Though Oliver of a Week Ago would have taken a bit too much pleasure in closing the door before Casek could reach it, Oliver of Today left it wide as he welcomed the girls inside. “You have a shadow, Benna.” He nodded toward Casek, noting the way her cheeks flushed when she noticed him.
It barely even made him sigh. He was making progress.
His fingers found Libby’s elbow of their own volition, and he smiled down at her. “I suspect that isn’t a picnic in the basket.” A woeful meow was his answer, making him chuckle. He tapped a finger in greeting upon the wooden lid. “Good morning, Darling. We’ll let you out once the door is closed, and you can come and meet Mamm-wynn.”
Mabena didn’t seem to know whether to step back outside or dash down the hallway. “Beth?”
“She’s gone to see her.”
“How is she? Mamm-wynn?” Libby leaned a bit closer to him as she asked—something he might not have noticed had he not been keenly aware of Lord Sheridan standing half a step away and her brother lurking in the dining room.
He ought to let go of her arm, probably. But couldn’t convince his fingers to obey. So instead he led her a few more steps into the entryway so they could make room for Casek. “She stirred a bit overnight. Opened her eyes a few times.”
Libby frowned at him. “Did you get any sleep at all?”
“Here and there.”
Her frown only deepened. “Oliver, you mustn’t—”
“Oliver?” Lord Telford’s voice, gruff and surly, intruded upon them.
Sheridan spun to face his friend with an overly bright look of surprise. “He speaks! And it’s before nine! Note it on the calendar, Lady Elizabeth.”
Libby just let out a long breath. “Good morning, Bram.”
“Remains to be seen.” Scowling and clutching his teacup as if it contained the very elixir of life, Telford stepped into the hallway and motioned at Oliver and Libby. “You’ll not call him that.”
Oliver wasn’t certain at first if she’d drop her eyes or roll them. She surprised him entirely by ignoring her brother’s directive altogether and turning her gaze back on Oliver. “You need your rest, or you’ll be no good to her. Don’t neglect your own health.”
“I won’t. I promise. Especially now that Beth’s home—I imagine she’ll take a shift tonight.” Because if his sister thought she was going to blow in like the wind, spend a few minutes with Mamm-wynn, and then vanish again, she was in for a surprise. He’d bar every door and window if he must, but she wasn’t leaving until he had some explanations and their grandmother was back on her feet.
Behind him, he heard Mabena asking how the race had gone, and then the closing of the door. Casek, obviously not shut out, laughed. “You ought to bow out more often, Tremayne. My lads routed yours rather handily.”
Since facing Casek was no worse than the continued glare of Telford, Oliver turned to the newest addition. “I do hope you didn’t gloat in front of Mr. Menna.”
“Saved it for you.” And he was smiling again. Genuinely. No doubt because he was standing so near Mabena, but still. “Besides, it wasn’t Mr. Menna’s fault. Enyon looked fit to fall over.” His gaze flicked to Sheridan and Telford and back again. “Must have been fairies or goblins in Piper’s Hole keeping him up again.” He said it with a straight face.
And with a flash in his eyes that Oliver had no trouble deciphering. It wasn’t fairies or goblins they needed to watch out for in the sea cave—but whoever had attacked them there before could well still be lurking about. He nodded. “I’ll have to pay him a visit later. For now, allow me to show you to the library, Lord Sheridan.” With a bit of luck, Telford would follow, and the rest of them could slip out to the garden, where Beth could join them.
He didn’t intend to wait much longer for the answers he needed.
23
Libby crouched down in the corner of the small library, placing the basket gently upon the floor. She’d yet to really explore this room and would love the chance to do so, sometime when Sheridan—and her stewing brother—weren’t in here. But for now, it seemed like a good place to let Darling out. No open windows or doors for him to fly through. She was a bit nervous that he’d go streaking out of the room and the house and she’d never see him again.
God? It seemed silly to pray for a cat. Wasn’t it? But her prayer for Mamm-wynn had been answered, and Oliver claimed he prayed for his plants. Surely a kitten was no worse, so she finished her silent request. Please keep Darling calm and help him adjust to coming here. I don’t want to lose him.
She lifted the lid of the wicker basket, and Darling scrambled out—directly into her arms. Grinning, she stood again, letting him put his front paws on her shoulder as usual and being rewarded with his loud purr.
“This section here is the local history,” Oliver was saying to Sheridan, motioning toward a shelf. He must have been in the garden already this morning—the cuff of his sleeve, though rolled up to his elbow, had a dusting of rich brown soil upon it that made her smile. And she’d caught a lovely whiff of green things on him when he’d been standing at her side.
Bram was at her side now, looking even grumpier than he usually did of a morning. “Stop.”
She lifted her brows. “Stop what?”
“Looking at him like that. I won’t have it.” He’d folded his arms forbiddingly across his chest—which may have looked a bit more intimidating if he weren’t still clutching a dainty, blue-sprigged teacup.
And if her heart weren’t still feeling bold and strong from the conversation she and Mabena had enjoyed on the sail from St. Mary’s. It had begun with Mabena officially resigning as her maid and then asking if she might keep staying with her as a friend, and from there . . . well, from there it had been like what she’d always dreamed of finding with a friend. Laughter over Casek and Oliver, worry over the mystery, a bit of moaning over the interruption to her nature-watching plans. And the gentle reminder from Mabena that Libby always had a choice. They came with consequences—but they were still her choices to make.
She could stay here, despite Bram’s disapproval and the risk of Mama’s disappointment and censure. It would come with a cost. But she could do it. She could take her summer, even if she ended up having to stay with the Moons. She could see Mamm-wynn back on her feet. She could enjoy the neighbors she already wished were her own.
She could spend the days with Oliver. Which was her brother’s primary objection, and she met it now with a sigh. “Brother dearest, you need a new pastime. May I recommend rowing or sailing? Plenty of opportunity for that around here, and I daresay it’ll be a far sight more entertaining than worrying over me.”
He grunted, which was about what she’d expected from him at this hour. She was frankly surprised he’d put a few entire sentences together already. But he could be rather eloquent with his expressions. Now, for instance, he narrowed his eyes at where Mabena and Casek were laughing together by the globe and then turned a questioning look on Libby.
She smiled. “I’m afraid my lady’s maid has given me her notice. It seems she intends to stay here and marry.” Though she said it quietly enough that Casek wouldn’t hear. Mabena probably meant to let him chase her awhile yet.