by Lauren Smith
“Now, Lord Cinderbury. We must make haste. Where is the darn dress?”
He reached down and wrapped his hand around her wrist. “If you’re so insistent, then you leave me no choice. I’ll have to allow you to don a damp dress.”
Lord Cinderbury led her down the hallway and back to the room she’d been in. In her frantic state, she hadn’t thought to look in the room for her dress. He helped her to a chair and then searched a nearby table for something to light the candles in the room. Once there, everything was illuminated she could see the dress hanging over an elaborate dressing screen. Annalise rushed over to it and went behind the three panels for privacy. Her other garments were there too.
She sat on a small padded seat and slipped her stockings on and tied them with her garters. Lord Cinderbury was correct—everything remained damp. She could change into something else later. The only thing that mattered was leaving the marquess’s cottage. After she had her undergarments on, she slipped on her dress—thankful she didn’t wear a corset. All she’d need from Lord Cinderbury was for him to tie the ribbons on the back. She stepped out from behind the dressing screen.
“Can you help me?” Annalise turned and moved her hair for him to see her dilemma. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze. “I can’t do it myself.”
“I wish you’d stay.” He scrunched his eyebrows together. “This is ridiculous.
“I didn’t realize you were anxious for my company,” she teased. “If I had been aware you were in the neighborhood, I’d have called properly.”
She wasn’t sure if she would have or not, but it seemed like the correct thing to say. Annalise did like Lord Cinderbury. In another time and place she might have wanted something more from him. He was a gorgeous male with light brown hair and dark blue eyes. Sometimes they were so dark they almost appeared black. It was when his melancholy mood overtook him that they were nearly the color of the night sky.
“I didn’t want company,” he said gruffly. He yanked on the ties of her dress and she almost gasped. “I don’t know... Estella would want me to look after you. It’s not a good idea to leave at night.”
“You said it’s nearly dawn.”
Annalise was aware how petulant she sounded. He didn’t understand. How could he? Most of the time she didn’t either; however, she was conscious of the repercussions of her being alone with him…when her memories had come back, so did the knowledge that he had no servants in his cottage. Even if her father would welcome the match, she’d not have him trapped into an unwanted marriage with her. If she was allowed to marry, she wanted to do it for love. Lord Cinderbury didn’t seem capable of it. She didn’t doubt he loved his cousin, but Estella had seemed like the exception to that little rule. Someone had hurt him badly, and he had closed himself off to the world. Estella was safe for him, so he opened his heart to her. Annalise doubted he’d be so open with her.
“Nearly dawn does not equal a sunrise, my dear,” he responded with an irritable tone. “Evil can still hide and surprise you.”
“That can happen in the clear light of day,” she said dryly. “I’ve found more comfort in complete darkness than with a hundred people surrounding me in the daylight. You shouldn’t let the sun or moon dictate your actions.”
“I don’t,” he told her. Lord Cinderbury pulled the last of the ribbons and tied them. “There, all done. Are you sure I can’t talk you into staying longer?”
She glanced at him. His blue eyes were darkening to black. What had him so sad? Did he really want her to stay or was it something else entirely? “I cannot.”
He sighed. “Your slippers are by the chair over there, and your cloak is on the hook by the door.” He pointed to the other side of the room. “I’ll leave you to put them on while I dress quickly. I’ll escort you home.”
“No,” she nearly shouted. “You can’t do that.”
That would defeat the purpose of her leaving his cottage under the cover of darkness. Thankfully, her father had business in London and wouldn’t find out she’d gone missing until later on in the day. She could cover—with the help of her grandmother—that she’d stayed away because of her injury and sickness. Her father would still be angry, but he wouldn’t be out for revenge. He’d punish her by locking her in her room for a few days. It wasn’t as if she’d never dealt with that before.
“Lady Annalise, I am coming with you. Don’t argue. It’ll save time if you agree.”
“Do you really want to walk me to the front door and have everyone in the neighborhood believe you compromised me?”
“My dear, there is no if about it. You are compromised, and we have to pay the price of that happenstance.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, leaving it in a wonderful disarray. Lord Cinderbury really was a beautiful male. He became more and more appealing the longer she was in his company. “Trust me, I’m no happier about it than you are, but as a gentleman I understand my duty.”
