“I am sorry.” She gave him a glance that could only be described as pitying humor and for an inexplicable reason, he grew relaxed in her presence.
“Where might my niece have gone off to?”
“If she was returning to Nightshade Manor, which I believe was her intention, she would have gone the way you came. It’s likely after you passed her hiding place she continued on.”
He blew out a sigh. Miss Cordelia was probably correct and as much as Damon should hurry to go after Ianthe, he wasn’t as anxious as he’d been when he left Nightshade Manor. As of a few moments ago, she was unharmed, and Ianthe would likely remain so, and he’d come across her before she could go far. Therefore, he walked with Miss Cordelia who had been forced upon him by a matchmaking witch.
“Did you walk or bring a carriage?” she asked.
“I left my horse at the livery stables.”
She nodded. “Then we are at least headed in the right direction.”
There was something different about Miss Cordelia, but he couldn’t determine exactly what that was.
She was lovely, and serious, but it was something else.
She didn’t wish to be with him!
There was no flirtation, and she hadn’t so much as batted an eyelash. Not that Damon held himself out to be anyone special, but his experience with most misses was their uninspired and irritating flirtations. Those misses saw him as their chance at being a marchioness one day, after his father passed, and a viscountess immediately upon marriage. He was certain that Miss Cordelia knew this as well, yet it didn’t seem to matter to her, which was quite refreshing.
“Have you attended the Season?” he found himself asking. “I don’t recall meeting you previously.” It’s not possible he would have forgotten if he had, of that Damon was certain. He may avoid misses, but that didn’t mean he didn’t take note of their loveliness and Miss Cordelia was prettier than most with her golden hair and perfectly plump and kissable lips.
Bloody hell! Her lips were not kissable. Not any more kissable than any other lips.
It was foolish to even consider them so, and perhaps his nieces had already driven him to madness because he’d never think of kissing an innocent miss otherwise.
“Yes, I have, but I’ve only made the acquaintance of your parents and younger sisters,” she answered.
That explained his not meeting her as he intentionally did not travel in the same circles.
“Lady Larisa is a good friend to my younger sister,” she added.
Damon frowned as he tried to recall the names of Larisa’s friends, but he rarely heard a last name.
“Miss Adriana Vail,” Miss Cordelia offered.
He did know that name. “Yes, I’ve heard Larisa speak often of Miss Adriana.” It was odd, he knew Miss Cordelia’s older brother, and his sister knew a younger sister, but this was the first he’d met, or even heard of, Miss Cordelia. Had he not been avoiding the entertainments where his mother might be present, they may have met before now.
Not that it would have made a difference in how he perceived her as he had no intention of marrying, but she would not have been a stranger.
“I believe I’ve located your niece,” Miss Cordelia offered with a frown.
Damon looked to where she was pointing. Ianthe was standing in front of the coaching inn speaking with a boy. It was bad enough that she was twelve and gaining her powers, the last thing he needed was for her to develop a liking for boys. “Who is she with?”
“My younger brother,” she ground out.
Cordelia paused at the curve in the road when she noted her brother, Edward, in the stable yard of the coaching inn. It hadn’t been an inn until recently when Mr. Grayson, who managed the livery stables, converted his large cottage into Grayson Inn and Stables. It wasn’t a large inn and could only boast of six bedchambers. However, with the increase in visitors to Castle Keyvnor these past few years, and few guests willing to sleep in the haunted castle, the need for another inn was great. As the stables stood at the edge of the village, with a large yard, it became the perfect location for a coaching inn.
Did Edward intend to travel somewhere? Was that why he carried his valise?
Even more curious, he was speaking with Miss Ianthe, and Cordelia knew that it wasn’t possible that the two were acquainted.
She blew out a sigh, as she was certain that she’d not like to hear what he said when she inquired what he was about.
“Is there something that I should be aware of?” Bentford asked.
“No,” Cordelia admitted. “Edward tests my patience.”
