AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know your love for words, but even you can’t expect me to believe that speaking is what you want to do with her.”
Samuel ground his teeth, weary of his brother. “I’ll give you one shot if you give me one shot, but not to the face. I’m Mother’s escort.”
“Hiding behind our mother, like always.”
“Do you want to punch me or not? Mind you, it doesn’t change anything. I’m not taking the blame.”
Richard’s grin turned vicious.
“But it will make me feel much better.”
He strode the remainder of the way around the fountain.
Samuel held his ground as Richard approached, asking, “Would you like to hit me first or should I hit you first?”
Richard drew back and slugged him in the gut.
Air left Samuel in a woosh. Pain shot through him, making his eyes water. He grimaced.
Richard grinned, shaking out his hand, the knuckles already gone red.
“Nothing to say to that? Come on, Sammy, use your words.”
Samuel pounded a fist into Richard’s middle.
As he suspected, his target proved soft. A nice cushion for his coiled hand. Richard folded around Samuel’s fist, coughing, and topped sideways. He curled into a ball on the ground, wheezing.
Samuel flexed his fingers. Everything appeared in order.
“I apologise. Words failed me.”
Leaving Richard gasping on the white stone walk surrounding the fountain, Samuel pivoted and strode away.
Chapter Nine
Shoulders back, head high and a bland smile she’d been practicing in the mirror firmly in place, Ellie strode through the ballroom as if she’d every right to go where she chose, when she pleased. After all, the Duchess of Aspen could, could she not? She tried not to hurry, forced to halt often to exchange pleasantries with various people, mostly women her mother’s age, to whom the Dowager had introduced Ellie over the past ten days.
She’d seen Samuel and Richard Carmichael head through the terrace doors together and been close enough to track their progress down the wide steps and into the garden. Where they went or why, she didn’t know, but if possible, she would find Samuel out there, so they might speak alone, and demand an explanation from him.
His defection filled her with anger. She was mortified she’d admitted to the library’s manager that she’d been there to meet someone, and even given Samuel’s name. She fancied everyone there reading that day had watched her circle aimlessly, for nearly two hours, amused to see her stood up. If they didn’t know then, they’d certainly all whispered about it after she left, sharing the information. She knew because there’d been mention of her abandoned rendezvous in the scandal sheets the next day. Fortunately, she’d removed that page from the paper before Lizzy May could see it.
But worse than any of that was the way her heart clenched at the sight of him. The way her desperate need to receive his smile chased anger and mortification away. How the thought of his hazel eyes riveting on her shot heat through her frame.
So she’d told the Dowager she required punch and set off across the ballroom.
Finally, she reached the terrace door and stepped out into the damp spring night. Heads turned. People murmured to see her cross the terrace alone. She ignored them, refusing to think on tomorrow’s scandal sheets, and strode into the garden to search for Samuel.
A wide white stone path led away from the terrace. With no idea where the brothers had gone, she set out along it. She left the light spilling from the ballroom behind for the dimness of the garden, and thanked the white stone for reflecting enough silvery moonlight to be seen. Soon, quiet engulfed her. The foolishness of trying to find anyone in the rather large garden, by London standards, began to slow her step.
Perhaps it would be best to retreat. She could stand in the garden, in sight of the terrace, and wait for Samuel to return. They could speak in full view of everyone, but away from prying ears, as they had at the garden party. The Dowager would reprimand her, but it would serve Lizzy May’s reputation better than Ellie wandering the garden alone.
She turned, the white stone path a line back to sanity before her feet. Footfalls sounded behind her.
“Your Grace?” Samuel’s voice asked as she turned.
Ellie rushed to him, then halted, unable to sort out what she wished to say.
He looked about, frowning, and over his shoulder. “What are you doing out here alone?”
