An Affair So Right (Rebel Hearts #4)(5)

Her home groaned again and crashing could be heard within. Maitland dropped her to the ground as he ordered everyone to move back until they were pressed against the stone wall bordering his property.

Theodora stared at the blaze. Smoke billowed toward them, pushed by a strengthening breeze, obscuring her vision. “Dear God, Papa.”

“That was probably the upper floor falling in over the east rooms,” Maitland suggested in a soft voice full of soft sympathy.

A chill swept her skin, and she shivered. “My father’s library was beneath.”

Lord Maitland’s arm slipped around her again, and he rocked her. “I know.”

She stared in horror, unable to believe there was no hope. She clung to Maitland’s arm, praying her father might yet be all right. But it seemed hopeless.

The fight left her legs suddenly, and she would have fallen if not for Maitland’s continued support.

“Get those men back!” he suddenly shouted over the top of her head.

He held her to his chest tightly another moment, and then the pressure eased. “There’s nothing we can do. Stay with your mother. Those people are too close. I must move them out of harm’s way. Deacon, help me bring them to order, will you?”

Maitland released her, stripped off his coat, whipped it around her shoulders, and then left her to stand in silence with the scent of his cologne filling her lungs. He strode away with the other man, Deacon, she assumed.

Maitland and Deacon took command while Theodora huddled inside the warmth of Maitland’s perfectly tailored evening wear.

She followed his movements as he argued and gestured to the house and the people standing about idly while her home was consumed. Eventually, he convinced them to move to safety, and she could tell, even from this distance, that he was a man who expected to be obeyed without question.

Another section of the roof collapsed, falling into her own bedchamber, spraying sparks of light out over the street where just moments before a group of bystanders had lingered. Theodora stroked the exceptional-quality material wrapped around her. If not for Maitland, they’d all have been showered in sparks.

If not for Maitland, she’d have been injured.

She shivered again and hugged his coat closer about her body. Everything they had was inside that burning house. Possessions and money.

Theodora glanced toward her mother as the horror finally sank in.

Did Mama realize it too? They had nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Theodora moved to her mother and inserted herself in the little group surrounding her. Her mother was quick to link arms, and together they stared at the destruction of the home they’d shared. “What can we do?”

Her mother tightened her grip on Theodora. “I don’t know.”

More of the house collapsed as Maitland hurried toward her. His arms folded around both her and her mother as everyone took cover. A blast of heat and smoke swept over them all in a thick choking cloud, along with a deafening roar. Theodora held her face against Maitland’s chest as they began to cough together.

“It’s over. I am so sorry,” Maitland whispered for their ears alone when the smoke had thinned. “I’m so sorry nothing could be done to save him.”

Her mother sobbed then, grasping both Theodora’s and Maitland’s clothes tightly as she grieved and wailed for the loss of her husband of thirty years. Theodora did her best to soothe her, but there was no stopping Mama once she began to cry.

She was surprised Lord Maitland allowed it, since they were strangers to each other.

When Maitland stepped back a little while later, Theodora was free to see her home had reduced to a pile of ash, broken and burning timbers, and a thick plume of smoke drifting upward toward what had been a perfectly clear, starlit sky. There was nothing left that she could recognize of the pretty house they’d lived in.

Theodora cried for her father then, never noticing Lord Maitland’s fine coat had slipped from her shoulders until he placed it back around her again. “How could this have happened?”

Maitland squeezed her shoulder. “There’ll be an investigation.”

Anger filled Theodora. “Whoever was responsible for my father’s death must be punished.”

“Punished? Why would you say that?” The man appeared horrified. “Surely an accident caused the blaze.”

She drew away from Maitland, wiped the tears from her eyes and straightening her spine. “That was no accident. My father was always very careful with open flames. You don’t know how particular he was about such matters. Someone started that fire on purpose. It is the only explanation that makes any sense.”

Maitland held her gaze a long moment, still patting her weeping mother’s shoulder. “The coroner will discover how this accident occurred.”

The other fellow returned. “I say, this is turning out to be a sad night all round,” he muttered to Lord Maitland.

“Indeed it is, Deacon,” Lord Maitland agreed.

“Where is Mr. Small?” her mother asked suddenly, pulling away from Maitland and glancing around wildly.

“Who is that?”

“My father’s secretary,” Theodora explained as she looked around. In the chaos, Theodora had forgotten Mr. Small often worked after she’d retired for the night. Mr. Small did not reside with them, but he occasionally fell asleep over his desk. The man had still been hard at work at his desk when Theodora had retired that night.