Chapter 14
Fourteen
“Toby! When did you get in?” Warner strode across his study towards his cousin.
Toby was still dressed in his military uniform.
His dark hair was cut short, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
Toby’s usually warm green eyes seemed distant and grey.
Warner peered more closely at him, his heart sinking as he pulled the man into an embrace. His cousin stiffened at his touch.
Warner’s heart twisted, but he reined his emotions back in as he stepped away from Toby.
“This calls for a drink.” Warner clapped his hands together and moved towards the decanter and glasses. “A scotch, I think.”
Toby said nothing, sitting in an armchair by the fireplace. Warner poured out a generous measure of whiskey and handed it to him, taking the seat opposite him.
“Where is Father?” Toby glanced around. “I was told he was staying with you.”
“Yes I thought that would be best, at least until you returned from the front.” Warner glanced at the clock in the corner. “I wanted to keep an eye on him; he has not been the same since the wedding.”
“Of course not.” Toby took a gulp of his drink. “I doubt any of us will be the same.”
Warner nodded, swirling the contents of his glass as he surveyed his cousin. “I am sorry that you missed the funeral.”
“These things cannot be helped. War does not care if one’s brother dies.” Toby’s mouth twisted, and Warner noticed a gauntness about his features that had not been there before. “I got here as quickly as I could.”
“I know you did.” Warner nodded.
They lapsed into silence as they each drank from their glass. Warner watched his cousin, looking for some emotion in the man’s usually expressive face. It was more blank than a stone.
He shifted in his seat, trying to think of something to say. It had been years since he had seen his cousin, and in that time, he had gone from a gangly boy of eighteen to a well-muscled soldier.
“You are nearly as tall as me.” Warner gestured to him. “When you were left, you were at least a head and shoulders shorter.”
“Time has that effect.” Toby shrugged, his eyes staring into the fire. “A lot has changed. I tried to get time off for his wedding, but it was denied.”
“I am not sure that is a bad thing. What happened to him… It was not pleasant to witness.” He shuddered thinking.
In his mind, he heard screams. He could smell the vomit and bile, hear Eric’s strangled, rattling last breaths. He ran a hand across his chest, remembering the wetness of his cousin’s blood against his shirt, his skin.
“I am no stranger to unpleasantness, Warner. I am a soldier first, a colonel second. I was there with my men on the frontlines. I have seen the fighting. I have heard men’s dying screams.” His cousin’s eyes took on a faraway look.
“I thought it would be he who would have to mourn the loss of a brother, not me.”
“I would have preferred neither of you to have mourned the other.” Warner remembered how terrified Eric had been when Tobias had joined the military. He prayed every night for your safe return.
“We do not always get what we want.” There was a bitterness in Toby’s voice that set Warner on edge.
“His loss has affected us all,” Warner agreed. “Your father will be glad you are home.” If he realises you are here at all. Warner swallowed.
“Would that it was a happier homecoming.” Toby threw back his head and downed the rest of his drink. “Though I suppose it is not all doom and gloom, is it Cousin?”
He tipped the glass towards the open newspaper on the table. Warner followed his gaze and realised it was the wedding announcement between him and Adele. Toby gave him a bitter smile.
“Tell me, what is it about her that seems to draw men to her like moths to a flame?” He poked her name on the sheet. “She must be quite something to behold.”
“She is.” Warner admitted without thinking, his hand going to the silver locket beneath his shirt. The one that contained a lock of her hair. “Anyone with eyes to see could see her beauty.”
“Well if the scandals attached to her name are anything to go by, there is certainly a personality in spades.” Toby stood and poured himself another measure of scotch. “No doubt your marriage will be interesting to say the very least.”
Warner frowned, trying to see past the cold expression on Toby’s face. “I would not believe everything you hear about her cousin; half of it is lies, and the rest is rumour spread by miserable hags.”
“It cannot all be falsehoods. After all, the scandal sheets say she is a pretty chit of a girl, and by your own admission, that is true.” Toby gave a languid shrug and massaged his neck with his hand.
