Color of Danger (Sullyard Sisters Book 3) Read online

  He gave her a smile, one of those that melted her toes. How did he do that? She used to be immune to his charms. Not anymore. What had changed?

  I have. And I’ve no wish to go back to the way I was. Although she’d grumbled at what Lydia had said to Stratford, Patience really didn’t mind helping her sisters. She did love them very much. But lately, things they said and did set her off. She bristled at the slightest comment or inquiry. Was that how Lydia felt when she berated Patience? Like she was ready to explode if she didn’t say something?

  Across the room, Kitty handed her son to her husband’s aunt and stood. She clapped her hands together to gain everyone’s attention. All other conversation ceased. “Nathaniel and I thought it might be fun to have a game night. We haven’t done it in so long. What do you all think?” She made eye contact with each person as she gazed around the room.

  Lydia made a harrumph sound. “I can’t go running through the halls, or jump up and down.”

  Kitty giggled. “No, dear. Of course not. What we had in mind was something we could all do. You can do it sitting right there if you wish.”

  Walter leaned toward Patience. “What do you suppose it is?”

  “Probably something boring, like a game of whist.”

  He rolled his eyes.

  Kitty cleared her throat, staring directly at Patience and Walter. Embarrassed at being caught, Patience sat up straight. But Walter laughed.

  “Now,” continued Kitty, “we’re going to play something we haven’t done in ages. Charades.”

  Nathaniel’s aunt cradled Andrew in her arms.” If you don’t mind, I’ll just stay here and hold the baby.”

  Kitty raised one eyebrow but gave a belated nod. She sometimes had a tempestuous relationship with her husband’s aunt, who hadn’t thought Kitty was good enough for her nephew. Since Andrew was born, however, things between were a little better. Mrs. Bexley was apparently quite fond of babies. “That’s fine. Well, then I guess that leaves us with even numbers to pair up?” She pointed to Nathaniel. “You and I will be a team, of course.”

  He nodded.

  “And Stratford and Lydia.”

  Lydia huffed out a breath but finally acquiesced. “As long as there’s no hopping about. I’d rather not give birth here in the parlor.”

  Kitty’s mother-in-law paled. It had taken her over a year to get used to Kitty’s outgoing personality. She was still having trouble with Lydia’s.

  Kitty pointed to Annabelle. “How about you and your father as a team?”

  Annabelle peered up at her father, who sat to her left. “What do you say?”

  He grinned and patted his daughter on the cheek. “Certainly, darling.”

  Kitty’s attention then focused on Patience. “So that leaves you and Walter.”

  Walter nudged her with his elbow as he leaned close. “That worked out quite well for me, I’d say.”

  No matter what she did, she kept ending up with Walter. Part of her was secretly thrilled. The other part wanted to pinch his arm and make him scream like a girl. Oh, wouldn’t that be amusing. A slow smile crossed her lips.

  He winked. “Ah, pleased to be my partner, I see.”

  She’d let him think what he wished. With a shrug, she ignored him.

  Kitty went to a corner table and returned with a small bowl. Inside were tiny scraps of paper. It reminded Patience so much of the note tied around the pigeon’s leg. Excited, she gasped. “Oh, that’s just like—”

  “Shhh.” Walter placed his hand briefly over hers.

  She stared at him. Ah… yes. How awkward that would have been had she just shouted out something foolish such as, were those notes brought by messenger pigeon?

  Her face flooded with heat. That was a secret only between her and Walter. She slid a sideways look at him. Though she wasn’t privy to all of her sisters’ secrets, it was fun to have one of her own. Even though it was with Walter.

  Kitty held up the bowl. “I know many people play charades using rhymes, but I’ve just jotted down a few words instead. Each team will have one member acting out the word for their team member to guess. The next round, the partners will switch, with the other one guessing. Everyone ready to begin?”

  Annabelle giggled.

  Lydia mumbled.

  Walter chuckled.

