“Oh,” Cornelia said, looking up at him with something close to adoration, “do you really mean that, Lord Hartington? I’ll feel so much better knowing you’re on our side!”
“Yes, thank you,” Thomas said, and Thaddeus was relieved to see the younger man smile a little. “Isolde told me that you were kind and you would help us. I am relieved to know she was right.Whatever help you can give us, we are grateful for it. More than I can say.”
“I am grateful for your sister,” Thaddeus replied before he could stop himself. “What’s important to her is important to me.”
Thomas and Cornelia exchanged another look, and Cornelia giggled slightly. Thomas frowned at her, but Thaddeus could see the corners of his mouth turning up as well. It felt good, seeing them happy, and he imagined for a moment how Isolde might look at him if he were able to make good on his promise to help. He could picture her smiling at him, perhaps the way she had last night –
“I’m afraid we’ve overstayed and will be taxing your stamina,” Thomas said, interrupting Thaddeus’s daydream. “We’ll take our leave now, but thank you, again, Lord Hartington.” He gave a slight bow, and Cornelia gave a quick curtsey.
“You are most welcome,” Thaddeus said, nodding in return as they left.
For a long time afterward, Thaddeus turned Thomas’s words over in his mind.Isolde told me that you were kind, and you would help us.
He felt a warm glow of pride in his chest. Whatever else her feelings for him, knowing Isolde thought he was kind made him feel like he could take on the world, injury or no.
***
By early afternoon, he had rung for his manservant to sit guard at the door and turn away any more visitors. His head had started to pound, and he only wanted to rest.
He’d then called the man back to revise his order – he was to turn away every visitor, except Isolde. He gave strict orders that even if he were to be asleep, he should be woken up if she came to see him.
Eventually he dozed off, and when he woke, the shadows were long and the room was growing cold. He felt a sting of disappointment, realizing he had slept away most of the day and Isolde still had not appeared. He sighed and rang to ask his manservant to send for someone to light the fire.
“They’ve served supper as well, My Lord. Shall I go down and fetch some for you?”
As if in response, Thaddeus’s stomach growled. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was, but thinking about it, he had not eaten since breakfast.
“Yes, please. Thank you.” The man left, and a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. He bid them enter, and a very bashful maid crept in. Usually, the fires were lit when he cameup to bed, and she was no doubt unfamiliar with lighting a fire while the room was occupied.
The fire was quickly made and the maid stood to go, then hesitated.
“Forgive me, m’lord,” she said quietly, “but there’s a lady outside who asked me to let her know if you were awake. What shall I tell her?”
His heart fluttered, and he quickly sat up and started arranging the pillows.
“Tell her yes, I am awake, and she may come in.”
The maid curtsied and left, and Thaddeus quickly tried to make himself look more presentable. He heard the maid speaking in the hall and then the door opening. His heart started to beat faster –
And then Vivienne came around the corner.
He could almost have laughed. Wasn’t this just what had happened in the orangery? How many times would he look for Isolde, only to find Vivienne instead? Either she had a unique talent for being where she wasn’t wanted, or the universe trulywastrying to keep him and Isolde apart.
He slumped back onto his pillows, willing this interaction to go as quickly as possible.
“My dear, I had heard you were doing better, but you look rather terrible,” Vivienne said as she swept over to his side. He didn’t reply, wondering how to most efficiently eject her from his chambers without being rude.
“I’ve heard you had quite a few visitors. Though I must say, I don’t recall Miss Fairchild saying she’d been to see you today?” There was something icy in Vivienne’s voice, and it seemed to slice into him. Accurately interpreting his silence, she shook her head.
“I know you’re rather fond of her, so I try to hold my tongue, but I’d feel almost guilty not to point out to you how little she seems to care for you. And don’t think I’m blaming her – oh no! It’s just that some women aren’t ready for the sort of pressure being a marchioness can bring.”
Vivienne settled down into the chair, and though he wasn’t looking at her, he could feel her eyes on him.
“I, on the other hand … Well, it’s a bit untoward to point out myself, but I’ve been very attentive, have I not?”
Thaddeus finally looked at her. Her face was the picture of innocence, as if she were merely asking a question, confirming what she thought to be true. He didn’t trust that innocence.
He suddenly felt exhausted, his head aching. He was tired of all these games, tired of putting on a show for society.