“Lord Derrick is too kind,” Samantha said. “It was his bravery that brought us all to this place at the right time. He is the one who deserves your thanks.”
Thanks were extended all around. That and a dozen gems that were extracted from the linen, carefully tied up in what even he could see was an exquisite handkerchief, and handed to Samantha.
“A small token.”
“Oh, I couldn’t—we couldn’t—I mean—”
“I believe it is because of you that a miracle was wrought. My family will be forever grateful.” He nodded briskly. “I will see that Richard Drummond’s name is cleared, now that I have the proof.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Samantha said gravely.
Derrick watched him and Sir Thomas return back to his house before he heaved a sigh of relief. “Tell Granny good-bye, Sam, and let’s get out of here.”
“Not so fast, my lad.”
Derrick looked at Samantha’s great-aunt, who was wearing a look of calculation he didn’t care for in the least. “I’ve had a change of heart,” he said firmly.
“What you have, my dear Derrick, is a sticky wicket. How much do you know about Richard?”
“More than I want to—”
“But perhaps not as much as you should. Let me enlighten you further. He’s a Scot, which you may or may not know. His uncle is the laird John, who is also Samantha’s great-uncle the appropriate number of times removed. Richard disagreed with his uncle about the course his life should take, then ran away to London to seek his fortune. He worked first to lose his accent, then to learn his trade. He is, I can safely say, one of the great actors of his generation.” She paused and looked at him seriously. “But you could fill his shoes, I think. It’s uncanny how much you resemble him. Good Scottish genes, I suppose.”
Derrick considered, then looked at Samantha. “We saw him in Newcastle, didn’t we?”
“As a ghost?” she asked in surprise. She thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “I think so.” She laced her fingers with his. “It makes you wonder why he was there, doesn’t it? For all we know it was to get us on the path that led us back here.”
He rubbed his hands over his face and suppressed a groan. “Hot pins.” He looked at her. “Red hot.”
She smiled. “We’ll be watching from the floor.”
He shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”
“I think you already agreed to it. Besides, you’ll have rave reviews. Think how green your brother will be.”
He laughed a little, because there was nothing else to do. He looked at Samantha’s great-aunt. “Well, Madame Torturer, can you get me backstage?”
“Already seen to.”
That’s what he was afraid of.
“Go on, Sam, and put him to bed for a couple of hours,” Mary said. “I’ll see the gossip spread properly about Sir Richard’s miraculous liberation from the Tower, then we’ll get Derrick to the theater.” She rubbed her hands together enthusiastically. “I love a good play.”
Derrick watched her go, then looked at Samantha. “And you? What do you love?”
She leaned up and kissed him quickly. “Tell you later. You look like you need a nap.”
“What I need is a stiff drink.”
She laughed and pulled him back toward the house. He went, because she was surprisingly strong and because he was exhausted. He nodded to Oliver and Peter on his way, then allowed Samantha to get him all the way to their bedroom and put him to bed. She took off his boots, then leaned over and kissed him softly. He frowned as she straightened.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it, sport. You need your beauty rest.”
But she did do him the favor of lying down on the other side of the bolster.
“Set your alarm and I’ll check it,” she said.
He sighed, then did as she bid, because he had the feeling there was no getting out of what he was scheduled to do in a few hours. He put his arm around her and the bolster both, then propped his head up on his hand where he could watch her.
“I think I like you,” she said with a sleepy smile. “Break a leg later this afternoon.”
“Will you come?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
He lay down, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep, though he had the feeling he wouldn’t come close to managing it.
The Globe.
Hamlet.
He could almost not bear to think about it.
Chapter 27
Samantha stood on the floor of the Globe, at the back where she could lean against the wall and have drinks spilled down the