Guarding the Spoils (The Wild Randalls - Book 3) by Heather Boyd Read Free Book Online Page A

spring.”
    “The date.”
    Her gaze sharpened at his demand and her head tipped to the side as she told him the particulars.
    Oliver stored the detail away for later consideration. “Do you have other children here?”
    Elizabeth’s mouth firmed. When she didn’t answer, Oliver concluded he’d blundered into a delicate area. If they had died or been sent away to live with distant Turner relations he wasn’t aware of, she might be upset over the loss. By her pained expression, there must have been more than just George at one time.
    He glanced toward the door where the boy slept. “In appearance, he is more like you than him . That must please you. If I recall correctly, he had possessed a pair of unevenly matched ears. At least the boy will be saved from being teased about them.”
    Elizabeth sank into the chair behind the desk, eyes downcast as if she agreed with him but wouldn’t speak of it.
    Oliver continued his assessment. “The boy’s face and build most resemble yours. He has none of the rude bulk of him either. To make an informed evaluation of his temperament would require him to be awake; however, he does appear in good health.”
    Beth sat forward, clasping her hands before her on the desk. Her knuckles turned white. “How long were you watching my son?”
    Oliver lowered himself to the edge of a chair. It creaked slightly and he determined it should be replaced. “The proper study of a subject can take a moment or a lifetime.”
    Elizabeth shook her head. “For all your brilliance you still cannot answer a direct question simply. I ask again, what brings you to here?”
    He met her gaze, still struggling to see her as the mother of Turner’s child. “The boy escaped my notice.”
    She licked her bottom lip and then splayed her bare fingers over the desk surface. Oliver noticed the absence of a wedding band on her left hand and wondered when and why she had stopped wearing it when she had proudly displayed one on her delicate fingers a dozen years before.
    Her fingers tapped. “And how exactly did he come to your notice?”
    He would not admit how. To do so would confirm that he was, at times, unobservant. “Where did you walk to today?”
    Her brows rose. “Were you watching us?”
    Oliver nodded. “The existence of the boy surprised me. I dislike surprises.”
    Elizabeth’s thick eyelashes fluttered as if she’d considered rolling her eyes and at the last minute thought better of it. Puzzled by her behavior, he settled into the creaking chair, resting one elbow on the chair arm as he studied her. Since many people had commented that they disliked his scrutiny, he accepted his behavior might make her uncomfortable. However, it wasn’t in his nature to rest until a puzzle was solved. His curiosity about the boy would only grow if he did not satisfy it now.
    Eventually, she drew in a breath, a jerky inhale, and shrugged. “I went to see Mrs. Clayton. She’s become a friend.”
    Oliver sorted through his memory, brought Mrs. Clayton’s image to the forefront, and then dismissed her. “She has a daughter.”
    Elizabeth looked up. “Mary Clayton married and moved away. Mrs. Clayton rarely sees her nowadays. I think she’s rather lonely and likes to be visited.”
    Oliver nodded slowly. “That is the way of things. People’s own concerns must take precedence over past emotional ties.”
    A muscle in Elizabeth’s jaw clenched as she pressed her lips together. She shook her head. “Not for everyone, sir. Now, if there is nothing else, I have much work to do.”
    Oliver sat up. “I’ve angered you. How?”
    This time, Elizabeth did roll her eyes. “Whatever could you say to upset a woman?” She stood, rounded the desk, and yanked the door open to the hall. The next moment, she yelped. “How long have you been standing there?”
    Curious, Oliver turned his head slightly and spied Miles Colby, his brother’s valet, standing at the door with his arms full of a tea tray. Oliver turned