  The rest of the party simply nodded. Patience couldn’t tell if, besides Walter, the men in the room were eagerly anticipating the game or only humoring Kitty.

  Most likely the latter. Kitty could be quite persuasive. She walked around the room, having one person from each team draw out a scrap of folded paper. When Patience started to reach in, Walter beat her to it.

  He handed it to her.

  Patience raised her eyebrows. “I thought since you raced me to get it, you’d want to act it out the first time.”

  “No, you go ahead. Just trying to be helpful to my teammate and all.”

  She sighed, already regretting being stuck with him for the game. It was hard enough to try to ignore him while she was painting, but here she sat, nearly knee to knee with the man, getting ready to play a silly game together. And was it fair that every single time she saw him, he became even more handsome?

  “Something amiss?” Walter leaned close. Too close. His nose nearly brushing against her hair. Through clenched teeth she whispered, “Must you be right on top of me?”

  The sound — a growl —that came from his throat caused chilblains all up and down her arms. “On top… I like the sound of that. Very much.”

  “You can like it all you want. It’s never going to happen.” Patience swallowed hard.

  “We shall see.”

  “Pardon?”

  From across the room, Kitty tapped her foot. “Aren’t one of you going to check your foolscap to see what word you’ve drawn?”

  Patience turned away from Walter and hunched her shoulders as she opened the paper, hoping he wouldn’t be able to see it and cheat. Because cheating was something she could very easily imagine him doing.

  “Well?” His warm breath fanned over the back of her neck.

  She waved him away like she would a fly. “Well, what?”

  “What’s our word?” he whispered.

  Patience swiveled around on her chair to face him. “I’m not telling you. That’s the entire point of the game.” She kept her voice low, hoping no one could overhear.

  “If you want to play it that way, fine. But it will make winning all the more difficult.”

  “Why, you’re just a—”

  “Patience? Are you ready to play?” Kitty stood in the middle of the room, one hand on her hip. Had she been listening to them?

  She nodded, relieved when Kitty and Nathaniel went first.

  Kitty stood a couple of feet in front of Nathaniel. She pointed to herself. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Kitty put the back of her hand hear her lips and mimicked licking it.

  “Ah,” piped up Nathaniel. “A cat.”

  “Yes.” Kitty clapped and sat down next to him, giggling and clutching his arm as if he’d just done something monumental that no person on earth had ever accomplished.

  Cat? That was her word? Not much of a challenge for Nathaniel to guess. Patience glanced down at her word and smirked. Mine will be easy as well. I’ll have Walter guessing the right object quicker than even Nathaniel had.

  Lydia went next. She stayed in her seat but turned a little on the settee so she was facing Stratford. She cupped one hand a couple of inches beneath her chin and with her other, acted like she was spooning something into her mouth. She closed her eyes, and smiled, acting like whatever it was had pleased her.

  Stratford sat up straight. “Soup?”

  “Yes.” Lydia clapped.

  Patience shook her head. Stratford had guessed their word even more quickly than Nathaniel had. These words were ridiculously easy. Perhaps next time someone else should think them up. Let’s see, Tower of London, Thames River or Vauxhall Gardens. Any of those would be challen
ging to say the least and would require people to actually have to think hard to figure them out. Wasn’t that the point of charades?

  Lydia wrapped her hands around Stratford and tugged him to her side. “Better than Miss Queensbury could have done?”

  Stratford pressed his forehead briefly to hers. “No contest.”

  Patience sighed. Though she was irritated at the moment, she had to admit that her sister and Stratford were so sweet together. The fact that Miss Queensbury, a shrew, had tried to steal Stratford away by having Lydia committed to Bedlam had only made Lydia and Stratford closer. Patience smirked. Too bad the conniving woman had been outsmarted at trying to land first Nathaniel and then Stratford for husbands. And since she’d admitted that Walter was too young for her, she had to search elsewhere. By that point, she’d been so desperate to marry and get the dowry from her father, she’d settled for a man four times her age with a face that resembled an overripe raisin.

