Not wanting to get caught coming out of the passageway, Frazier left, saying he’d keep his ears open for any more information.
Charles spent his day working on his next book and making notes of things that came to mind. He didn’t take a break until he looked up and noticed the sun was setting. The room was darkening so he got up and lit the lantern. He put everything in a neat pile at the side of the desk. Frazier had brought him a decanter of brandy earlier. Charles poured himself a glass and sat down on the pallet he’d made. Leaning against the wall, he sipped brandy and tried to close his mind down. That task was easier said than done. From where he sat, he could see moonlight shining down. He couldn’t wait to smell the outside.
Polishing off the brandy, he sat back against the wall and listened to the sounds of the house. It seemed to hum much of the day. When everyone slept, the house was quiet.
Much later in the evening, once the house seemed to be asleep, Charles snuck out and into the gardens behind the house. The moon was at three quarters full, making it quite bright on an otherwise dark night. Walking around on the crushed shell paths, he breathed in deeply. He caught the scent of some of the night flowers. This was just what he needed.
He came upon the opening of the maze. There should be a bench in the middle of the puzzle. They were easier than most people thought them to be. One could never truly get lost in one. He entered, taking his time as he slowly walked between the tall hedges. The light from the moon was almost like daylight. No clouds covered the skies.
As he was about to turn the final bend into the center, he thought he heard someone, a female, sneeze. He shook his head. That was impossible and he determined he hadn’t heard a thing. Charles slowly walked into the center of the maze. A bench sat at the far end and a young woman sat there. Not just anyone. Lady Cathryn.
He walked closer to the bench, and her head quickly snapped up to see who it was. She appeared to be as startled to see him as he was to see her.
“Lord Charles, where have you been? Why did you leave so abruptly?”
He cleared his throat. “I sort of panicked. I couldn’t sit there and listen to your sister dictate my future with her accusing me of things I did not do.”
“I understand. She finally got fed up and left, leaving me here.”
“She’s giving up her nonsense?” Charles inquired.
“Heavens, no! I imagine she is plotting her next move,” Lady Cathryn replied.
“I had the feeling she hadn’t told you what she was up to.”
“Not a clue. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know what her next move might be.”
“I find it interesting that she left you here.”
Cathryn smiled ever so slightly. “She doesn’t want the family name to be dragged through the mud. Her reputation is on the line as well.”
“What do you think she’ll do next?”
“I think she’ll not only see the solicitor, she’ll contact our father and ask for his guidance. Father will return home.”
“That’ll take several weeks, if not longer,” Charles replied.
“The duke and duchess have been so kind.”
“Yes, they are.”
She looked at him square in the face. “Are the rumors true that you’re mad?”
Charles snorted. “It depends on your definition of mad. My mind just works differently than most men’s.”
“I don’t think you’re mad. Eccentric perhaps, but not mad. You’re highly intelligent, way above most men.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he replied.
“It was meant as one. Are we still going to have to marry?”
“It appears we will, I’m afraid. Once your sister gets word to your father, he’s going to insist.”
“But we can tell my father the truth. That’ll help change his mind.”
He shook his head. “By the time he returns, I’m afraid your sister will have done enough damage.”
“Then we must come up with a way to thwart her plans.”
