Page 34 of Discovering Her Earl

“You are still unmarried.” The woman’s words seemed to cut Elaina for she flinched just the slightest bit. Again, he only noticed because he was studying her every breath.

“Very unmarried. But still, my age puts me well beyond any silly rules of propriety.”

When the woman’s frown deepened it seemed as if Elaina had met her tipping point.

“If I were so alluring as to attract a man such as Lord Melville, wouldn’t I have received an offer of marriage already and have a husband? I can assure you, he was the epitome of gentlemanliness. As one would expect when someone like him is forced to travel with someone like me.”

“Of course. How silly of me,” Mrs. Leighton said quietly, having finally realized she had tread heavily upon a sensitive nerve.

Julian frowned at Elaina’s explanation of the situation as well as Mrs. Leighton’s easy agreement. He opened his mouth to explain how he had been enticed by Elaina on many occasions during their travels north.

But thankfully, he caught himself before he’d admitted something so foolish. However true it might be.

He would go along with the idea he was unaffected by the woman, but the truth was, she intrigued him like no other woman he’d met. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he hadn’t won her over yet as he’d originally thought, but he didn’t think so.

He did appreciate a challenge when one was presented. But beyond that, he actually liked her. Despite the fact she didn’t seem to like him very much at times.

He wasn’t even close to giving up.

*

When Lainey led Mrs. Leighton to the drawing room after dinner, she expected the woman to continue the conversation about her traveling with a man alone.

Lainey understood, it wasn’t done. But truly, riding in the carriage with Lord Melville was no different than riding with her aunt and uncle, or even the Leightons.

Or so she tried to convince herself.

“Was Rose aware you would be traveling alone with the earl?” Mrs. Leighton asked as soon as they were alone.

“No. When I received your note, I knew she would offer to come, and I couldn’t be the reason she left Uncle Henry for months. They hate being parted from each other.”

“I understand, but coming alone. Surely there was someone you could have brought with you. A maid…”

“I have no maid. And we didn’t have time to find someone so last minute.” That wasn’t exactly true. There was really no reason they couldn’t have delayed their departure for another day or two. In fact, Julian probably would have preferred it. “As I said, it was fine. Nothing untoward happened on the way.”

Nothing at all. Even if she imagined different scenarios in which he might kiss her or even hold her hand.

“We spent most of the trip reading. Very uneventful.” Even if his voice alone had made her insides feel rather singed.

She shook her head and planted a smile on her face, ready to change the subject. But Mrs. Leighton didn’t cooperate.

“He is most handsome, is he not?” she asked. “There is nothing quite so striking as a large Scot.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Lainey lied. What could she say? That when he smiled in earnest and that dimple peeked out, she wanted to kiss it? No, that would not convince the women that their travels were nothing of concern.

Mrs. Leighton made a sound that could only be disbelief before she waved her hand.

“And so charming too. If I were a few decades younger and single, I can tell you I would have seen that I had a reason to require a chaperone.”

The woman’s eyes widened and she leaned in closer.

“If you wanted to snag him, you have more than enough cause. If word of this got out your reputation would be ruined and he’d have no choice but to offer for you.”

Lainey choked and shook her head.

“No. Definitely not. I beg for your discretion. Nothing happened. We were simply two explorers traveling in the same carriage. Nothing more. I don’t want to… snag him. Please!”

“Very well. But I fear you’re missing out on a wonderful opportunity, dear. If you don’t want to marry him, you could have at least taken advantage of the nights in his bed.”