Quietly, Anna opened the door and poked her head out into the hallway. When she saw no one, she stepped out into it, looking around the darkness and wondering what had made that sound. The manor was beautiful, she noticed, much more beautiful than the hundred-year-old manor her father was immensely proud of in Berkshire.
Her steps carried her down the hall where she took a right turn at the end and walked down another, narrower, hallway. Lightning briefly illuminated the place to show her a door at the far end. It looked like all of the doors along the hall, white with gold scrolls along the borders, but something inexplicable drew her to it.
A hand suddenly circled her elbow and she jumped, her heart kicking fiercely against her ribcage.
“We should not be here, Miss,” Mrs. Willis said, drawing her away and back toward her bedchamber.
Anna was glad that it was someone familiar, but her heart did not slow, and her sudden movement made the pain in her side more pronounced. Despite that, she was tempted to ask Mrs. Willis why she was discouraged from exploring the manor but resisted because she was a guest and had no business there.
“I would suggest resting, Miss,” the housekeeper said when they reached her bedchamber. “You have a journey early in the morning.”
“Early?” Anna asked, surprised.
“Yes. Quite early. Please rest.” Then Mrs. Willis turned and walked down the hall before Anna could react. An odd, cold feeling washed over her and she retreated into the room, pressing a hand to her belly.
She could not go back to the house she was raised in. She would be doomed if she did.
Chapter 4
Yes, I still want to marry Ashden even though he has rejected me thoroughly. The very fact that he did not toss me out of his home in the dark of night, and his attention at breakfast was enough to convince me of the kindness he was rumored to possess… I also feel a shiver of delight every time he touches me.
Ashden rose when Anna walked into the breakfast room at exactly eight o’clock, and she sucked in her breath at his appearance. He was a magnificently tall man, with broad shoulders and strong arms that were flattered by a deep blue coat. A pair of buckskins hugged his powerful legs, tapering into Hessians that had been polished so well, they reflected the morning light. She felt a little shabby when compared to him, even though her dress had been cleaned and dyed.
“Good morning, Miss Hampton. I trust you had a restful night.”
No, she had not slept well. “Yes, Your Grace.”
He waved toward the chair on his right at the table. “Please sit. You should eat before we depart.”
Anna raised her chin. “You will be accompanying me back to London?”
“Yes.” His blue eyes softened as though he was going to smile but he did not. “It would take almost three hours to reach town from here, and I will be more at ease if I take the journey with you. Besides, I feel obligated to personally speak to your father about this matter. I am afraid your reputation is at stake.”
She walked toward the table. “If you are concerned about my reputation, would it not be easier to offer for me?”
His broad jaw tightened and he blinked slowly at her, his gaze piercing. “Perhaps I have not made myself clear enough, Miss Hampton. I cannot marry you.”
“Oh, you have, Your Grace.” He had a way of wounding her pride, and she was no longer inclined to plead with him. Anna would not bow to a man who had made it viciously clear how much he did not want her, and she would find another way to free herself. She might become homeless and hungry, but she had hope and the will to live. Sitting, she picked up a crisp white napkin and laid it gently over her lap.
“Tea, coffee, or chocolate?” he asked, and she looked up at the three urns sitting at the center of the table.
“Tea.”
He picked up a teapot and filled a cup for her. “Cream and sugar?”
“A spoon of sugar.”
Ashden added the sugar and stirred before setting the cup in front of her. Then he placed cold meats, eggs, and slices of French bread on a plate and set that, too, in front of her. Anna looked up at him in surprise, while he reacted with a small nod before taking up his newspaper and diverting his attention. She had not expected him to show her any concern after what he had said. He was quite a confounding man.
Nothing was said between them again until she had finished eating. He rose and said, “The carriage will be brought around shortly. Please be comfortable until then.”
Anna was then left by herself, at which point she walked around the room. To an observer, she would appear curious about her surroundings, but the truth was that she was restless and afraid. Her bruises hurt less, but she was starting to think more had happened to her right ribs because she felt more pain than she did yesterday every time she moved.
“Ma’am,” the butler said after a while, and she turned from the Chinese vase she was studying on a table. He bowed. “The carriage is ready, and His Grace is waiting for you.”
Nodding, she smoothed her hands over the front of her velvet dress before walking out into the great hall, and the maid, Mason, brought her cloak. Ashden was waiting for her in front of the carriage that proudly bore his crest.
A soft tingle spread up her arm when he took her hand to help her into the carriage. He had touched her hand the night before, and she had felt the same heat go up her arm while the rest of her body reacted with sensual pulses. She regretted not wearing any gloves but was also glad.
