Page 64 of An Inconvenient Vow

She sighed and lowered her head again. “What time is it?”

“Late. Almost midnight. Go back to sleep.”

To his surprise, she complied almost immediately. Sleep took much longer to come for Jeffree, but as he had spent the last three nights staring at the ceiling of his pavilion with unaccustomed need gnawing at his gut, he felt strangely content to lie where he was. As he lay there, feeling the warmth of her body seeping into his own, he contemplated a future which held restoring a glorified hunting lodge to some semblance of order and taking his troublesome brothers under his wing. He faced both eventualities with surprising equanimity. Strange, it was all… very… strange.

Even the chilling prospect of having to get his vow rescinded failed to disturb the sense of calm that overtook him as he finally drifted to sleep at Sabina’s side.

*

The previous night’s serenity was shattered the next morning when Jeffree was wakened abruptly by the combined efforts of boys and dogs leaping on the bed with loud yells and whooping cries. It was small consolation to see how both his brothers’ faces fell to find him in the bed beside their sister-in-law.

“My gods, was this how they wakened you every morning?” he groaned as the chastened boys hurried off to break their fast, their dogs following on behind wholly unrepentant.

“No.” Sabina shook her head and yawned. “I think it was only because today is my last day here. They meant it for a special send-off. After breakfast, they intend to lead me on a farewell tour of Longacre.”

Jeffree’s displeasure deepened. “We need to set out directly for Fulford Abbey this morn.”

“I thought you said it was not far?”

“A day’s ride only,” he agreed. “But we want to reach there before nightfall.”

“Oh.” Sabina looked thoughtful. “You do not think it would be more expedient if you approached the Lady Meliora without me in tow?”

“That would be most improper. Besides, the Mother Abbess”—he made sure to stress the change of Meliora’s title—“does not receive male visitors alone.”

Sabina formed a soundless “oh” with her lips and turned back to fastening the laces at her bodice.

Over the course of their morning meal, Jeffree witnessed just how effortlessly his wife appeared to have fitted into life at Longacre in a mere three days. His mother, who rarely rose before ten, deigned to appear a whole hour before that, and what’s more, asked if he might not leave “dear Sabina” with them while he competed in his “nasty tournaments” over the summer.

“For she would not be any bother here,” Lady Maud continued graciously. “Indeed, Dudley and I are growing most accustomed to having her about the place. She is quite one of the family.”

Sir Dudley, perhaps deducing Jeffree’s answer was about to be forcefully given, interrupted hastily here to draw his wife’s attention to some pressing household matter.

“You have exactly one hour for your farewell tour,” Jeffree growled at Sabina. “And not one minute longer.”

“Oh no, Jeffree de Crecy, you do not get off the hook that easily!” she assured him. “You are coming with us.”

“I am?”

“He is?” He fancied his brothers’ cries held as much dismay as his own.

Sabina unfurled a grubby and smudged-looking map. “The boys have been so kind as to make me a treasure map to complete along the way,” she said. “And if you think I can decipher clues and map-read at the same time as trudging the grounds of Longacre, all within limiting time constraints, then you have a touching faith in my abilities which I do not share.”

Jasper and Crispin exchanged smug looks. “He can help you if he wants,” said Jasper with a shrug.

“Much good may he do you!” Crispin gurgled with mirth.

Jeffree sent them a quelling look. “Give it here,” he said, taking the ink-splattered map from Sabina. “Perilous Lake,” he read, then lowered the map. “Have you a lake?”

“We have a fishpond,” his stepfather answered doubtfully. A bout of furious whispers passed between his brothers.

Sabina leaned forward. “You have to view their estate through the eyes of a boy,” she murmured in his ear. “A fishpond becomes a lake. A dovecote, an impenetrable fortress and an orchard, a vast forest.”

Instead of asking her what she knew about the imaginings of small boys, Jeffree lifted the map again and scanned it. “Seems straightforward enough,” he announced with insouciance. He had never lacked for confidence. At this, his brothers leaped up from their seats with battle cries and ran from the room, practically tripping over their own feet in their haste.

“Jasper! Crispin!” their stepfather called sternly after them as the dogs bolted from under the table to chase them out.

Consequently, it was not until midday that they finally managed to take their leave of the Vyses. The boys were jubilant after leading them on a merry chase over field and down dale, culminating finally in a digging contest. Jasper was muddied after overbalancing on a ditch and Crispin’s tunic was torn after an impromptu bout of wrestling.