Tobias closed his eyes. “They shot into the carriage where our parents lay trapped. They didn’t make another sound. The blacksmith we’d brought with us to help disappeared into the trees.”
When Tobias opened his eyes, they were as cold as a midwinter blizzard. “Rosemary ran at them, shrieking like a fiend. One of them, a groom from Romsey, caught her and tossed her up onto his horse, slung over his thighs like a common trollop. He took her away, screaming at the top of her lungs.”
Leopold’s hands had curled into fists on the chair. “And you.”
“Impressed.” Tobias’ jaw clenched tight on the word and Mercy had the distinct feeling that so much more had happened to the young man than he was prepared to admit to. Her heart ached for the grim picture his single word evoked. A life lived onboard ship was cruel if you were not well connected. Men who were impressed didn’t often survive. According to Leopold, Tobias had been only thirteen at the time he disappeared. It didn’t surprise her that Tobias Randall had grown into a bitter man. Not after seeing his parents murdered, his sister taken by force. The old duke had truly been an evil man to have done this to his own family.
The difficulty she faced was deciding how deeply Tobias’ resentment, his need for revenge, was planted. Would he be safe around Edwin if his bindings were untied?
Leopold’s head bowed and then he tossed it from side to side, as if he was trying to dispel the image Tobias’ words painted. Mercy wished him luck. She doubted she would ever sleep well until Rosemary was found, whole and sound again. Safe here with them.
“When did you return to Romsey?”
“Last new moon.”
A heavy frown marred Leopold’s face when he raised it. “You’ve been prowling the estate for weeks? Why not just knock on the door and make good your threats? Why behave so sickeningly?”
Tobias lifted his chin defiantly. “Wanted to make sure who was who around here. You were dead, too, or so I was led to believe. Never expected to see you dancing to their tune. “ Tobias sneered in Mercy’s direction and she shrank away from him. “Or is it her tune you’re dancing to now. The rose arbor is a lovely quiet spot for a quick tumble, not that you were quick or quiet. Voices carry well across water.”
Mercy winced as Leopold cuffed Tobias across the jaw. “Speak ill of the duchess again and I’ll drown you.”
Tobias tossed his head to shake off the pain. “Won’t drown. I know how to swim now.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” Allen snorted. “Last time I had to fish you out by your boots.”
Mercy stared at them. Now the Randall’s were together in one place, there was a definite resemblance between them. It still astonished her Allen, the old duke’s illegitimate son, was here at all. But since he had been no trouble for her, she had no good reason to turn him away. Others might look down their noses at a duke’s bastard but he was still family. His boys were the only children near Edwin’s age and they played well together. And Allen did love working with the horses. There was no reason to make a fuss.
Tobias threw Allen a dirty look. “Who the hell are you?”
“Our cousin, Charles Allen. Remember him? He saved your life. Isn’t having the family all together positively grand?” Leopold mutte
red sarcastically. He looked over his shoulder at Mercy. “Your Grace, I am confident this is your stalker. Our problem, if you will. Would you mind giving us some privacy? I’d like a few moments alone with my youngest brother. He needs to learn his proper place again before it is too late for us.”
Mercy could understand Leopold wanting some privacy with his brother. He had been searching for him a long time. But she did wonder at Leopold’s eagerness to get her out of the room. What was he going to do when she had gone? “I’ll check on Edwin, and then return. I’d like your assurance that you will both be here and he will be breathing when I get back.”
Leopold shook his head. “I cannot make a promise about the latter.”
“Then I am not going to leave,” Mercy replied sweetly. She sat back in her chair and clasped her hands in her lap. She hoped she was giving him the impression that she was not going away anytime soon. He could not harm his brother. He’d never forgive himself.
“All right, all right. I won’t harm him as much as I would like.”
Mercy squinted at him. That was at least a fair concession. “Good. I’ve no desire to face questions should a body be found in the woods. We will keep this matter within the family and, since I am the nominal head of the family until Edwin comes of age, I say he lives. There are many more ways to punish him. A haircut and bath would be a very good start.”
Leopold smiled; his dimples as deep as ever Mercy had seen them.
Although she was attempting to make light of the danger that was Tobias Randall, Mercy climbed unsteadily to her feet and left them alone, her thoughts churning. To think Leopold’s own brother, a man he had been desperate to find, had been at fault all along. What would Leopold have done if he’d had his pistol in his pocket? Would he have shot first and asked questions later. Mercy had read his intent in his eyes the moment before he had leaped forward. He had meant her to escape, leaving him alone with the stranger.
But he surely would not have been at peace with the guilt of killing his own brother. Perhaps Tobias could be persuaded the threat from the old duke’s line was gone from the earth. Well, except for Mr. Allen and his sons. Since it seemed Leopold trusted Allen, Tobias might do the same given enough time. What would it take to make Edwin safe around Tobias Randall?
There had to be a way to salvage this rather than rip the family apart any further. Perhaps he needed to hear and see the truth about Edwin. But that would require Edwin’s presence and two sets of dimples on display. If Tobias could be appeased then they both might feel more comfortable around his brother.
She would find Edwin and after a little bit of time had passed, and tempers had cooled considerably, Mercy would introduce Tobias Randall to Edwin properly. His cousin. His nephew. Mercy was not sure what to call their relationship. But if Tobias could see Edwin’s resemblance to Leopold, maybe he would calm down much more quickly.
“Do you know where my sister went, Wilcox?”
“I’m afraid not, Your Grace. She sped past us with the boy in her arms and fled upstairs. I was distracted by Tobias Randall’s arrival. Now that you mention it, it has been very quiet up there. Shall I fetch her for you?”
“No, I can manage. I shall find them myself.” She glanced into the room she had just left. “Perhaps, it would be better if you were to stay close to the discussions taking place in there. Leopold is in somewhat of a temper with his younger brother. I should not like anything unfortunate to occur in my absence.”