Page 63 of An Inconvenient Vow

Sir Dudley looked troubled. “I am not familiar with Sir Hereward Acker,” he confessed. “I understand the Ackers are an old family with a respected lineage.” When Jeffree said nothing, his expression of concern deepened. “He was not a congenial master?”

“He was a drunkard, a womanizer, and a bully,” Jeffree answered truthfully. After all, what was the point in tiptoeing around it? He had thought as much for years.

Sir Dudley’s hand froze in the act of refilling Jeffree’s cup. “Did you not tell your guardians as such?”

Jeffree shrugged. “I may have intimated my disgust of Sir Hereward to my godfather,” he admitted. “But Charles was never in ignorance of Acker’s personal morals. He believed I needed to learn how to exist alongside such men. In the event of battle, of war, you will need to exist cheek by jowl with them. As for Uncle Bevis”—Jeffree shrugged again—“he leads a very sheltered life. The fact that Acker’s great-great-grandmother was sister to a duke was all that concerned him.”

“Good gods. You never complained to your mother?”

“Certainly not. We both know there was little she could have done in the situation. It would only have worried her.”

Sir Dudley sat back in his chair and rubbed his brow. “I cannot imagine Jasper dealing with a bullying master. I should not wish to imagine it.”

“Well, Jasper will not have to. I am many things, but I do not think—”

“I never thought that of you,” Dudley interrupted him swiftly. “Only that, you are not… not…” He floundered a moment and Jeffree watched him with interest. “… the most tolerant of boisterous high spirits when it comes to young people,” he said carefully.

“Well, I have not much experience in that field.”

Dudley gave him a considering look. “Your wife is very good with them,” he said at last.

“Yes.”

“It was a kind gesture, giving them the dogs.”

Jeffree almost snorted. “And how have you found them this past few days?”

“Disruptive,” his stepfather answered heavily, and Jeffree stretched out his legs before him and hid his answering smile behind his hand. “The boys expect them to be fed the best cuts of meat,” Sir Dudley complained, “and for them to sleep upon their beds every night.”

“I expect they do.”

“You will let them sleep thus when they live with you, I expect.”

“Most likely. So long as I do not have to suffer the dogs upon my own bed, I will not care.”

His stepfather nodded resignedly. “I think Crispin is too young to come to you next year, but he will be the very devil to appease if left here without Jasper.”

“Then let him come. Ten is young for a squire, but not unheard of.”

Sir Dudley did not say anything for a moment, but finally, he nodded. “I believe I will,” he sighed at last. “But unlike your guardians, I will expect to be kept well-informed and will drop in to check on their progress,” he warned.

Jeffree nodded. “I would expect nothing less.”

“And I will want them home with us on high feast days.”

“That was customary even in my day.”

Dudley rose to his feet. “Shall we shake hands on the bargain?” he suggested. Jeffree grasped his hand and Sir Dudley cleared his throat. “I will have you shown abovestairs; you must want to change out of your traveling clothes. Sabina is in the yellow bedchamber, but perhaps you should not wish to disturb her at this advanced hour...?”

“I will be disturbing her,” Jeffree answered without hesitation.

His father-in-law’s eyebrows rose. “In that case, perhaps you should wash first. There is a small room opposite. I will have a servant fetch you hot water to wash and then lead you up to her.”

Sir Dudley was as good as his word, and by the time Jeffree stood outside Sabina’s bedchamber, he was clean and divested of his outer garments, candlestick in hand. He opened the door carefully and found the glow from the fireplace and two guttered candlesticks above it still reasonably illuminated the room.

Sabina was lying in the middle of the bed on her side with her face turned into the pillow bearer. Quickly, Jeffree blew out the candle and sat it down on a convenient table and stripped down to his braies. It was a matter of mere moments before he joined her beneath the sheets, wrapping an arm about her waist. She stirred and turned her head toward him making a sleepy sound of interrogation.

“It’s me.”