An Affair So Right (Rebel Hearts #4)(31)

He turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Thank you for today.”

“It was my pleasure.” She rubbed his back in companionable sympathy. “It was high time I repaid you for all you’ve done for my mother and me. Sitting at the earl’s bedside was the least I could do. You all but held me up off the ground when my father died, if you recall.”

“I stopped you from destroying yourself. You would have run into the fire because you loved your father so much.” He shook his head. “I’ve never had that affection for mine.”

She leaned against his side. “His loss, not yours.”

His eyes glowed, and he reached out to caress her cheek in an entirely inappropriate manner for their current situation of employer and employee. Lord Maitland had turned her down days ago, but there had been several times today when his hand had sought hers discreetly. She held his gaze now and time had slipped away, captured by the speculative look in his eyes. Theodora tried not to read more into his behavior than she should, but she wondered if the loyalty he felt for Adele Blakely had ended with her betrayal.

And if it had, what he would do about it, if anything.

His hand fell away as the carriage stopped before the stairs of Maitland House. He alighted and helped her out. Together they ascended the stairs side by side without touching, stepped into the foyer, and they both sighed with relief.

In their absence, Theodora’s mother had finally come down from her room and rushed to greet them.

“Mama.” Theodora hurried forward and embraced her, eager for the comfort of familiar, loving arms about her. It felt so good to see Mama on her feet at last. “I hope you received my message,” she whispered.

“I did. Thank you.” Mother turned to Maitland. “I am so very sorry that your family has suffered this tragedy.”

“Thank you.” Maitland bowed formally. “If you will excuse me. It has been a difficult day.”

“Of course. If there is anything I can ever do, just ask.” Her mother searched his face but nodded when Maitland made no reply. She smiled nervously. “Well, good night then.”

Lord Maitland took the stairs two at a time.

As soon as he was out of sight, Mama turned on her. “We’ve brought him bad luck.”

“Nonsense.” Theodora hooked her arm through her mother’s and led her to the hall table. She was not going to get into a protracted discussion about curses and fate and all that. Lord Templeton had been fornicating with an actress, his son’s mistress of five years, for heaven’s sake.

After the long day away, the hall table was overflowing with correspondence, but she hadn’t the heart to open anything. She shook her head. She had no wish to read about a new ball or dinner her employer was offered as entertainment. “We had nothing to do with the events of today, or last night, and you know it.”

“Poor man. What are you going to do?”

Theodora looked up in surprise. “Me?”

“He seems very angry. He will need an outlet for that anger. Something other than using his fists would be best. You must talk to him. Calm him.”

Theodora frowned. “He’s not a violent man, Mama. At least, I don’t believe so. He was very gentle when he broke the news to his mother.”

“His mother raised him.”

She remembered his gentleness with Lady Templeton all throughout what had to be the most trying of days. They were close. She was glad he was loved by at least one parent. The other seemed to have viewed him as competition. “Well, I for one am very glad that he does not follow in his father’s footsteps.”

“Maitland will assume a new title when the earl dies, he’ll most likely move to grander lodgings, perhaps even to Newberry House. We should make plans to move out.”

“I…” Theodora bit her lip. “I will not leave Lord Maitland at such a time, even if I could.”

“Why not?”

“I like the work I do for him very much.”

Mother’s gaze became speculative. “What if he should bow to social expectations and replace his unconventional female secretary with his father’s existing staff?”

Theodora had already met Lord Templeton’s secretaries during the day—a pair of dull men who seemed genuinely eager to help her employer with anything he’d asked for. Her introduction as Quinn’s secretary had been a tense moment. The men had frankly stared with barely concealed shock. She had caught one of them, the elder, smirking rudely at her behind Lord Maitland’s back too.

Quinn had not noticed, or perhaps he had and found such behavior normal. It was hard to tell, given how quiet he’d been that day.

Unfortunately, Lord Maitland had appeared comfortable around the two gentlemen and had made plans to meet with them soon. It had been very plain to see the pair were organized, perhaps irreplaceable even for the soon-to-be new earl, at least at first. The rosy future she’d envisaged managing Maitland’s simple affairs could very easily move out of her reach because of his elevation, and sooner than she was ready for. She might have to share her employer and defer to the other pair entirely.

She pulled a face. “Those decisions are out of my hands. All I can do is my best work.” She grasped her mother’s cold fingers tightly, trying to convey hope that she did not feel at that moment. “No matter what happens, we will survive, Mama. I have this month’s wages, should the worst come to pass.”