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“What did you say, gel?” Lady Beauchamp glared in her direction.
“Nothing, Aunt,” Alex quickly said. “Just let me help you to a comfortable chair.”
She attached herself to Alex’s arm and they began to walk to an empty chair. “Humph. None of these chairs are comfortable. I must speak with Jane about getting something better for old bones such as mine.”
A footman hurried to the closest chair and drew it forward. Once Alex saw Aunt Jane comfortably settled, he decided to forego the rest of his breakfast, and he left the room. The last thing he wanted to encourage was him and Mildred sitting together at breakfast. Would the woman never leave him alone?
He decided to take a ride across the vast lands of his uncle’s estate, hoping the morning air would clear his head. Hopefully—by the time he returned—Natalie would be up, and they could find some activity. Preferably away from the house. Maybe a trip to the local village would be a good idea.
The next day was the actual wedding, followed by an extravagant—he was sure—bridal breakfast. The evening would be a quiet affair, with—the day after—a ball to celebrate the end of the wedding festivities. Which meant he still had three more days to pretend he and Natalie were in love and to lose Mildred. God, was the woman planning on following and harassing him the entire time?
“Good morning, my lord. Are you planning on taking a ride?” The stablemaster greeted him as he arrived at the door to the stable.
“Yes, I would like that. Can you set me up with something that can give me a good run?” Since Diamond was not a carriage horse, he’d been left at home. Hopefully Daniel, his groom, would give the animal a good run each day, or the poor horse would grow restless.
He’d visited his uncle’s estate over the years, so he was comfortable riding away, not too concerned about getting lost. Eventually he reached the village. It was a thriving place, shoppers going in and out of the shops. This would be a nice place for him and Natalie to go, possibly this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon once the wedding breakfast was over.
Anything to get them out of the house and away from Mildred.
After almost two hours of riding and stopping at the local inn for a cool mug of ale, he arrived back at the stable, where the same man who’d given him the horse earlier took it from him to rub down.
Alex searched all the rooms on the main floor of the house and Aunt Jane’s sitting room on the first floor and didn’t see Natalie anywhere. He tried the garden and then—growing concerned—he sought out her maid, Mary.
She dipped when he approached her. “Good day, my lord.”
“And the same to you, Mary. I’m looking for Mrs. Shaw and cannot seem to find her. Do you have any idea where she’s gone to?”
“No, my lord. The last time I saw her was when I brought her morning chocolate. I checked on her a bit after that and she had returned to sleep.”
“And she hasn’t sent for you since then?”
“No.” She frowned. “I’ve been working on her gown for tomorrow. Do you think I should check on her?”
“Yes, please, if you would. I shall wait in Lord Applethwaite’s library.”
Mary hurried off, and he walked to the library where a few of the male guests had assembled.
“Ah, just in time, Alex,” his uncle said as he entered the room. “We were putting together some card games and we could use another hand.”
Since he was waiting for Mary to return, he nodded that he would play. He preferred not to but had no excuse as to why he wouldn’t join them. Saying his fiancée was missing was a bit overmuch.
They were just sitting down to play when Mary entered the library. “May I speak with you, my lord?”
“Yes, of course.” He turned to the men at his table. “I will return in a moment; I need to speak with my fiancée’s maid.”
He waved Mary out of the library, and they stopped in the corridor.
“My lord, Mrs. Shaw is still sleeping. I find that quite odd, since she has always been an early riser. I fear she might be ill.”
Just then Mildred strolled up and linked her arm with his. “Alex, I was just looking for someone to stroll in the garden with me.”
“If you will excuse me, Miss Walsh, I have something to attend to right now.”
She sighed. “Very well. I shall wait for you to return.”
“Do not wait for me. When I am through with my task I will be returning to the library where I am playing cards with some of the gentlemen.” He took Mary by the elbow and walked her down the corridor.
“I cannot go to her bedchamber and check on her, so will you please seek out my sister and have her look in on Mrs. Shaw?”
