Lady Adalyn (The Saga Of Wolfbridge Manor Book 1) by Sahara Kelly (latest ebook reader TXT) 📕

“Not just me,” she managed a smile. “I’m sure everyone’s been busy today.”

“They await your presence,” Giles commented. “Everyone is here to share the meal.”

“How wonderful.” Adalyn gave a little skip. “I do enjoy being with my gentlemen. But I must wash the garden dirt off my hands.” She hurried to the door. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”

“We’ll be waiting…” Evan smiled that particular smile of his.

Adalyn couldn’t help a tiny little shiver of delight.

~~~~~

Lunch was, as always when all the gentlemen were present, so much fun. And the laughter carried through to the tea Evan made for them to complete the meal.

Adalyn watched the jesting, the discussions, the easy give-and-take that these four different men had developed; a camaraderie that seemed to go deeper than she’d have believed possible. They shared similar views of the world and she knew each and every one would protect her, champion her and do all in their power to keep her safe.

And every now and again she would intercept a look, a smile, something that stirred a similar emotion inside her. There was more than honour here; she felt something deeper and more intense, something growing every day. They were warmly affectionate with her now, since over the past months they had shared so much together.

It was no longer strange to end a day talking to each or all of them while in her nightclothes, or to find herself wrapped tightly in the arms of one of them. She shared kisses that had progressed from polite to loving, and were now bordering on passionate.

She was learning their tastes too, Jeremy was sweet and tangy, Daniel tasted of man and something minty. Evan was always fresh, like mornings in a meadow, and Trick had a unique taste, a musky male tongue she’d recognise even if she were blindfolded.

Their arms, their hands, their caresses—all were becoming familiar and desirable to her. She took comfort from them, and for the first time in her life felt wanted. Needed, perhaps, as well. In fact, she had discovered that perhaps she was also feeling loved. Whatever these feelings were, they had become indispensable to her well-being, replacing as they did the void left by an empty childhood.

Her heart was opening to them…but whether that was good or bad had yet to be seen.

Lunch was barely over when a loud pounding on the front door made them all jump. Giles rose and strode from the room, frowning at the over-use of the door knocker.

They all stood, Evan moving a dish or two from the table, and Adalyn finishing her tea.

“Who could be calling, I wonder?” Daniel offered Adalyn his arm.

“It could be someone from Ditchley,” said Jeremy. “They’re supposed to send over a lad to look at the vines on the wall of the south-east corner. Giles thinks they may be threatening some of the brickwork…”

“And I want to find a certain recipe which might be in the Rose room…” Evan followed.

“I should be off,” said Trick. “One of the Little Maddington farmers has a mare that I should look over. If she foals as well as she’s been bred…”

“That sounds interesting, Trick.” Daniel turned as he and Adalyn reached the hall. “I’d like to know the result. We might consider buying a bit of new blood for our stable…”

Their conversation stopped as they heard Giles’s voice raised in argument. This was so unlike him, that everyone froze.

“And I repeat, your accusations are completely outrageous.” The repressed fury in Giles’s words made Adalyn gasp.

“I am sorry, Mr. Giles. I’m just doin’ my duty, sir.”

Adalyn moved forward, dropping Daniel’s arm and hurrying to the front door. “Giles, what’s happening? Who are these men?”

Three people stood on the Wolfbridge doorstep, tidily dressed, but clearly not members of country Society.

“Ma’am.” The one in the front doffed his cap. “I’m William Dressling, Ma’am. County Constable and representative of the Lord Lieutenant, Sir Gerald Ffolkesborough.”

“Are you indeed, sir. Well all this sounds quite important, but it has obviously upset my…my butler. Would you please restate the reason for your visit?”

Adalyn could feel Giles’s fury, his lips tightly closed, radiating anger from every pore. It unnerved her, but she found the courage to stand beside him with her chin high.

“Ma’am, I’m charged by the Lord Lieutenant—as yer can see by this here warrant I’m a carryin’,” he waved a sheet of foolscap at her, “to hereby take into custody one Mr. Trevallyn Jones, known to all hereabouts as Trick.”

“What?” Adalyn’s mouth fell open. “Trick? What on earth are you talking about?”

“He’s to come along with us, Ma’am. We has to take him into custody, like I said. He’s to be remanded into the Roundhouse in Ditchley, until such time as his Lordship Sir Gerald comes an’ speaks with ‘im.”

“About what?” pursued Adalyn. “Is my groom being charged with something? Surely you have more information than this…”

Her heart was pounding and her hands were damp, and she felt Evan, Daniel and Jeremy move close to stand with her.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am, my Lady,” the man lowered his gaze for a moment. “’Tis not good news.”

“I gathered as much, Mr. Dressling. Out with it. Why are you here to arrest Trick?”

“Well, Ma’am, it has to do with the…” he lifted the paper and consulted it for a moment, then lowered his hands and looked at Adalyn. “Mr. Jones is under arrest, and is to be held on suspicion of causing the untimely death of Sir Amery Fairhurst from Fivetrees.”

“I don’t believe a word of it…” Evan sputtered out his confusion.

“What?”

“This is outrageous…”

“Absurd, completely absurd…”

Adalyn’s exclamation was closely followed by both Daniel’s and Jeremy’s outbursts of shock and disbelief.

“It’s the truth, my Lady.” Dressling held out the warrant. “”Ere. Read it fer yerself…”

Adalyn noted his language had lapsed a little, and she eagerly perused the document to ensure that no mistake had been made. But it was all there.

She looked at Giles. “It’s a valid warrant, Giles. What