Only one person I know would be so bold as that…
He might have smiled at the audacity if the realization did not bring with it healthy serving of fear. Although why it did… that only raised more questions.
Alistair had not spoken to Miss Norleigh since last evening, and that had ended with her fleeing from the room as if it had caught fire. At the time, he simply assumed that she did not wish to answer his question, and that maybe he had pushed her a little too hard to answer it.
Now, he knew that he did.
Surely she is not that upset with me? All I did was ask her a simple question, which I had every right to do. Considering what I told her about myself, it is not such a strange thing to expect her to do the same for me.
He eyed the carriage with confusion, and even anger. That she would do this… and not just to him, but to Hugh. Was she really that selfish?
Alistair turned from the window, determined to dismiss the notion. He had done nothing wrong and if she wanted to react like this, that was on her.
He eyed the table before him. Despite wanting to sit and push Miss Norleigh from his mind… he just couldn’t do it.
There was a specter sitting on his shoulder, whispering in his ear that he had upset Miss Norleigh and needed to apologize. It was ridiculous! He was a duke and he did not apologize to the help. But his stomach squirmed with guilt, and he found himself turning back to look out the window…
That was when she walked outside.
It was early in the morning and the white light from the sun shone down on her so that she glowed. Her brown hair glimmered. And her white skin glistened. Alistair swallowed back his first thought. And then his second.
Maybe she was overreacting… and maybe Alistair had done nothing wrong. But as he watched her approach the carriage, he realized it made little difference. He did not want her to leave. Not yet. Not when things were finally starting to go so well.
For Hugh… things are going well for Hugh. That is why I do not want her to leave. It would be selfish of her to do so… that is the only reason..
With that decided on, he hurried from his office and outside.
The carriage door had just swung shut when he burst from the front door, he waved at the driver to halt, then he strode to the carriage door, throwing it open before he lost his nerve.
“Your Grace?” Miss Norleigh blinked in surprise to see him. “What are you –”
“You’re leaving?” he demanded as if he was angry.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re leaving?” he said again. “Does Hugh know? It might have been nice to have warned me. At least given me time to replace you. I expected better of you, Miss Norleigh. Much, much better.”
She frowned with confusion and then turned it into a smile. “Is that what you…” A shake of the head and her smile grew. “I am not leaving, Your Grace. At least not permanently.”
“You aren’t?” He balked with sudden worry.
She laughed. “I am so glad to know that my parting would upset you so. As it is, there are no lessons today so I thought that I would visit my father. If that is fine with you?”
“Oh…” Alistair grimaced with embarrassment, and he withdrew from the doorway while hoping the earth might open and swallow him whole.
Of course she was not leaving! What an absurd thing to think. But that he had thought that was further proof of Alistair’s conflicted feelings. He really had no idea what was going on.
“I… I know that,” he defended stupidly. “I did not mean – what I meant was, you are leaving the property…” He thought quickly as she continued to eye him with amusement. “To see your father. Did you stop to think that I might have wished to speak with your father too?”
“You do?”
“Yes,” he lied. “I have business to discuss with him. If I had known that you were going, I would have arranged to come. At the very least had a letter written for you to deliver.”
She wore an amused smile, no doubt seeing right through his lie. “Would you like to join me?”
“Now?” he stammered back.
“Unless you are busy?”
