Page 101 of The Trouble with Tigers
They walked a short distance in silence during which Zeke considered mentioning anything from the weather to what he’d almost eaten for breakfast. For some reason, he didn’t feel comfortable with the lapse in conversation. Maybe because he and Hastings were strangers with a lot at stake between them, all housed in the form of one pretty package named Kitty.
He drew a deep breath and pushed past his instinct to hide behind small talk. “Lord Hastings, you can’t know what your return means to my fiancé. She has spoken of you so often, I feel I almost know you.”
“Lord Thurgood, I have missed my sister every bit as much as she’s missed me, I assure you.”
And there it was, Zeke realized grimly. He had claimed Kitty as his fiancée, and Hastings had responded in kind, referring to her as his sister.
He was probably making something out of nothing. What had that woman done to him?
Hastings shook his head and continued, absently twisting a pinkie ring. “These last two years, there were times I longed for home so much I almost wished for death, rather than face another day in the hands of my captors.”
Zeke’s brows shot up. “It was like that, was it?”
They had nearly reached the bachelor’s wing, and Hastings’ guest bedchamber.
“Touching foot on English soil never felt so good. Of course, the first thing on my agenda was to make my way back home to my sister.”
“Of course.” Zeke fought the urge to claim her again. “I hope you’ll share a bit of your recent history with the earl and I. If there’s anything we can do to help smooth your return, please let us know.”
He drew to a halt in front Hastings chamber. “Here we are.” He opened the guest door and stood aside.
“Certainly I’ll bore you all with tales of my trials and tribulations. We’ll have time enough for that, now we’re to be family.” Hastings punctuated his words with a warm smile, giving Zeke a glimpse of the famous charm Kitty was always boasting about.
Hastings hesitated, one foot across the threshold. “Lord Thurgood, tell me, is my cousin staying in a room in this wing, as well? Perhaps one near mine?”
“Yes. Is it going to be a problem, being near him?”
Hastings patted his waistcoat absently, and Zeke noted the flash of gold on his hand. The pinkie ring he’d been twisting. It looked similar, if not an exact replica of the ring Kittywore around her neck, the one having belonged to the recently deceased baron.
“Oh, gracious, no. I simply need to have a talk with him, sooner than later, preferably.”
“I imagine you have many things to discuss with the man,” Zeke said.
“Yes.” Hastings once again twisted his ring.
“I couldn’t help noticing your pinkie ring. It reminds me of one Kitty once showed me,” Zeke said, curiosity getting the better of him.
He held out his hand, regarding the band. “One and the same. It belonged to my grandfather. Kitty just gave it to me. It feels like a good omen, wearing the old man’s ring.”
So she had given her brother the ring, the sentimental fool. The backs of Zeke’s eyes stung suddenly.
“Your things should already be unpacked, the bed turned down. There’s a toilet with running water just there.” He pointed to a door down the hall.
“And, uh, you’ll let me know which is James’ chamber?” Collin asked.
He was in a hurry, then, wasn’t he? Zeke supposed he couldn’t blame the man, considering he’d come home to find his grandfather dead, his sister gone, and his inheritance relinquished to another.
“The one at the end of the hall on the left.”
Hastings reached out to squeeze his shoulder. He fixed Zeke with a steady gaze. “Thank you, Lord Thurgood. For everything. For taking care of my Kitty, seeing to her wellbeing when fate took me away from her. Hopefully it hasn’t been too much of a burden on your family.”
“Kitty is…” He paused and blew out a breath. “She’s worth any amount of trouble,” he said finally, finishing with a soft laugh when he realized he meant every word.
***
“I thought we’d take the long way. We have some time to kill since Zeke’s meeting us, and if I haven’t missed my guess, you’ve never taken this particular route.” Caden guided her to a narrow footpath opening off the eastern edge of the property, with Randall taking up the rear.
“Thank you, my lord. You guessed correctly.” Holding her hat with one gloved hand, she tilted her head up to regard a cloudless, blue sky. It would be hot later, but at not quite ten o’clock, the air still held a pleasant chill. She inhaled and caught the sweet scent of yesterday’s rains hanging in the air.
