By the time Samantha reached the front door, it was dark out.Hopefully Trent wasn’t worried about her.
He was just crossing the entry hall when she walked in and he stopped in his tracks.His gaze swept over her.She must be a disheveled mess.But he didn’t scowl or look at her with condemnation.Instead, he smiled.
“What have you been up to?”
“I went to visit Mrs.Elmhurst.”
“Did you walk all the way there and back?Alone?”he added.
“Yes,” she said, coming to stand before him.“I did walk there and back, but not alone.Anthony escorted me in both directions.”
He raised a brow.“Did he?”
Samantha laughed.“Trent Gibson.”She poked him playfully in the stomach.“Are you jealous?”
Butterflies fluttered in her own stomach as he stared into her eyes.
“What if I am?”
She did want him to kiss her, but she just wasn’t ready yet.She turned away, and her eyes landed on Ash’s form in the drawing room doorway.
With a gasp, she stumbled backward.Trent’s hand was immediately against her back, holding her steady.His other one gripped gently onto her shoulder.“It’s alright, Samantha.”
“I’m sorry, Ash.I didn’t mean to…” Her words simply trailed off.She wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence.She laughed at herself for the dramatic response, pressing a hand to her chest to calm her heart.
“My apologies, Samantha.I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
“I wasn’t expecting you there.That’s all.”
His features softened and a proud smile grew on his lips.“Your brother told me you had blossomed up here, but I didn’t expect this.I knew you had it in you.”
Something had certainly happened since coming to Woodburn Hall, because she was no longer afraid of him.She wasn’t sure why she never saw it before, but for the first time, she recognized the kindness in his eyes.Perhaps, because she’d seen it so often in Trent’s.She crossed the room to him.“I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
He held his arm out to the side, and she stepped into it.Never would she have thought to find comfort there.It wasn’t like with Trent, more like with her brother, but it was comforting all the same.“You women, who overcome so much, will never cease to amaze me with the strength you possess.”
It was strange that in this moment, when she finally had the support of so many people, she could feel the strength within herself.She looked up at Ash.“Thank you for not giving up on me.”
He shook his head.“Thankyou, for not giving up on you.”
“I should go get freshened up.I expect I’m a mess.”He squeezed her one more time before she walked away from him and back to Trent.
“I’m going to get rid of some of this dirt and I’ll meet you in the dining room.”
When Samantha opened the door to her room, Sandra shot to her feet.She’d been sitting on the sofa.
“Miss!Apologies!I shouldn’t have been…”
Samantha merely laughed.“You are welcome to hide in my room any time.”
She blushed and looked shyly at her feet.“Thank you.”
“I’m glad you’re already here, actually.I need your help.”She gestured down her front.
“Of course!”
“And I don’t know if there’s anything that can be done with this.”She ruffled her hands through her short hair.
“I may have just the solution.While you’re getting that dirty dress off, I’ll fetch a few things we’ll need.”