  “Annabelle?” Kitty grinned at her cousin-in-law. “Your turn.”

  Annabelle nodded and stood, facing her father. Stretching her arms wide, she pretended to unfold something and wrap it around her shoulder, tugging it tight.

  Her father scrunched his face in concentration. The wrinkle in his brow relaxed a few second later. “I believe, it’s a blanket.”

  “You’re correct.” Annabelle giggled.

  “Patience, you’re next.” Kitty watched her, waiting.

  Patience was anxious to get this first round over with, hoping the next set of words would be more challenging. She shook her head, feeling silly at having to act out her easy word. She put the paper in her pocket and stood.

  Walter scowled. Was he disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to cheat? What a shame. Putting her arms out to the sides, she curved them downward in arc, her hands pointing toward the sides of her legs.

  And waited.

  Walter scratched his chin and made an exasperated face.” I’m afraid you’re going to have to give me more than that, Patience.”

  The rest of the room erupted in laughter.

  She gritted her teeth and tried again. How else was she going to convey a rounded shape that would make Walter understand what she meant? Hmmm. She positioned her hands the same way she had before, then spread her feet apart, making her long skirt balloon out.

  Walter stood. “A ball?”

  She shook her head.

  “A circle?”

  She shook her head again.

  He lowered his eyebrows and paced around the room, taking her in from all sides, which made her very uncomfortable. What would her sisters say to that?

  Kitty and Annabelle giggled. Well of course they would, but Lydia wouldn’t—

  Lydia laughed so hard she snorted. Taken aback, Patience dropped her mouth open. Realizing how that wasn’t part of her charade, she snapped it closed. With a glare over her shoulder for Walter, who was doing something behind her back to make the others laugh, she tried again. She left her feet where they were, as well as one arm. The other hand, she made a fist and placed it on top of her head.

  Walter came to face her again. “A tea kettle?”

  More head shaking.

  Kitty was watching the case clock in the corner. “Time’s almost up, Walter.”

  He narrowed his eyes as he studied her again.

  Why wasn’t he getting it? It was a common word. Something they had an abundance of in the kitchen. Maybe she needed to emphasize the roundness a little more. With arms curved out at her sides, and her skirt still ballooned out over wide-set boots, she took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks. Now he’d surely get it.

  Walter’s eyes lit up. “I’ve got it. An expectant woman.”

  “Hey!” Lydia scowled at first Walter and then Patience. “That’s not very complimentary to me at the moment.”

  “Time’s up,” called Kitty.

  Patience let out her breath as she lowered her arms and stood up straight. “Walter, it was an apple.”

  As they headed back to their seats, Walter put his hand on her shoulder. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re really rotten at this game. Why didn’t you act like you were taking a bit bite out of the apple? That would have been easy to guess.”

  Embarrassment caused heat to flood her face. She wanted nothing more than to kick him.

  Chapter Nine

  Another scream came from upstairs. Patience shivered. She clutched little Andrew to her chest and sat forward on the bottom step.

  Walter, mirroring her actions, comforted George the cat. “I do hope Lydia isn’t in as much pain in childbirth as she lets on.”

  Patience glared at him. “Do you not know that childbirth is the most pain a woman will ever endure?”

  He raised one eyebrow. “And you have intimate knowledge of this?”

  Her cheeks heated at the implication. “No… of course not. I wouldn’t… But from Kitty told me—”

  He raised his hand. “Please. I don’t want or need details.”

  “You’re such a… man.”

  “Ah. Your compliments are heartwarming.” He ruffled the cat’s fur. “Who would have thought an unexciting game of charades could help bring on a woman’s labor?” He laughed.

  She shook her head. “I think you’ve grown even more obnoxious since returning from Oxford.”

  “Don’t think of it as obnoxious.”

  “Then what?”

  He tilted his head. “Hmmm. More like, mature.”

  “I don’t see how you equate the two. Maturing isn’t teasing more.”

