To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M. White

Author:Roseanna M. White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Adventure fiction;Love stories;Christian fiction;FIC042110;FIC042030;FIC027200
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2021-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

15

Sheridan had expected to sleep until noon, given the ungodly hour at which they’d finally retired, but he found himself in the breakfast room at nine on the dot and looked around to see which mischievous soul had come knocking on his door fifteen minutes prior. He’d have wagered that it was Beth—he hoped it was Beth. That would be the sort of joke that spoke of new camaraderie, wouldn’t it? But if it had been her, she’d then vanished. He’d already peeked into the library, the drawing room, and the garden, but she hadn’t turned up anywhere.

Tea, then, was the obvious order of business. Still groggy and bleary-eyed, he turned to the sideboard and the hot water.

A grunt of greeting behind him alerted him to Telford’s presence. Which made his brows knot. “What are you doing up this early?”

In reply, Telly grabbed a cup and elbowed him out of the way of the water urn.

Sheridan stepped aside. He’d learned long ago that it was a fool’s mission to stand between Telly and his tea when he first stumbled from bed. To hold himself over the thirty seconds necessary, he reached for a piece of bacon. “I didn’t expect to see you until noon. Frankly, I didn’t expect to be up myself until then. Until some jokester knocked on my door.”

Telford froze, then turned a questioning eye on him. Not the kind that said, “Who would have knocked on your door?” No, the kind that said, “Yours too?”

Sheridan’s brows felt even knottier. “Wait. Someone woke you up? I can’t fathom it. Everyone’s learned long ago not to rouse the sleeping bear.”

Another grunt as Telly added a heaping spoonful of sugar to his cup.

There was nothing like his best friend’s daily foul humor to restore his own. “Well, it’s hardly an insult if it’s true. Though I do wonder who the culprit was if they woke both of us.” While he could imagine Beth pulling such a prank on him, he couldn’t think why she’d do it to Telford.

After a sip of tea, Telly moved on to filling a plate, leaving the space in front of the water urn open to Sheridan. He fixed his cup, looking toward the door when he heard footsteps. Two sets of them, from the sound of it.

Tremayne and Mamm-wynn filled the door a moment later. Their host was frowning. “She couldn’t have waited until we were all up before she went?” he said.

Sheridan’s fingers went tight around his cup. He had the distinct feeling they weren’t frowning over Mrs. Dawe.

Mamm-wynn shook her head. “Lady Emily was ready to go home, and it seemed wise to let them beat the rain there. They left about an hour ago. But . . .” The lady lifted a trembling hand and pressed it to her chest. Her gaze moved from her grandson’s face to Telford and then Sheridan. She looked relieved to see them all there. And yet too worried to be truly relieved. There was something strange in her eyes, which looked nearly unfocused.

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