted Lady Salisdene to the front door of her manor, returning her cheek kisses as he bade her farewell. The expression on her face told him that she had every desire to bring up Lady Faye once again. But, before she could, he quickly excused himself and requested that the footman bring around his horse, which he had left at Salisdene Manor while they took Lady Faye home. As soon as it was brought to him, he mounted it and headed to Rupert’s estate. He felt the day had been impossibly long, and he was ready to sit and unwind for a little while.
As he rode, he found his every thought occupied with Lady Faye. The conversation the countess had just tried to have with him about her did him no favors when it came to trying to deny and reject his feelings for her. He tried to be angry with Lady Salisdene for interjecting herself into something that was none of her business, but he could not begrudge her, no matter how hard he tried. She did care about him, and she wanted to see him happy, just as any mother would surely wish to see their child.
