She had heard of mystics reading tarot cards and how they could tell a past, present, and future, and a diagram had been given to her with the cards, but she wasn’t quite certain she understood how to do a reading.
“How was your day?” Lucian asked politely after the soup was placed before them.
“Pleasant,” Eliza answered. “Was yours as well?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
“The weather has cleared and the sky was a lovely shade of blue this afternoon. It is a shame you missed it.”
He paused and looked up at her. “You left the house?”
“Only so far as the terrace. There was so much rain that it left the ground soft and wet and I did not wish to ruin my slippers.”
Not that she had any intention of going farther than the terrace today. She needed Lucian to know that she would not remain a prisoner, living in fear, forever.
“If you do need to stray from the terrace, make certain a footman accompanies you.”
She blew out a sigh and finished her soup. Nothing was going to happen to her while she was at Wyndhill Park. She had come to that conclusion today. Lucian had enough guards posted that an invading army couldn’t enter the estate so it was likely one lone man would be noticed immediately.
When the soup was removed, a plate of beef, potatoes and green vegetables was placed before her and her wine glass refilled. Lucian said nothing after he warned her not to wander too far as if she were a child. He had not used those words, but the meaning was the same.
The remainder of dinner was silent and Eliza, who usually had no difficulties with conversation, could think of nothing to say.
Lucian’s rejection of her last night, avoidance today, and silence at the supper table was message enough that he wanted nothing further to do with her. In fact, he would probably like her gone, except he would not let her leave because someone was sending letters, which must be quite an uncomfortable dilemma for him. Further, she knew that he didn’t keep her here for her sake, but because he was friends with her brother and was only protecting her until Isaac could come and take her home.
Brotherly!
After dinner was complete, she rose from her seat and decided to return to the parlor. She could be in silence by herself and tried to fuel her anger in hopes that it suffocated the hurt that Lucian wanted nothing to do with her.
He followed her from the dining room and Eliza had anticipated that he would return to his library, but instead he joined her in the parlor. Eliza ignored him and returned to her place on the settee with every intention of learning more about the cards.
“What were you doing?” Lucian asked. “Is it a game involving one person?”
“They are for fortune telling.” She grinned.
Likely he would dismiss such possibilities as he had the voodoo doll.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Tarot cards. Oliver sent them to me.”
Lucian frowned and stepped further into the parlor.
Eliza held the cards out to him. “Are they not beautiful? Each is hand-painted by a woman Oliver knows and she has written out instructions for each card, and their meaning and how she does readings.”
He frowned and looked through the cards. “They are nice,” he offered. “Is that what you have been doing all day, learning how to tell the future from cards?” One auburn brow hitched as his eyes filled with humor.
At least he wasn’t being cold and distant.
“Yes,” she answered as an idea come to her. “Have a seat and let me read the cards for you.”
“I do not believe in such nonsense, Eliza.” Lucian handed the cards back to her.
“I am not certain I do either, but I need to learn.”
“Why?” he asked with a frown.
“Because I am adding a fortune teller to the book, so I need to do at least one reading to see how it all comes together.”
