Page 110 of Seduced By the Mermen
By any standards, Delmar and Zion are big males. Imposing and more than capable of protecting me. Not that I need protecting.
Fenwick opens the door. I’m about to step in when Zion steps around me and into the cottage. It’s just the sort of thing Sterling would do, and it puts my mind at ease.
Inside is just what I expected. There’s a fireplace opposite the door, with a cozy fire burning. There’s a well-worn mauve sofa, and the entire place smells of baking bread.
“Have a seat and warm up,” Fenwick says before he disappears down the hall. He’s back in a few minutes withtowels. “My mates are out working. Aubrey’s got bread baking, so she’ll be home soon. But the stew is ready. I’ve called the car service to see if they could be early. They should be here in thirty minutes.”
“We’ll be leaving as soon as they can get here,” Zion says.
“Understood. Aubrey will be sad to have missed you.” Fenwick takes the wet towels from Zion and Delmar and hangs them on a rack beside the fire.
“Do you have a bathroom I can use?” I ask.
He squints at me. “Oh, yes, the first door on the right.”
It’s a small but cute space with a tiny vase of fresh violets on the windowsill. I’m bent over admiring them when I see movement out of the corner of my eye. I lean close to the bubble glass window. Is it a sheep? No, too tall. Something moves again in the hedgerow. The rain has slowed but not stopped, and it’s hard to make things out at a distance. It looks like legs. But there’s definite movement beyond the fence.
I rush out of the room and back into the living room. “Delmar.”
“What is it, Blair?”
“There’s someone outside.”
“Is the driver here already?” Fenwick heads to the front door.
“Not unless he’s skulking around in the bushes.”
“Stay with her,” Delmar says to Zion, and he and Fenwick rush out into the rain.
Chapter 43
Blair
“I’m really sorry,” I say for the tenth time. “I thought I saw someone.” I hold the cup of tea out for Fenwick to take.
“No worries, lass.” He takes the cup and downs it like a shot, then puts it on the table. “You might have. We couldn’t pick up a scent or a trail, but with the rain, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t someone there. The car will be here soon, and you can put some distance behind you.” He picks up the teacup and takes it to the kitchen.
I sit on the sofa next to Zion. “Let’s not tell Sterling.”
“That’s a great idea in theory and one I’m sure we’re all thinking about, but the king sent him with us for a reason. If there was someone there, not telling Sterling could endanger you. And as much of an ass as he can be, he’s good at his job.”
“You’re right. It wouldn’t be right to keep something like this from him?—”
“Keep what from who? Me?” Sterling asks, coming into the cottage without knocking.
My eyes go wide, and my heart squeezes.
“No one—that’s the point,” Zion says, sauntering to the door. “Delmar and Fenwick searched the property. Blair sawsomething out the side window, but they couldn’t pick up a trail.”
“Where?” Sterling growls.
“That way.” I point to the side yard that’s outside the bathroom window.
Ten minutes later, Sterling returns, his wet clothes plastered to his side. There’s a man behind him trying to hold his umbrella over Sterling's head.
“Car’s here,” Sterling growls. He grabs the man’s umbrella, closes it, and hands it back to him. “We’ll be out in a minute.” He closes the door in the driver’s face.
“Did you find anything?” Zion asks, picking up two of our bags.
