Chapter 11 #3
He chuckled, but the mere thought of her assisting Silas in such a task had William replying, “He can wash in the stream.”
Clara smiled slightly, and the expression sent a flurry of something unfamiliar through his veins. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
William felt a rush of gratitude that he was not obliged to shoulder this burden alone. Had it not been for Clara’s trustworthiness and willingness to help, the urge to smile would have been the farthest thing possible from him at the moment.
“Rest well, Clara.” He turned away and walked toward Rushlake’s main door.
“It is not only the money,” she said suddenly.
He stopped, then turned to face her.
“The reason I am still here,” she explained.
William searched her face, trying to understand what precisely she was saying to him. From the intent look in her eyes, it was clear she felt it important to communicate.
“You asked for my honesty always,” she said after a few moments. “Did you truly mean it?”
“I did.”
She met his gaze, and his heart fluttered with anticipation and apprehension as he waited.
“I think you are too severe with yourself when it comes to your brother’s situation, Your Grace. In fact, I suspect you are too severe with yourself in general.”
A lump rose in his throat, and he forced it down. His guilt over Silas had been weighing on him for a year now. Perhaps if he had been less dismissive of Silas, things might have turned out differently. Langdon might still be alive, and Silas would never have been obliged to flee England.
“I hope you know,” Clara continued, “that you may always be honest with me without fear I shall think less of you. Good night, Your Grace.” She turned and walked to the door, passing through it with a quick glance over her shoulder that kept William in place for a full minute afterward.
First thing in the morning, William met with Edmund in the library. He had lain awake longer than he had hoped, trying to decide how to handle things with his friend and advisor. He disliked the idea of keeping Silas’s return from Edmund.
But Edmund would insist William send Silas elsewhere, and that was something William could not do. He had betrayed his brother once; he would not do so again.
The unpleasant fact, however, was that they were harboring a fugitive from the law at Rushlake.
The gossip that had circulated about William and Clara was a prime example of the danger they faced.
If Lord Drayton discovered Silas was in England again, he would take immediate action to see he was silenced for good.
Anyone who knew of Silas’s presence at Rushlake would be considered complicit.
William had no intention of putting Edmund in that position. The less he knew, the better.
“Poor night of sleep, Your Grace?” Edmund searched William’s face as he took the seat across from him.
“Simply tell me I look like a monster and be done with it, Edmund.”
“Not at all. I have been worrying I rushed you into things—inviting everyone to Rushlake—and that you are losing sleep over it.”
William shook his head. “It is what I want. But it shall be upon us before we know it, and if you are correct about the number of acceptances we will receive, we will require the bedrooms in the hunting lodge, which has not been in use for some time.”
Edmund nodded. “I will make a visit and do an inventory today.”
“That is unnecessary. One of the maids can manage that task. In fact, I was thinking that, to minimize the chaos amongst the servants, it might be wise to assign one of them to take on the preparation of the lodge.”
Edmund’s gaze grew more pensive, and under the sustained scrutiny, William found himself unable to suggest Clara as the one to assign the task to. Just as Clara had said, it would feel too pointed after everything.
But what was the alternative? It had to be Clara. If anyone else was suggested, William would have to put his foot down, and that would raise suspicion Silas could not afford.
“I believe you are right,” Edmund said. “Given the gossip that continues to plague the servants, I wonder if the best choice might be Clara.”
William opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.
Edmund scooted to the edge of his seat. “You may dislike the idea, Your Grace, but I do believe it would be best.”
William tried to keep his response measured instead of jumping to agree with the suggestion. “And why is that?”
“Creating distance between the two of you may help quell more gossip. The last thing we need when the guests arrive is for their own servants to become participants in a rumor mill that will inevitably reach their masters.”
William nodded, but his conscience twinged. Edmund was trying to help him while William concealed the truth—not just the truth about Silas but that William would be working together more closely than ever with Clara.
Neither was it as though Edmund’s concerns were without merit.
William did feel a connection to Clara. Whether that was due to the circumstances of their meeting or for the mere fact that such a connection was forbidden, William couldn’t say.
But last night had given him to suspect Clara felt it too.