The Valet and the Stable Groom: M/M Regency Romance by Katherine Marlowe

Author:Katherine Marlowe [Marlowe, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Honeywine Publishing
Published: 2016-06-23T18:30:00+00:00

The party was variously considered to be a disaster and a great success, but everyone agreed that it was the most interesting event to have happened in Herefordshire in years.

It took hours before the fire was completely out. All the guests were reassured and plied with syllabubs and tea, the tables were cleared away, and the physician confirmed that there were no injuries more serious than the minor sprains suffered in fleeing the explosion.

Hildebert had to be carried upstairs in his chair by a pair of footmen, which inspired him to proclaim that he felt like a “very grand poo-bah.” Clement watched this from the lawn with his nose wrinkled in helpless, fond befuddlement, and looked over to find that Mrs. Ledford was standing beside him, also watching.

Clearing his throat, Clement stood a little straighter and schooled his features into a more decorous state. “Mrs. Ledford.”

“Well,” she said, looking over at him. “At least the dessert was a success.”

After that she walked away.

Clement stared after her, wondering if that had been some sort of scathing criticism that he hadn’t yet sorted or if Mrs. Ledford was in possession of a very dry sense of humour.

The final tidying up was being done in the gardens under Mrs. Ledford’s competent supervision, so Clement left it and went upstairs. He found Hildebert happily installed in his bed under a mountain of quilts, with a pot of tea and a pile of books within reach.

“Sir,” said Clement.

“What a tragedy, Clement!” Hildebert sighed. There was what seemed to be a dish towel wrapped around his head. Clement knew he was not bleeding from any head wounds, and wondered whether Letty might have had anything to do with offering to wrap his head befitting a grand rajah. “My grand career as an inventor, curtailed in its infancy!”

“To be sure,” Clement agreed. His fingers itched to tuck in a stray fold of the dishtowel which flapped as Hildebert moved his head. “All your research and inventions, lost.”

“I’ll have to begin again from scratch!” Hildebert said. He lifted his hands, then flopped them disconsolately into the quilts. “All that hard work.”

Clement did not think that not quite two weeks of a hobby attempt at mechanical engineering was really all that much hard work to lose. “We would have to send for new supplies from London, again. All the same items. I shall explain to the supplier… ah, well, I shall think of something.”

“And let them think me a failure!” Hildebert said, groaning at the great tragedy of it all. “No, no. No one can know.”

Half the county of Herefordshire knew.

“Of course, sir,” Clement said. He refilled Hildebert’s tea cup and put it into his hands. “You’ve been injured. You must rest.”

“Rest,” said Hildebert. He sighed. His tea cup tilted precariously.

Clement steadied the hand with the tea cup, encouraged him to drink, and then retired to his room.

Exhaustion overwhelmed him the moment that he was safely inside his room. Lighting his solitary candle by the side of his little bed, Clement sat down upon the bed as he unbuttoned his coat and waistcoat.

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