She had no desire to have Mr. Dandridge and his handsome face underfoot for the rest of the day. But what could she say to get him to change his mind? She had an idea. “Do you not wish to get settled at the cottage before dinner?”
Apparently, that worked because Mr. Dandridge said, “I suppose I should.”
“Good,” Elinor replied. “I shall see you at supper.” And hopefully not a moment before. She just wanted to be alone.
Mr. Dandridge bowed. “Until later, Miss Sidney.”
The butler gestured towards the door. “The coach to take you to the cottage will be here any moment, sir.”
Elinor dropped into a curtsy. “Good day, Mr. Dandridge.”
And with that, she walked away, not bothering to spare Mr. Dandridge another glance.
Chapter Four
Alden exited the coach and stared at the dilapidated, two-level, thatched-roof cottage. The structure looked like it had seen better days, with its weathered walls and sagging roof. Surely, this could not be the charming cottage Miss Sidney had described. Perhaps the interior was better maintained than the exterior, he thought, hoping for a pleasant surprise.
As he walked towards the door, he noticed a lone footman following him. He turned towards the footman and asked, “Are you sure we are at the right cottage?”
“This is the only cottage in the woodlands,” the footman replied with a grimace.
“Are there any other cottages on the property?”
The footman nodded. “Yes, there is one, and it is in much better shape than this cottage,” he revealed. “Furthermore, it is closer to the manor.”
Alden frowned. Why hadn’t Miss Sidney sent him there? Why did she relegate him to the woodlands? Did she think he needed privacy? Or was this some sort of test?
Unsure of what to think, Alden opened the door, which creaked ominously. He stepped inside, and the sound of his boots on the worn floorboards echoed through the cottage. Arickety-looking staircase ran along the side wall, appearing ready to collapse under the slightest pressure.
His short, thin valet, Hastings, stood by the hearth where a crackling fire filled the small space with warmth and light.
Hastings stepped forward to collect his great coat. “Come, warm yourself by the fire,” he encouraged, his tone suggesting he was trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Alden stepped closer to the hearth and put his hands out to warm them. “Please say that my bedchamber is in better condition than the rest of the cottage.”
“You do have a feather mattress, but I did have to request one from the butler,” Hastings said. “He seemed reluctant to have one brought out here, but I insisted that you require that basic luxury.”
He glanced up and noticed trickles of light coming through the roof. “I see that the roof is in disrepair.”
“Among other things,” Hastings muttered under his breath.
Alden dropped down onto the brown leather chair that groaned under his weight. “We only need to reside here until I convince Miss Sidney to marry me.”
Hastings moved to stand by him, his expression a mix of concern and skepticism. “You intend to marry Miss Sidney?”
He shrugged. “I figure she is as good as any, and she is remarkably beautiful.”
“Have you considered that she doesn’t like you?” Hastings asked. “I merely say such a thing because she is relegating you to a cottage that should be abandoned.”
“It isn’t that bad,” Alden attempted.
Hastings looked at him with disbelief. “Not one of your father’s tenants live in such squalor.”
“But this is Scotland,” Alden argued. “Besides, you seem to forget that women adore me. In a short time, I will have Miss Sidney eating out of the palm of my hand.”
“I wish I had your confidence,” Hastings said.
Alden had to admit that it surprised him that Miss Sidney had been able to resist his advances. But he would play her game… for now. If she thought he would come crawling back to the manor to complain about the state of the cottage, she was sorely mistaken. He may be a gentleman, but he used to spend time at their hunting lodge, deep in the woodlands by his country estate. He would even trap his own food and prepare it. This cottage did not scare him, but rather strengthened his resolve to win Miss Sidney over.
