“I think you should stay away from Lord Westcott,” he said bluntly.
“And why is that?” Elsbeth asked, her voice laced with challenge.
Charles gave her a pointed look. “Your reputation is already in tatters. Any lord with sense would steer clear of you. So it begs the question: what does Lord Westcott truly want?”
Her breath caught at his words. As much as she hated to admit it, Charles had a point. Why had Niles agreed to help her? What was his true motive?
“Well, I, for one, think it’s wonderful that Elsbeth is spending time with Lord Westcott,” her mother chimed in.
“I concur with my lovely wife,” Alfred said.
Elsbeth bit back the urge to roll her eyes. Alfred’s constant agreement with her mother was maddening, though she couldn’t quite place why it irked her so much.
A footman placed pudding in front of her mother, who looked up with a bright smile. “I’ve invited Lord Westcott, Lady Eugenie, and Lady Margaret to join us for a game of Snapdragon this evening. They should be here shortly.”
“Wonderful,” Alfred said with a grin. “I haven’t played Snapdragon in ages.”
Charles groaned dramatically. “That’s not the word I would use.”
The butler entered, his voice cutting through the chatter. “My lady, your guests have arrived.”
“Thank you,” her mother replied, pushing back her chair. “Shall we all adjourn to the drawing room?”
Elsbeth’s heart began to race at the prospect of seeing Niles again. Why did he have this effect on her? She longed to feel indifferent towards him. But she couldn’t. His presence stirred something in her she couldn’t quite name.
After they rose from their seats, Charles came to her side and whispered, “Promise me you’ll be careful with Lord Westcott.”
“I will,” she said, matching his tone.
“Good,” he replied. “Because he’ll be leaving soon enough, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
The thought of Niles leaving made her chest tighten. Of course, he would leave. He had a home, a life outside this village. And she? She would remain here, in the tangled mess of her family’s secrets and her own unspoken fears.
That was the way it should be.
At least, that’s what she told herself.
As they walked towards the drawing room, Elsbeth’s eyes sought out Niles almost instinctively. He stood by the window, the light of the flickering fire casting shadows across his features, looking deucedly handsome.
When he caught her gaze, he smiled. It was a smile that disarmed her entirely. Against her better judgment, she returned the smile. But she didn’t approach him. Not yet. Instead, she turned her attention to Eugenie and Lady Margaret, who were standing in the center of the room.
“Good evening,” Elsbeth greeted as she came to a stop beside them.
Lady Margaret enveloped her in a warm embrace. “You are looking well, my dear. Much better than when I last saw you.”
“Thank you,” Elsbeth replied graciously.
Before she could think of something else to say, Niles’s voice came from behind her, close enough that it sent a shiver down her spine. “It must have been all those biscuits she consumed during our picnic.”
She turned towards him. How had she not noticed him approach? “I do have a fondness for sweets, my lord.”
Niles grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “I think that was evident by the way you devoured those biscuits. Impressive, truly.”
Feigning indignation, she placed a hand over her heart. “A gentleman would never speak of such things!”
“My apologies, Lady Elsbeth,” he said. “I would hate to wound your delicate sensibilities.”
Her mother’s voice broke through their playful exchange. “Gather around the bowl, everyone!” she called brightly. “It’s time to play Snapdragon.”
