The Devil's Good Intentions (63 page)

“
Is this of your doing?” she asked Salvador as she wandered around the chamber.

“
I hope it is to your liking, I didn’t know how you would feel staying here and wanted to make it as comfortable for you as possible.”

“
Thank you” she whispered out.

Salvador started to make his way towards her before they were interrupted by an army of servants.

A copper tub was being brought in as well as pails of steaming water. It wasn’t as luxurious as what she was used to within her own residence, but it was welcomed all the same.

When the bath was filled and they were alone once more, Salvador came up behind her and started un-hitching the latches on her dress.

“
Unfortunately this tub is not big enough for the two of us so we will have to make do with this.” He said as the last latch un-hitched and her dress pooled to the floor.

Next he removed her petticoats and stays. When she was naked, he lifted her into his arms and then lowered her into the steaming water.

She sighed and then smiled up at him as he proceeded to take the face cloth and lather her skin.

“
I will enjoy returning the favour” She purred out as a vision of Salvador’s muscles rippling beneath her touch clouded her vision.

“
Another time, my Sweet. When you are done here you are to rest.

“
Rest?” she asked with a bit of annoyance.

“
Rest.” He confirmed with finality to his tone.

That wouldn’t do.

“
I have been cooped up in a carriage for four days Salvador. I believe I have gotten enough rest!” She protested.

“
Sitting in a jarring carriage and lying down on a sturdy mattress are two different things.”

“
I’m not tired and truth be told I am eager to see if my journals are still where I left them. I couldn’t possibly rest knowing they are two rooms away!”

Salvador scowled his brows in thought and then sighed.

“
I’ll compromise; once your journals are in hand you will promptly return to our chamber and rest in bed.”

“
Thank You.” She responded with a smug smile.

Salvador sighed again and then lifted her out of the water and preceded to towel dry her.

Katherine grabbed for her petticoats and Salvador stayed her hands.

She looked up questioningly.

“
This shouldn’t take long.” He mumbled as he walked towards her trunks and pulled out a clean nightgown and a robe with slippers.

Katherine rolled her eyes causing him to smirk.

Once he made sure that the hall was empty, he took her by the hand and led her into her room.

“
How did you know this was my room?” she said with amusement while her eyes wandered around.

“
You forget, I purchased this estate right after your father passed away, I have been here before.”

“
Ah…” was all she was able to manage as she wondered why her things looked out of place, but tidy none the less.

“
Well?” he prompted her.

Katherine’s gaze rested on the bed. That at least looked the same.

She walked over and took hold of the bed post and started to pull at it.

Strong arms came around her and pulled her away.

“
What in blazes do you think you are doing?” he barked out while shooting her warning glares.

“
The journals are in a floorboard beneath the bed.” She replied with annoyance as she struggled to free herself.

“
I will move the bed Katherine!” He growled at her and then placed her aside.

After the bed was moved, he looked to her for further instruction.

She walked over and tapped her toe on the floorboard in the far corner where one of the bed pegs had rested.

“
Clever” he murmured out as he pulled out his dagger and dropped to his knees.

He flipped the piece of wood up and then grinned when the cubby beneath was exposed.

“
What do we have here…” he said to himself as he reached in to the hole.

“
It’s nothing…can you just hand me whatever it is that you find.” She tried to say with a bored tone, feeling very anxious inside.

He grinned again as he passed her a small porcelain doll.

“
We had many interesting tea parties, Greta and I did.” She said with a smile as she brought the doll to her nose and let the scent of it fill her with memories.

“
Kat” Salvador’s voice brought her back to the here and now.

He was handing her a single diamond earring.

“
My Mother’s” she murmured as she took it.

Next he handed her a handkerchief.

She grinned.

“
Who is T.W.?” he asked.

The initials engraved on the handkerchief.

“
Thomas Winchester. My first crush.” She replied, blushing.

“
Your first crush? And where is this boy now?” he asked with annoyance.

“
I suspect he’s still in France, where he moved shortly after giving me this.” She laughed out.

“
Good thing for him.” He growled out before turning back to the hole.

She grinned at his jealousy and then grinned even wider when he held the journals in his hands.

“
Thank the good Lord!” she cried out in excitement, holding her free hand out for them.

“
I don’t think so, time for you to get back into bed.” He said with a grin as he kicked the floorboard back into place.

