She glanced around the room. Vincent had gone home, and his absence was greatly noticed. At least by her. He had wanted to talk to her father about the threatening note, but for some reason, he decided now wasn’t the best time. She, too, wanted to find the person—or persons—responsible for trying to control their lives so that her father could put a stop to it.
Ellie did as she promised Vincent—she kept an eye on Augusta. The woman appeared to have been very distraught over the duke’s absence. Could she have been acting this whole time? Ellie wouldn’t doubt it.
And Edgar had mysteriously disappeared once the duke returned home. Didn’t Augusta want her husband to know the idiotic nephew was staying with them? Well, Ellie couldn’t wait to be the first one to tell her father of their uninvited guest.
The midday meal had come and gone, and wearily, Ellie climbed the stairs as she headed for her bedchamber. A small nap was required if she hoped to be able to make it through tonight’s events. She wasn’t exactly looking forward to dancing and trying to converse with other men. She wanted to be with Vincent, and him alone, in private, and continue what they had started minutes before her father returned home.
Although what she and Vincent wanted to do was wrong on so many levels, at least it would speed up the marriage. And right now, that was all she wanted. She hated this process of courting just to keep everyone in society from gossiping. Thetonwere going to spread rumors no matter what happened. Things between her and Vincent were already settled, so why couldn’t they just get it over with quickly?
She climbed to the second level of the manor, and as she turned the corner, she came face to face with her worst nightmare. Edgar was in no way handsome, and he definitely wasn’t muscular. Hethoughthe had charm, but lacked it greatly. Perhaps that was why he required hisauntieto help him secure a wife. Most women would be able to see right through Edgar’s character and know that he wasn’t the man they wanted in their lives.
Immediately, she fisted her hands and gritted her teeth as she silently wished him to disappear from her life forever.
“Miss Middleton. You are the very person I was coming to find.” He pushed his fingers through his patch of wavy red hair.
“Well, I hope you’re not too disappointed that I’m on my way to my bedchamber to take a nap.”
“Actually, what I have to say will only take a moment. I shall walk with you to your room.”
She held up her hand, stopping him. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
The imbecile must have seen it as some kind of intimate gesture, because he took her hand in his, stroking her arm gently. Irritation flowed through her, and she yanked her hand away, slapping him in the process. How dare he take such liberties.
“Lord Stone! Contain yourself,” she hissed.
He shifted from one foot to the other. Edgar wasn’t a tall man, not like Vincent, but he was a couple inches taller than her.
“Forgive me, Miss Middleton. My excuse is that your nearness does that to me, and I yearn to touch you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Then might I suggest that you stay far away from me, starting this very moment. Then perhaps yoururgewill go away.”
As she tried to step around him, he chuckled and grasped her elbow, stopping her.
“Oh, Miss Middleton. You are most humorous today.” His wide smile made the freckles stand out on his pale face.
“Humorous? I assure you, I’m far from that. I’ve had a trying morning with my father being gone, and my horse missing. Now I would very much like to rest in my room. So if you’ll please let me pass…?” She glared at him.
He frowned. “Ellie, I know we got off to a bad start after we were first introduced—”
“Beg pardon, my lord, but I didnotgive you permission to use my name so personally, and I will never give that permission to you.”
His bushy eyebrows lifted. “But we are practically family.”
“Actually, we aren’t, and we are never going to be, so I pray you get that notion out of your head quickly.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Lord Stone, I don’t like you, and there is nothing you or your aunt can do to change it. Please understand that now, because I don’t want to waste my breath explaining it again.”
Ellie rushed passed him before he could stop her again. Hopefully, she was rude enough to him that he would get the hint. She didn’t have patience for him.
She entered her room and quickly slammed the door shut. Leaning against the thick piece of wood, she breathed slowly, trying to calm her temper. If that man didn’t leave her alone, she would scream. Would her father understand her worries and dismiss Edgar from their home? Then again, Ellie had heard Augusta tell Edgar that she couldswaythe duke to do anything.
“Augh!” Ellie marched to her bed and threw herself on the mattress. She feared sleep would be impossible now.
She rolled to her side and stared out the window. A slight wind blew, disturbing the leaves on the large oak tree beside her window. The tree beckoned her to escape, just as it had done when she was a young girl. She had not always been the most obedient daughter, and there were many times in her youth when she climbed out the window, saddled Pegasus, and rode her mare at night. Riding was the only thing that calmed her spirit and relaxed her.
Frowning, she pulled a pillow against her chest. But she couldn’t climb out onto the tree and escape to the stable to fetch her horse now. And where would she go? She definitely couldn’t stay here. Would Vincent mind her coming to visit his sisters again? The idea tempted her, but she knew she’d not be in good spirits. Not with the upsetting day she’d had.
She sighed and closed her eyes as her mind returned to that very passionate moment with Vincent earlier today. Would she have done anything differently? Maybe she should have taken him up to her room right then. No, that wouldn’t have been wise, since her father chose that moment to make his grand appearance.
A hard knock shook the door and snapped Ellie out of her memory. She turned her head toward the door but didn’t move from her bed. “Who is it?”
