I sputtered. “Then were you friends?”
Atlas clasped his hands behind his back. “Wewerefriends, but perhaps that has changed.”
Reginald scowled. “I thought highly of you until you kidnapped my sister.”
Atlas did not let my brother’s accusation provoke him. “I did not kidnap her; I hired her. I had no idea she was your relation until after youtook her away—without so much as a hello or goodbye, let me remind you.”
Reginald folded his arms across his chest. “You were not home and no one knew when to expect your return. Please forgive my hurry to be reunited with my sister.” Reginald’s voice wavered between the line of practiced patience and growing frustration. “You must forgive my sister as well, it seems. I recall she deceived you about her situation. I am not certain why you rushed to her side now after such deception.”
“Because we love her,” Augusta said, throwing a protective arm around my shoulders.
We? A glimmer of hope filled me, but I dared not ask her to clarify.
I made a sorry attempt to smile at Augusta, but the fact that my brother and Atlas were friends turned enemies sent a wave of misgiving through me. Reginald still couldn’t believe that something untoward had happened between me and Lord Camden. Employers had fallen in love with their employees before—and who was to say that they were all because of a scandal?
Atlas cleared his throat as if the act would cut through the underlying contention and bring the room back to friendly terms. “The grounds at Norwood Hall are lovely and the weather today is fair. Perhaps we could walk the grounds together.”
I don’t know if Atlas suggested the walk for Augusta’s sake, mine, or my brother’s, but I thought the idea splendid.
“I could use some exercise.” I appealed to my brother, hoping he would concede. I longed to speak with Atlas without the prying eyes of my brother.
Reginald folded his arms. “Very well. A short walk around the perimeter of the house would be acceptable. We are expecting my sister’s intended shortly and cannot be out too long.”
Just like that, the room grew tense and awkward once more. I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek and avoided Atlas’s gaze. I could not bear to see his reaction. Fortunately, everyone was already moving toward the door. Augusta slipped her arm through mine. We followed behind the men down the corridor and through the front door.
As soon as we were outside, Augusta released me. She maneuvered herself beside Reginald and began plying him with questions about the estate’s history. She glanced at me and motioned with her head toward Atlas.
Bless her! She was a saint.
I slowed my step, and Atlas did the same.
“I cannot believe you traveled all the way here.” I chanced a glance at him, but I could not decipher his feelings. When I had dreamed of him coming, I had not imagined the awkwardness the size of an elephant between us. If only he had not come so close to the time of Mr. Hanover’s arrival.
“Your home is beautiful,” Atlas answered. “It surprised me greatly, as I thought your family was destitute.”
I grimaced. “Because I was your sister’s companion?”
He nodded, slow and long. “I must give you credit for telling the truth about residing in Northumberland when Mr. Barry asked you at my aunt’s party. However, this . . .” he said as pointed to the large manor house, “was not expected. Your fine clothes should have given you away, but I assumed your family’s financial losses must have been recent.”
I wrapped my arms around myself. “My dowry is worth a lot of money, but until I reach my majority, I do have very little that I can call my own. So, you see, I am poor . . . in a sense.”
He gave me a side glance that told me that he did not think my justification was clever at all.
I did not blame him. “I wanted to tell you.”
His face was impassive. I could not tell if he hated me or wanted me.
“I know you did,” he finally said.
I dropped my arms and ran my hands down my skirt. “I thought there would be a time when you returned home from your trip. I had planned to explain everything. Once I left, I wrote dozens of letters. Only, I was not certain if you would want them. I should have had the courage to send them.”
He eyed me. “We have a little time now.”
I clasped my hands together to keep from fidgeting. “It’s hard to explain a lifetime.” I prayed for better words than the ones from my letters. “There was so much expectation and pressure both before and after my parents died. I rarely left the house. Those old castles in Northumberland that you mentioned? I have never been to any of them. I felt . . .” I tried to think of the right word to describe the intense feelings that had chased me from this place.
“You felt smothered?” he asked.
Those were the same words I had used at his aunt’s tea party. He had remembered. “Yes. Exactly.” I swallowed back the emotion that his understanding brought. “Worse, I felt my brother had abandoned me. When he wrote of my engagement, I . . . I ran like a coward.”
