supper with me tonight. There are friends of mine I’d like you to meet.”
“I don’t think so, my lord. I am not–”
“Not going about in public yet? Enough of this nonsense. You’re out and about often enough with your hulking giant. I’ll send a man to fetch you at seven o’clock this evening. Refuse his escort and I shall send a dozen of my men to bring you to me.” He stared at Throck. “If you try to stop them, I’ll give them orders to shoot you.”
“Leave him alone,” Genalynn said, stepping in front of Throck to protect him. “I’ll be there.”
“Dress appropriately for the occasion. You’re a lady, after all. I’ll not have you showing up looking no better than my scullery maids.”
She remained in front of Throck, silently praying he would not do anything to rile her uncle and get himself shot. “Understood, my lord. Good day to you.”
She took Throck’s arm and walked on.
“He is mean to you,” Throck said when they were out of her uncle’s hearing. “I don’t like him.”
“Neither do I, but there is little I can do about him at the moment. We can only hope the king’s men arrive today and stop the ship from sailing to Ireland with the tide. We’ll be safe once they take my uncle into custody.”
“Then Mr. Croft will take you away.”
She didn’t want to speak of Gideon, but neither did she wish for thoughts of him to fester in Throck’s mind. “I’ve already told you, I will not leave you behind. You are my family. Let’s not worry about it until the time comes. Mr. Croft will not force me to do anything I do not wish to do.”
They walked into town, fetched a few needed supplies, and headed down to the harbor before setting off again for home. “What did it look like to you?” she asked. “There were still so many crates to be loaded. Perhaps they won’t make it out with today’s high tide.”
“Maybe.”
“I think the king’s men must be very close by now, if my calculations are correct. Of course, this assumes Mr. Croft’s superiors acted upon his information immediately. Do you think they did, Throck?”
He shrugged.
“Another day would be very good.” She poked him playfully when he continued to remain silent. “Honestly, Throck. Will you not stop talking? You are giving me a headache.”
He grinned at that.
This is how they always got along, even before his mother passed away and he was attacked by those awful Upper Crust villains.
They were laughing, and she was chattering, as they walked into the kitchen to set down their supplies. She removed her bonnet and set in on a peg beside the outside door. Suddenly, Throck wasn’t laughing. Genalynn followed his gaze and saw a soldier enter the kitchen. He’d come from inside the dower house. “Lady Genalynn?”
She nodded. “Who are you?”
“I’m Sergeant Travers, my lady. Mr. Croft sent me to you. I rode ahead to meet you. My men are about an hour or two behind me. I’ve ordered them to remain just outside of town and hide in the woods until I return for them.”
“May I offer you refreshments, Sergeant Travers? This is my companion...” She turned to introduce Throck, but he was nowhere in the room. “Oh, he must have gone out to check on our livestock. No matter, I’ll introduce you to him later.”
“Mother in heaven, the royal family ought to have such a companion. No one would get near them with a beast like him to guard them.”
She frowned. “He isn’t a beast. Don’t call him that.”
He had the good grace to look ashamed. “Sorry, my lady. He is rather fierce and more than a little terrifying.”
She sighed. “I suppose I’m grateful for that. He’s kept my uncle away from me until now. And I suppose you’re here to learn more about his rebellious activities. Will you be taking him into custody?”
“Yes, those are my orders. But I’m not to do anything before speaking to you first and getting you safely out of the way. Mr. Croft was adamant about this. He says you’re our best resource here.”
“I certainly know the manor house quite well, its nooks and hidden spaces. I also know my uncle’s routine. He was down by Clovelly’s harbor earlier today to watch his cargo being loaded onto The Dolphin. The ship is still in the harbor. I don’t think they’ll be finished loading the vessel before the turn of the tide.”