“
But you said…”

“
I know what I said.” He interrupted as he pushed the bed back into place effortlessly with his knee. “I will give these to you when you are in bed.” He advised her triumphantly.

Katherine growled and then walked to the door to make sure there was nobody in the hall and then stomped to their chambers.

She could hear Salvador chuckling from behind her and if she didn’t cherish the memories that were in her hands, she would have chucked them at him.

~

Salvador chuckled as she stomped into their chambers. He found her most endearing when she was frustrated with him, and that seemed to be happening more and more as her conditioned advanced.

She stomped right to the bed, threw back the covers, untied and threw her robe onto the chair beside the bed and then jumped in and looked up at him expectantly.

He grinned and then slowly cantered over at his leisure, knowing it would only fuel her fire. His Katherine did not like to wait.

As soon as he was beside her, he leaned over and kissed her forehead and then handed her the journals.

“
Thank you” she said tightly and then dismissed him by leaning back on her propped up pillows and opened one of the journals to read.

He sighed and then proceeded to strip down his own clothing and climbed into the lukewarm water. It would have been better if the water was steaming but this will still exactly what he needed.

He glanced over to see her with a peaceful look on her face as she read whatever was contained in the journal. He was curious to know her most inner thoughts but would never pry unless she offered. He was also curious as to the recipes. He had his men put back the room into order so she wouldn’t suspect that it had been sacked, these were the same men who removed all of her father’s furniture and replaced it with the furniture that was now there.

He hadn’t expected that Kat’s old maid would still be on staff and wasn’t sure if he wanted her there or not, he would need to speak with her later.

After he was washed up, he dressed back into clean day clothes and then warned Katherine not to get out of bed until he came for her.

She absently nodded as she read without looking up and finally he gave up with a sigh and left the room.

His first stop was to the kitchen to order Katherine up some lunch and then to the study to sort through all the ledgers since his last visit.

Henry entered the study sometime later with food and wine and then quietly let himself out.

After a few hours of reading ledgers, he felt as though he was going cross eyed. He stood and stretched, letting out a groan as his back cracked.

“
Henry, have you seen Peter or Ed?” he asked as he spotted him in the hall.

“
Yes My Lord, they have gone into town to “stir up trouble” I believe they had said.” He snuffed out with disapproval.

Salvador grinned; this is why he brought them along. He suspected that once word got out that he was back in residence he would start receiving invitations to balls and dinners.

He was worried at first how Katherine would react to that, but she assured him that nothing would please her more than to assure the ton and all her so-called friends that she was faring well.

He was proud of her for being so brave, but not foolish enough to believe that there wouldn’t be people who would try to stomp on her happiness – happiness he had worked so hard to give her. He was prepared for battle.

He made his way upstairs to check in on his sweet Katherine and then smiled as he spotted her fast asleep with her journals and lost treasures scattered around her.

She looked like an angel – his angel.

A noise caught his attention from the corner of the room and he swung around with his dagger in hand.

Claire gasped as the tip of the dagger jabbed into her neck. When recognition hit him, he slowly lowered his dagger and then nodded towards the door for her to follow.

He wasn’t entirely sure what it was about this woman he didn’t trust, but he always followed his instincts and this time they were telling him to keep this woman away from his wife.

As soon as they were downstairs and in his study, he closed the door behind them and then proceeded to his desk.

“
Sit.” He commanded as though she were a dog.

She complied.

“
Were you in residence when Katherine fled from her home?” He started.

At first she blinked with a stunned look on her face and then he noted her nervously gripping her uniform.

“
N-No My Lord. I had been dismissed from my duties for two years prior.” She stammered out.

“
Then why are you here now?” he continued.

“
I was in need of work and I saw the posting for temporary services while you were back in town. I applied and was brought back onto staff, temporarily of course.”

“
Were you aware that my Katherine was your old charge?”

She looked at him with growing concern.

“
N-No. I was not aware that Katherine had been found.” She admitted quietly.

He still did not trust her.

“
There has been a mistake. I will pay you your full expected wages and you will remove yourself from my estate effective immediately.” He informed her in an un-attached tone.

She gasp and looked stunned, but not offended or hurt which only confirmed that he had made the right decision.

“
M-May I know why?” She whispered out without being able to meet his gaze.

“
I don’t trust you.” He said coolly. “My wife’s comfort comes before all and I will not have her surrounded by ghosts of her past. That will be all.” He curtly dismissed her.

She rose and then nodded her head to him before walking out.