Page 116 of The Trouble with Tigers
“Yes. We let the doctor bear most of the blame for ousting her, out of fear for our lives. Cowardly, I know, but we were fairly sure she’d spare him for your sake. Even after he pronounced you the most hard-headed man alive, and her brother dragged her to her bedchamber, I half feared she’d sneak back.” Caden gave Zeke a shrewd look.
Zeke moved to the open door leading to his bedchamber, propped his hip against the doorjamb, and met Caden’s eyes with—he hoped—a guileless stare.
Caden let the subject drop. “How are you feeling, by the way?”
Zeke smiled broadly. This he could answer truthfully. “Aside from a nagging headache, I’m on top of the world. And starving. Have you eaten?”
“I’m about to, but thought I’d check on you first.”
“Very thoughtful.”
“As I mentioned, I half feared I’d find you in bed. With company.”
“Kitty’s hardly some trollop likely to throw her reputation away for a quick tryst.”
“Wasn’t her character I was worried about,” Caden muttered. “Do you remember anything?”
Zeke was beginning to get irritated. “I just told you, I had no idea she was even in my bedchamber.”
Caden arched a brow. “I meant, do you remember the accident?”
“Oh. That. Not much. I assume I got assaulted by the butt of Randall’s gun?”
“Exactly.” Caden pushed past Zeke to wander his bedchamber. He glanced around the room as if he’d never been inside it. Nosy bastard.
“Don’t get any notions about blaming Kitty, either. You brought it on yourself, standing too close to her. Poor thing was quite beside herself.”
“I’ll do my best not to hold anything against her.” Zeke turned his back on Caden to hide his grin and disappeared into his closet. “I’ll see you downstairs, eh?”
***
“Speak of the devil,” the earl said. “Zeke, we were just discussing you.”
“Good morning to you, too, Grandfather, Aunt, Randall. Caden I’ve already had the pleasure of greeting.” Zeke sauntered into the breakfast hall. “What, no Lady Kitty yet?”
“Perhaps all that nurse duty tired her out,” the earl suggested.
Caden drained his coffee and rose from the table to approach the sideboard alongside Zeke. “I just informed Zeke of Kitty’s vigil. Apparently he had no idea he had an angel watching over him.”
Zeke grinned down at his plate and piled on the eggs.
“It is a bit odd neither Lord Hastings nor Kitty have put in an appearance this morning,” Lillian said. An odd tenor in her voice had Zeke glancing her way.
Her hand fluttered at her throat in an agitated manner. “Lord James hasn’t breakfasted yet, either.”
Zeke waited for her to say something more, but after a moment she dropped her gaze and resumed eating.
“No, indeed,” the earl said, not seeming the least concerned as he read this morning’s copy of the Times.
Zeke took his filled plate and sat across from the earl. He picked up his cutlery and set to work on his salted ham.
“My, but someone’s in a good mood today,” Randall marveled.
Zeke glanced at his friend, his brows arched in query. “Are you referring to me?”
“I am.”
Zeke chuckled for no apparent reason. “True. Not sure why you'd say so, however.”
