“What of your aunt?” Mr. Dandridge asked as he picked up his fork and knife.
“Aunt Cecilia dines with me, but when I lived with my uncle, it was quite different,” Elinor shared. “He tended to eat at the club for his meals.”
Mr. Dandridge started eating, a thoughtful look on his face. “May I ask how old you are?”
“I am one and twenty years old,” Elinor replied.
“And you are not married?”
Elinor’s back went rigid. “That is hardly a question you should ask, sir,” she said curtly. “Besides, I could ask you the same thing.”
Mr. Dandridge smiled, no doubt in an attempt to flatter her. “I meant no disrespect. You are a beautiful young woman and I imagine you could have your pick of suitors.”
She wasn’t fooled by Mr. Dandridge’s remark, nor was he the only gentleman that thought that way. She was still too young to be considered a spinster, but she had no interest in marrying, despite the many men who had attempted to be her suitor over the years.
“If you must know, I devote all my time to this horse farm to ensure it is profitable,” Elinor said. “I do not want to let Lady Edith down.”
“I had my solicitor look into this horse farm and discoveredit was quite profitable. You must be doing something right.”
Elinor watched as Mr. Dandridge ate his breakfast and she had no desire to spend time with him. If she got to know him, and he turned out to be a decent man, she would feel bad that she was plotting for him to fail at securing a bride.
She stood up. “I have much work that I need to see to. If you need me, I will be in the study, which is in the rear of the manor.”
Mr. Dandridge had risen with her. “Thank you, Miss Sidney… for everything.”
“Do not thank me yet,” Elinor said before she walked over to the door. “Enjoy your breakfast, Mr. Dandridge.”
He tipped his head. “I will be seeing you soon for the tour of the horse farm.”
“I will be looking forward to it,” Elinor said. Which was a lie. This was her horse farm, and she would fight to keep it that way.
Chapter Three
Alden sat at the dining table, wondering if Miss Sidney was a solution to all of his problems. She was not only beautiful but also passionate about horses. Marrying her could satisfy his great-aunt’s conditions for inheriting the horse farm. Now, he just had to charm her, a task he felt confident in, especially since he was well-aware of the effect he had on women. However, he prided himself on not being a rake. Unlike his brother, he treated women with respect.
Rising from his chair, he strode into the corridor, where he saw Mrs. Hardy, still draped in a sheet, hurrying past him. He shook his head at the sight. He had never met anyone who insisted on wearing a sheet over their head. It was peculiar, but it mattered little. His focus was on marriage and leaving this miserable country as soon as possible.
With purposeful strides, he headed to the study in the rear of the manor. Inside, he found Miss Sidney hunched over the ledgers at the desk. In a soft voice, careful to not startle her, Alden said, “Hello, again.”
Miss Sidney’s head snapped up, and her eyes flashed with what seemed like annoyance. But that was impossible. Wasn’t it?
He smiled, knowing how his smile affected women. “I was hoping for that tour now,” he said.
To his surprise, his smile seemed to have no effect on her. “Very well,” she responded, closing the ledger and rising from her chair.
Her lackluster response only strengthened Alden’s resolve. He would win her over. That, he was sure of.
Miss Sidney came around the desk and smiled. Although, it didn’t reach her eyes. He wondered what it would take to make her truly smile.
Offering his arm, he asked, “Shall we?”
For a moment, he feared she might refuse, but then she placed her hand on his arm, and he led her from the room. In the entry hall, she dropped her hand and stepped away. “Allow me to collect my cloak.”
As if on cue, the butler arrived with a black cloak. “Allow me, Miss Sidney,” he said, draping it over her shoulders.
Miss Sidney tightened the strings on the cloak before turning back towards Alden. “If you have no objections, I would like to start the tour at the stables.”
“I have none.”
