AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Edmund clattered downstairs next morning in not so good a mood. Otilia disappeared from the dining room, leaving him alone and without an answer to his proposition. Only her maid’s message prevented him from visiting her chamber.
“Is Miss Kendall up yet?” He asked a footman as he sat and picked up the newspaper.
“I am sure I do not know, my lord,” he said, pouring Edmund his coffee.
If she fell ill, he should call a doctor. He would inquire it of her maid.
After breakfast, he proceeded to his study to get the papers he needed to take to the City. A neatly folded letter lay on his desk, his name in Otilia’s hand. Grabbing the paper, he opened it with impatient swiftness.
Mistress?
Never!
Goodbye.
O.
Instant exasperation dominated him. With no rational thought left, he hurtled from his study like a meteorite to her chamber. His forceful hands shoved her door open to find the room empty. Empty of Otilia and full of all the things he bought her.
Long fingers raked his hair as he turned around at the absence of her, the crowdedness of those things and the hollowness of his guts.
Where could she have gone? In his mind, the most important thing was to go after her and find her. No other option came to him. Neither did a clear mind. He acted on instinct.
His attentive stare fell on a letter on her escritoire. Guiltless, he read about her new position.
He had this utter need to punch the wall. How dare the woman leave against his express orders? How dare she defy him, his commands? His will? How dare she escape when he was not done with her? He was the one steering their course. He, the Earl, would reserve the decision of where, when or why they parted. It listed as his privilege, his prerogative. His determination, damn her! If she did not want him, he would let her go. But he knew that was not the case. After yesterday in the study, there should be no way of her claiming such an absurd notion.
He shouted to his valet for a valise. He shouted to a footman for his horse. And then he shouted at his horse to race full speed.
A
Otilia sat in the mail coach, luckily not full at this hour, looking outside at the early morning spring. They had just left the filthy city behind, and greenery transformed the landscape at this point.
No feelings. Nothing ran inside her. As if her thoughts failed to reach her heart. Just this big, hollow, void blank filled her. Of all the scenarios she had predicted for their demise, this did not list among them. This was the last thing she wanted to have happened. The worst thing.
One positive factor was that she had a place to go, a position to undertake, contrary to when Edmund met her at the manor weeks ago. Progress to be sure. She would be free of him at last. Free of that foggy condition they lived in so far. Free of his demands. Free to do as she judged best.
Lady Mandeville proved to be an agreeable person, and it would be a real joy to work with her. It would come as a reprieve from the straining few months since her uncle passed.
She never wanted to see Edmund again. Though she understood she would for the dowager frequented the same circles. When the older lady retreated to the country, however, it would become comfortable. It should amount to solace enough.
Otilia realised the Earl had been no different from the rest of the ton. He was not born to it, but became it, nevertheless. Arrogant. Entitled. Overbearing. Just like his peers. She should have expected this of him, his proposition. Had he not snubbed her eight years ago? She should have known better than to turn starry-eyed at him again. None of his qualities made up for what he had done yesterday. That proved him as despicable as the lot of them. Her memory would keep the moments, but she would strive to forget the man. And keep away from every single one of them. Regardless of their social standing. There were better things to do with her time. Edmund would not waste it for her. She would not allow him. Or herself to think of him after today. He was not worth it. She deserved more, better. Everything. Making her way in the world was just what she wished, what she would do.
A bright sun came out from the clouds as the day advanced. Two hours into her journey, and she celebrated reaching the half way point. Soon she would be taking her life back into her hands.
That was when the strong pounding of horse hooves sounded on the road. A big, black stallion passed by the window on the other side, but she acquired no view of who rode it. The horse drew even with the coach. A too familiar voice said something to the driver, and the vehicle braked next minute.
Why on the entire earth she believed he would accept her decision like any other sensible human being, she had no idea. Anger rose from the depths of her like a gunpowder explosion with fire and hot smoke gushing in the air. He had hindered her plans for long enough. And must let go.
A forceful male hand pulled the coach door with such strength it almost fell off its frame. Their glares clashed in the dim space, his mad, hers madder. It would be an inhumane act to hold her temper. “Step down.” The order came dry and final.
The three other passengers looked at her expectantly. Fortunately, their opinion did not play a role here. “I am sorry, my lord, but you are delaying our trip,” she said with a hissing calm.
Long seconds passed with them duelling with their eyes. “Climb down, at once.” Any hot-blooded woman would have followed the behest blindly if only for the pleasure it caused.
Not Otilia, though. She forced herself to stay where she sat.
They held still, their stances in a fierce battle against one another. She did not move a single inch. The man could go hang. She had no obligation to obey him.