“Why don’t you tell me about her? It seems she is determined to be a part of the family one way or another. ”
His cousin’s words put his back up. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. His cousin arched an eyebrow at him, gesturing to him with his whiskey glass. The liquid sloshed wildly, spilling onto the floor.
“Go on, Cousin. Tell me about the girl who has so ensnared the hearts of the two men I held most dear.”
“She has not captured my heart.” Warner ran a hand through his hair.
“If you say so.” Toby took another swig of his drink.
“I do. I… I respect her.” Warner took a sip of his own whiskey, trying to think of the words to describe Adele. “She is kind and fiercely loyal, even if she can be na?ve. And stubborn! You could sooner get blood out of a stone than convince her to do something she has no wish to do.”
“You sound as though you admire her.” Toby canted his head towards him.
“She has been through a lot. She is unlike any woman I have ever met before.” He shrugged. “She has a sharp wit, razor sharp in fact.”
“Then it seems this has all worked out rather well for you.” Toby gave him a flat look.
Warner’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”
“My brother is dead, and that leaves you free to claim his widow for your own. Careful cousin, or she might do to you what she did to him. I hear she likes to play with men’s hearts.” Toby’s smile was cruel, a complete departure from the kind boy he had grown up with.
Warner’s grip tightened on his glass, and he leaned forwards, his voice low. “She did not kill your brother.”
“Are you sure about that?” Toby met his gaze, anger and pain flashing in his eyes.
“Do you really think I would marry a woman I thought killed Rothwell?”
“A week ago I would have said no, but then… a week ago, if you had told me my dearest cousin would be marrying my brother’s widow, I would have laughed in your face and told you that you were mad.” Toby’s lip curled.
“I loved him like a brother; you know that. He is the one who saved me when no one else could. I will spend the rest of my life trying to repay his kindness.” Warner stood and walked to the fireplace, resting his hand on the mantle.
Toby was on his feet, glaring at Warner. “You did not love him; how could you claim to love him if you would take his wife for your own?”
“I am doing no such thing! There was nothing between your brother and his widow. I cannot tell you the truth of their arrangement, but Ad— Lady Adele was not your brother’s love. Nor is she my own.” Warner squared off against Toby. “This is about protecting her, keeping her safe.”
Toby scoffed. “And why would you do that if you did not care for her?”
“Do you really believe I would do that to him?” Warner’s heart thundered in his chest. “Do you think so little of me, cousin? Do you think I would woo a woman whom your brother had loved? That I would win her heart when he is barely three months in the ground?”
Toby glared at him and then deflated, sinking down into the armchair. “Of course not, cousin. I was not thinking. It has been a long journey. If you say that there is nothing between you and his widow, then I will believe you.”
Warner swallowed. “I am only trying to keep her safe. It is my duty.”
Toby looked at him for a long moment, but if he heard the catch in Warner’s voice, he gave no sign of it. It is my duty.
“Then forget I said anything.” Toby gave him a weak smile. “I am sure Eric would have been grateful to you, he always did his best to look after the people around him.”
Warner nodded. “He did. It is strange that I will be getting married without him there.”
“I know. Though if he were here, you would not be getting married at all.” Toby clapped him on the back and laughed.
Warner joined him, though his laughter sounded hollow to his ears.
He thought of Adele and the way her hand had felt against his chest. Thought of the sound of her laugh, the way her eyes had glinted when she had flirted with him.
It had made his heart pound so hard, he was certain she must have felt it.
“I should go and see my father. We will stay here tonight and then go to Erindale tomorrow.” Toby walked to the doorway. “I am glad to be home, Cousin.”
“It is good to have you back, Toby.” Warner kept his smile in place until the sound of his cousin’s footsteps faded out of earshot.
He leaned his head against the cool stone of his study wall and let out a sigh. “There is nothing between us. There can never be anything between us.”
I cannot betray Rothwell. He would do his duty, that was it, but he could not help but picture Adele’s pretty face or run his hand along his chest, feeling the echo of her fingertips.