Beguiled

Chapter 19

Mrs. Singh's found another hungry Delaney boy to feed, James thought, watching Robert wolf down a third helping of apple tart. Out of the corner of his eye, James saw Caroline watching Robert with an indulgent smile as she sipped her wine. Very much the way she watches me, he thought.

Like Robert, James had partaken heartily of Mrs. Singh's excellent spread, and discovered a new favourite: artichokes stuffed with mincemeat and smothered in a green sauce that was nothing like anything James had tasted before. James had four helpings, at which Caroline and Robert exchanged glances, and chuckles. Full of artichoke, and roasted rabbit, and curried squash soup, and leafy salad with currants, James hadn't been able to manage any of the three different types of tart that appeared for pudding, but contented himself with a ginger biscuit and brandy.

"The King's men won't be able to take me," he murmured to Caroline. "It will take a dozen of them to roll me into a carriage."

Caroline laughed into her wine. "How could they with a stone of artichoke weighing you down? Honestly, James, I had no idea you were so fond of them or I'd have had her serve them with every meal."

James shrugged helplessly. "I believe that spiky green things should be avoided, as a rule. I can't seem to resist anything that comes out of Mrs. Singh's kitchen. Even vegetables."

"What a terrible downfall for such a magnificent carnivore, to be reduced to a diet of spiky green things."

"I still have quite an appetite for meat," James told her. "Particularly the most tender kind, as I'll show you later."

Caroline arched an eyebrow and glanced at Robert, who was engrossed in his pudding and took no notice. "Well, I would be most dismayed if you suddenly eschewed all meat."

"Never fear, my darling. I am and remain your slavering lion."

She drowned her giggle in a sip of wine.

They waddled back to the parlour after dinner, where James re-installed Robert and Caroline in the armchairs closest to the fire. As James had hoped, warm and full of good food, Robert nodded off before he'd managed to read them more than a few pages of Telemachus' journey through Sparta. James caught the tattered book before it slid out of Robert's lap to the floor. Then he gathered up the boy and carried him up to the guest room that the staff had readied. James was relieved to see that it was at the other end of the house from Caroline's bedroom. He's already seen and heard enough of our lovemaking, James thought.

Mr. Singh followed James up the stairs like a turbaned shadow and when James laid the boy on the bed, Mr. Singh stepped forward and undressed the boy with an efficiency that spoke of years of practice.

"There's an art to it," the Sikh whispered, seeing James watching him. He left the boy in his linen, rolled him to one side to move the covers out from under him, then rolled the boy back, pulling both sheets and quilts over him in one seamless motion. Mr. Singh collected a woolly stuffed pig, the size of a lap dog, from the nightstand, and tucked into the bed beside the boy. Robert curled around it and gave a soft snore.

James silently applauded as the Sikh stepped back from the bed. Mr. Singh grinned and clapped James on the shoulder. "Roll them, side to side, and they'll sleep straight through. Never lift their heads. That's what wakes them."

"What will I do without your wisdom?" James whispered as they crept from the room.

"You'll have a few sleepless nights," the Sikh replied. "But he is older, so you'll have fewer than I have had. My daughter is not a good sleeper. I've had to learn many tricks to get her to bed and avoid waking her. You'll have no such trouble with your boy. He'll be down until morning."