Page 59 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
William snorted. “Bella, I was so tired, I fell asleep. And I smelled atrocious. You were right to get angry.”
Bella lowered her gaze, a flush rising to her cheeks. “I remember that morning. I was awful to you,” she admitted softly. “Forgive me. I had no idea.”
William regarded the beautiful young woman who held his heart. “Bella, there is nothing to forgive. You only reacted to what you knew at the time. I should have explained sooner.” He reached for her hand. “All that matters now is that you know the truth.”
“Does anyone have anything else to share?” Grandmère asked. “My goodness! This was so much easier than gaining my information through keyholes.”
Everyone laughed.
“Cheers, dear family and friends!” Stephen said, lifting his glass of water. “There’s nothing better than family and good friends.”
“Cheers!” Lady Elizabeth Rivers said.
“Cheers!” the grandmothers added.
~*~
After dinner, Lucas approached William. “So, the office confirmed our suspicions,” he said in a low voice.
“They did,” William murmured. “We need to find him.”
~*~
Chapter Twenty-One
Bridgewater Manor
The next morning
“Uncle Stephen! Good morning! Would you like a cup of tea?” Bella asked, surprised to see her uncle up so early. He usually slept in until late morning.
Stephen slid into the seat across from her, offering a warm smile. “I’d love some tea, Bella. It’s nice to have a quiet moment—just the two of us.”
She set a steaming cup in front of him and he added a spoonful of sugar. His gaze shifted to the tray of fresh pastries, and his smile widened. “I see Mrs. Bisque has made her famous apple cinnamon scones—my favorite.” Taking one, he took a bite and let out a satisfied sigh. “Mrs. Bisque never disappoints.”
Bella grinned. “I agree. I asked her to make an extra batch for Michael, William, and the duke and duchess.” She reached for a scone herself. “I thought I’d take a basket over when I meet with Harriett. We’re going over fabric swatches for the parlor at Cliffton Abbey.”
Stephen nodded. “Ah, sounds like a productive morning. Are you walking over right after breakfast?”
“I thought I’d go out to the stable first and spend time with Winterborne. Ever since Michael identified what had been wrong with him, I’ve felt a sense of relief but also guilt for not realizing just how deeply the loss of my father had affected him. That he’d basically lost his best friend. Animals bond with their humans and aren’t able to flip their feelings on and off any faster than we can. While I was mourning my father’s death, with my family’s support, poor Winterborne was left to grieve essentially on his own, with no one to help him through it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that Winterborne was suffering so deeply,” Stephen said. “I hadn’t realized it either. We think of animals as property, but they are so much more.” He looked over at Lacey, who was seated at Bella’s feet. “Take Lacey and Garrett, for example. We all hope they can somehow overcome this rift between them. Still… it’s over apples,” he said, his lips twitching.
Bella tried not to giggle as she thought about the butler and her dog squabbling over treats for her horse. “Yes, sometimes conflicts that can be easily handled are taken too far. I agree.”
He cleared his throat. “That reminds me. There’s something I wanted to share with you—about the conflict Miles and I once had.”
She hesitated. “You don’t have to, Uncle. I… I know you and Papa argued before his death.”
Stephen exhaled. “We did, and I shall carry that regret for the rest of my life. But… perhaps your father and I have come to a sort of understanding.”
Bella frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”
He met her gaze. “Miles visited me in a dream. And it was not an easy dream to have.”
She set down her teacup, all thoughts of breakfast forgotten. “What did Papa say?”
“In the dream, Miles took me on a journey—down into the tunnels—to tell me about the treasure. And before you think it too far-fetched, what he revealed to me did come to pass, almost exactly as he described.”
