“You’re in love with Ellis?” Harker asked in surprise.
Roman straightened and turned away. He was not going to satisfy the man with an answer. He did note, however, that Sheff was stifling a gleeful smile.
As Roman strode toward the door, he heard Sheff deliver a parting warning to Harker.
“We’ll know if you don’t keep your word. Do not disappoint any of us, especially your children. They deserve better.”
Roman opened the door and stalked out of the dining room toward the stairs. He didn’t stop until he was outside the chop-house. He took several deep breaths and felt a weight lift from his body. Was that because he’d finally confronted the man who’d cuckolded him, or did he feel lighter because he’d finally declared his love for Ellis?
Sheff joined him on the pavement. “You’re in love with her, eh?”
How long had Roman loved Ellis? For some time. Perhaps even from the moment he’d discovered she was a woman. His immediate reaction hadn’t been anger or disgust. Even then, when he’d barely known her, he’d felt an overwhelming urge to protect and support her.
He’d known he was falling in love with her after he’d received that vile letter from the duchess. Again, he’d been overcome with the absolute need to keep Ellis safe. He would pay any price, risk everything he had for her.
“Yes.” Roman walked toward the coach.
“You don’t appear to be filled with joy,” Sheff noted wryly as he kept up beside him.
No, but he ached to be. “I completely botched things.”
“So I gathered.” Sheff shrugged. “I don’t know what happened, but Jo told me enough. Ellis is ready to leave London and strike out on her own, something about becoming a librarian. I offered her a dowry, but she won’t take it.”
Again, she didn’t sound like a woman interested in marriage, but then she’d never claimed to be.
“She thinks you need an heiress. Is that true?” Sheff cut his hand through the air. “It doesn’t matter. If you love her, you must tell her.” He grabbed Roman’s arm, pulling him to stop just before they reached the coach. “Don’t wait. You’ll regret it.” Releasing Roman, he gave him a dark stare. “I regret not running to Jo the moment I suspected I loved her.”
“I don’t know where Ellis is.” Did that mean Roman would run to her? He wanted to but wasn’t sure he should.
“Shall we go to my house next?” Sheff asked blandly.
Roman understood he was implicitly saying Ellis was at Henlow House. The urge to go to her was overwhelming, but he needed to approach her in the right way. In the best way. “Not tonight. I’ve some things to arrange.”
“Tomorrow?”
Roman nodded. And all would be revealed—for better or worse.
Chapter 19
Ellis was surprisingly happy waking up in Min’s old bedchamber the following morning. It probably helped that she’d spent a lovely evening with Jo and Min. They’d dined and laughed and hadn’t spoken much of Rowland Harker or the duchess, and Ellis hadn’t let them speak at all about Roman. Thinking of him made her sad, but that would lessen with time. She rather doubted the emotion would ever go away entirely.
One of the maids had come in to wake her up and had also brought breakfast. Then she’d returned to help Ellis dress, not that Ellis really needed her. However, Ellis hadn’t wanted to refuse her enthusiastic assistance. The entire household was exceptionally pleased to have her back. Ellis had to acknowledge that it felt wonderful.
She just wished she had something to do. She missed her work. And Roman. Did he miss her too?
Pushing him from her mind, she went to the door and planned to go to the library to read a book. That was the way she’d always cured her boredom. There had been many occasions when the duchess had taken Min shopping or to make calls and hadn’t brought Ellis along. Ellis hadn’t minded, for she much preferred the books.
As soon as she swung open the door, Ellis stopped short. The duchess was standing just over the threshold, her piercing blue eyes regarding Ellis the way she always did—with judgment and disdain.
“What are you doing here?” Ellis asked loudly, her heart pounding with distress.
The duchess’s face was angular, her lips, which were currently pursed, narrow and her nose slender. She’d always been very thin, which made her features seem more extreme, at least to Ellis. Despite that, Ellis now saw the similarity between them, and it made her angry.
“I’ve come to see you,” the duchess replied crisply. She brushed past Ellis into Min’s bedchamber.
Ellis faced the duchess. She couldn’t think of what to say and fought to calm her racing pulse.
“I shouldn’t be surprised that you usurped Minerva’s room,” the duchess announced crossly as she glanced about the chamber. “I imagine you’ll try to rise above your station as much as you can.”
