Page 18 of Waking Roslyn

I cut my eyes over to him and was unsurprised to find him scowling with his gaze on the door. The sitting room was close enough to the entry that we heard the knock, the opening of the door, and then the voices.

“Pardon me, my good man,” the stranger said in a jovial tone. “I know I am unexpected, but I am here to see Lord Rockwell. Is he at home?”

“Their Graces are not receiving visitors,” the butler intoned.

“Understandable, but I believe if you tell him that Lord Farbury is here, he might make an exception.”

My heart pounded painfully in my chest. Farbury? Surely not.

“Brex?” Edmund called out, climbing to his feet. “Is that you?”

He disappeared through the door and my fear flew in, swift and hard as I heard them greeting each other. I turned to Lisette. “Do you know who that is?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t recognize the name. What’s wrong?”

“The Farburys I know are Saldian nobility,” I whispered.

“Oh dear.” She stood and I followed suit. I grabbed on to her hand as we listened closely.

“What are you doing in Murrwood?” Edmund asked.

“Well, I would have stayed in Winhaven with the rest of the delegation, but you weren’t there,” Farbury said in a chiding tone.

“Believe me, I would have preferred to meet you in Winhaven. Instead, I’ve been here, cleaning up the riffraff.”

He chuckled. “So your father said. I was quite put out, you know. The only reason I agreed to come was because I thought you’d be in attendance. The meetings were dreadfully boring without you. So when it was all done, I had to come see you. Traveling all the way to Winberg and not getting to tell you how much uglier you’ve gotten would have been a travesty.”

I was shocked by the disrespect, but Edmund just laughed.

“I have to go” was all I said to Lisette as the realization hit me. Edmund would no doubt want to introduce his friend to his wife, and I could not be here when that happened.

“Wait,” she said.

I paused only long enough to say, “Don’t mention me. Don’t tell him anything about me” before I slipped out the door, heading toward the back of the house on quick feet.

“Of course you may stay,” I heard Edmund say from the entry. “Come, you must meet my wife.”

I kept walking, hoping he would ignore me, and I didn’t stop until I reached the stairs that led down to the kitchen. I descended quickly and pushed through the door, anxious to put as much space between myself and Lord Farbury as possible.

I pushed the door closed with my whole body and then pressed my ear to the wood, listening for the sound of approaching footsteps, even though I knew pursuit was unlikely.

“Can I help you, my lady?”

I jerked around to see who had spoken. It was the cook, Jeanie, whom I had spoken with outside the old wing. She had a basket in front of her that was half-full of food.

I shook my head, swallowed, and willed the panicked look out of my eyes. “No, thank you. And it’s just miss, not my lady.” I usually didn’t bother correcting people, but with Lord Farbury under the roof, I needed to be simply Miss Rose.

She looked confused and cut her eyes across the room. I followed her gaze and saw a young man sitting at a table that was tucked up against the wall. I recognized him as the man I’d bumped into that first night. The one who was skilled with a staff. He looked just as confused as the cook. Of course they were confused. What was I doing here if I didn’t need help with something?

Still, Jeanie was kind enough not to press. “Very well,” she said as she tucked a napkin over the food in the basket. “If you decide you do need help with something, I’m certain Johnny could help,” she said, tipping her head toward the young man. Then she looked to Johnny. “I’m taking this to Mr. Tennsworth.”

“All right, Mum.”

Jeanie looked to me once more and then offered a small smile before leaving out the back door. I stared at the door after she’d gone, wondering if I should follow her through it. What was rational? How could I protect myself? How much did I need to be afraid? Would Lord Farbury recognize me after four years? Could I go back to my room and just stay there until he left? How long was he going to stay? And would Edmund require me to meet him to be polite?

“Miss Rose.”

I jerked my gaze from the door and settled it on the young man. Johnny, was it? “Yes?”