  “What makes you think adults stop teasing each other? I have no doubt your sisters and their husbands do a great deal of teasing when behind closed doors.” His eyes darkened as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

  Was he still speaking of only teasing? Or…

  Suddenly, thoughts of what might go on behind those doors with her sisters and their spouses took a whole enlightening turn. She’d not given it much thought before. Patience knew the basic ideas of relations between a man and his wife. Her sisters had told her. A little. But not in great detail. Were they trying to protect her? Because they still considered her a child?

  She widened her eyes. And I’m sitting here discussing it with Walter? No. That was not a good idea. Heat crawled up her neck, settling in her cheeks. She turned away, not wanting to give him more cause to make her feel uncomfortable.

  Why did I allow myself to get pulled into such a conversation? Walter hadn’t mentioned anything except teasing. His words had sounded innocent. But it was the way his eyes had narrowed, darkened, watching her with an intensity that rivaled George with his prey of a mouse or bird, right before pouncing.

  Surely Walter would never try anything with her? Would he?

  Her glance slid upstairs to a door behind which Lydia labored to bring her child into the world. Patience eyed Walter again. No, she couldn’t believe he would do anything outwardly untoward. Not with her two overprotective, inquisitive sisters always around. They’d never stand for it. To top it off, since their husbands were Walter’s brother and cousin, Walter didn’t stand a chance in his actions or words causing a rumpus. No, even he wouldn’t be that bold.

  Perhaps he was somewhat in the same predicament as Patience. A little bit, anyway. Always having an older relative scrutinizing his words and actions.

  Another loud moan from upstairs caused Andrew to whimper.

  Walter stood, taking George with him. “Why don’t we take these two out of doors? Maybe it would be a calmer environment.”

  Patience harrumphed. “You’re not concerned about them. You want to escape.”

  He gave a one-sided smile. “I’m afraid you’re right.”

  “Very well.” A part of her wished to leave as well, though she wouldn’t tell him that. She carefully held onto Andrew and joined Walter and they headed down a hall, through the music room and out a set of French doors.

  A long wooden bench sat a few feet away. The late Sund
ay morning sun, just creeping over the trees, made a nice warm spot. None of them had felt much like going to church, worrying about Lydia suffering through labor, so everyone was staying around the house. Walter’s parents were beside themselves with anticipation at their first grandchild being born. They loved Andrew, of course, but Patience had the feeling they would spoil this child even more.

  Patience situated herself on one side, making sure Andrew had plenty of room to stretch his legs out over her lap. Poor Lydia. How much pain she must be in. Was she afraid? I would be. Watching Andrew, Patience remembered being in the room when Kitty gave birth to him. Patience had held her hand and murmured soothing words to keep her calm.

  Lydia, on the other hand, wanted no one in the birthing room besides the physician and Kitty. Patience’s feeling had been bruised a little, after discovering she’d not be welcome for the event. But when Kitty had explained that Lydia only wanted her there, it was simply because Kitty had been through the experience and might be of use.

  Still, it rankled.

  Those two had always had some sort of bond that Patience hadn’t. They loved her, she knew, but treated her as something to treasure instead of confide in. As she’d gotten older they did tell her some of their secrets, but she was sure there were some things they only told each other.

  Was that part of the reason Patience longed for some independence? Some time away from their often overbearing words? Or was it more? Glancing at Walter, she knew much also had to do with him. As the days passed, she wanted to spend more time with him. Get to know him better. Dig deeper to get past the rakishness. The glib comments and flirtatious words. Because every now and then, he let the mask slip and a gentler, kinder man peeked through. That’s the person she longed to know. Would he let her in? Give her a chance to become someone more to him than an extended family member? She looked up. Walter was watching her intently.

  He finally sat next to her. George squirmed until let go, racing off to chase butterflies swirling around some red roses. “Is something amiss?”

  “You means beside my sister in agony upstairs?”

  He shook his head. “I think it’s something more.”

  “And how would you know that?”