Page 13 of The Haunted Duke

Then Aggie moved to follow, and Evander offered his hand at once, handing her maid up as graciously as you please.

He would assist my maid, but not me?

Aggie offered her an unsure look as she took the seat beside Helena, giving her a little shrug as Evander climbed in next. Both women drew their legs and skirts as close to their seats as possible, as his large body seemed to take up the lion’s share of the compartment. Helena watched him, unable to look away, as his massive form took up the entire seat across from them.

He was still trying to find his place when they caught each other’s gaze, and as Helena blushed, Evander suddenly jerked back, hitting the top of his head and back against the carriage’s wall and ceiling, seemingly trying to press himself into the farthest corner away from her.

Annoyance broke through her trepidation as she saw him struggle to shrink, and she scowled.

“I do not have some contagious disease, you know,” she stated sternly. “You do not have to stuff yourself into a corner; you may sit as a normal person would.”

Evander’s eyes slid over her, looking her up and down as if she were nothing at all, and he did not reply.

Now annoyed and offended, Helena gritted her teeth and flared her nostrils as she turned her head quickly toward the window.

The audacity of this man! What have I ever done to him?

The carriage ride felt long and stuffy as they kept ignoring each other; tension filled the silent air with every passing second until they finally pulled into the main street of the small country town.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Aggie breathed, pushing open the carriage door the moment they came to a stop.

Before she could climb out, though, Evander asked her to wait a moment. Helena watched Aggie stiffen as Evander unfurled his large body from the corner of the carriage and stepped out first. Then, as he had done at the house, he offered her his hand. Aggie glanced nervously at Helena before accepting his hand and letting him help her out. Helena moved quickly, hoping this time she would at least get assistance, but as she got close to the carriage door, Evander stepped aside and placed his black-gloved hands behind his back.

Now fuming over his rudeness, Helena glowered at him even as he refused to look at her.

“Ahem,” Aggie cleared her throat, breaking through the tension. “Pardon, Miss, but is that not Lord Ingram’s carriage?”

Forgetting about Evander’s rudeness entirely, Helena whipped her head in the direction of Aggie’s pointing finger and blanched. Sure enough, there was Lord Ingram’s carriage moving through the main street of the town, heading in the direction they had just come from.

“What on earth is he doing here?” Helena murmured, watching the carriage pass by.

He was supposed to be meeting Mama in London.

“Perhaps he has a country home nearby?” Aggie asked.

Helena glanced at her maid and gave a small smile, knowing Aggie was trying to soothe her anxiety. It did not work, of course, but she was grateful for the attempt.

“Right. Yes, many nobles have summer houses in this part of the country, I suppose,” Helena replied.

Even though summer is over.

“Come, Miss. Your Grace, let us tend to our duties,” Aggie gently urged. “We have much to do.”

Helena nodded as she watched the Ingram carriage continue down the road, growing smaller with each passing second.

“Yes,” she murmured, finally looking away from the carriage and toward the shops lining the main street. “Much to do.”

Silence settled over the three of them once again as they began to walk up the street toward the flower shop. They were nearly there when Evander’s deep voice broke through the air.

“Who is Lord Ingram?” he asked.

Helena’s sleek blonde brows shot up at his question. Was he actually deigning to speak to her now? She looked toward him for confirmation and saw that he was looking down at her. His blue eyes were still piercing with their intensity, but at least the look of hatred was gone.

“He is… was a friend of my late father’s,” she replied. “He is in some sort of contract with my mother. I believe it is to help our family from time to time.”

“Help with what?” Evander asked as they stopped in front of the flower shop.

Her surprised brows dipped into a furrow.