She snapped out of her stupor over his male splendor and glared at him. “How romantic of you… Talk of duty always makes my heart go aflutter. You do say the sweetest words.” Sarcasm dripped through her voice as she spoke. It didn’t make her feel any better to be proven right. The marquess did appear to be incapable of love. “Don’t bother with any proposals or promises. I won’t marry you.”
He lifted a brow. “We’ll see.”
That was it? He wasn’t going to back away and accept her rejection. Confusion flooder her, and she couldn’t stop herself from staring at him. Most men would have been thankful that they’d been saved from a forced marriage. She certainly had expected Lord Cinderbury to be glad for it. But such a blasé response? That didn’t seem…right.
“There’ll be nothing to see.” She frowned. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be leaving now.”
He didn’t let her stomp out of the room in the fit of fury she had planned. Instead, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to another room. Once there, he placed her on the bed and finished dressing. If he continued to surprise her, she’d be stunned stupid for days. Annalise thought she’d had him figured out. He was proving how wrong she’d been with each passing moment. She couldn’t puzzle him out for anything.
“Are you done with your temper tantrum?” he asked. “If so, we can go down and take the carriage to your home. I’m sure you’re missing your own bed.”
She couldn’t care less about her darn bed. “Actually, I don’t want you to take me home.”
He jerked back at her words. “I thought that was the whole point of your leaving now. Pray tell, where do you plan on going if not to your father’s manor?”
She had to go to her grandmother’s house. It’s the only acceptable place for her to be found. She had hoped to go there on her own and explain everything to her grandmother, but Lord Cinderbury had to complicate things. She lifted her chin in defiance. “I must go to the dowager house.”
“Why in bloody hell do you wish to go there?” His frustration seemed to be growing. Annalise didn’t really blame him. She’d be irritated with her too. “Honestly, why can’t this wait?”
“It’s for the best. It’s where I was heading when the storm hit. It’s acceptable for me to have remained.” She tilted her head. “Don’t you understand? This is for you too. No one should marry out of duty.”
“And what if I already sent a note to your father letting him know you were safe in my care?”
Oh God… “Please tell me you didn’t do that.” They would be doomed if he had. Why hadn’t she considered he might do that? Wait… He said a doctor had looked at her too. She leaped off the bed and went to him. Annalise latched her hand around his wrist. “Which doctor looked at me?”
If it was the private physician that handled all the medical care for her father, then there would be no escaping their fate. She cursed under her breath and waited for him to answer, praying it wouldn’t be bad news.
“The town doctor came to see you.” He narrowed his gaze. “Why? Are you so pretentious
you think you’re too good for him?” Lord Cinderbury clenched his fist at his side. “And no, I didn’t send a note. I did consider it but decided it would be better to talk to the duke in person.”
She let out a relieved breath. All was not lost after all. “Then take me to my grandmother. I promise it will be all right.”
“You really don’t wish to marry me?” He stared at her with befuddlement.
“No,” she said. “Marriage between us would be disastrous.” But not for the reasons he believed. As long as her father lived, they didn’t stand a chance at finding happiness. She imagined Lord Cinderbury might make a good husband if he could find a way to love. “Now let’s go. There’s no time to waste.”
He didn’t argue after that. They went to his small stable and hitched a horse to a phaeton. Lord Cinderbury drove the small distance to her grandmother’s house. Once she was safely inside, he drove away. Annalise watched him until his carriage disappeared in the darkness, then she went to find a room to rest until morning. She had a lot of things to tell her grandmother, and a plan to protect Lord Cinderbury to enact. He’d be safe; she’d make sure of it…
Chapter 7
Annalise strolled into the breakfast parlor and sat at the table next to her grandmother—the Viscountess of Shelburne. Her hair was a combination of silver and snow white. Her face was as wrinkly as it was regal. She had more grace than anyone Annalise knew. She was in the process of scraping butter across her toast and had yet to greet Annalise. A servant came in and set a plate of eggs and sausages in front of her along with a smaller plate of toast.
“You came in quite—late,” her grandmother stated without looking up from her toast. “Do you care to explain yourself?”
Annalise mimicked her grandmother’s activity and kept her next words simple. “It couldn’t be helped. I was caught in a storm and had to seek shelter. I trust you’ll explain to my father that particular shelter was here with you?”
“Of course,” the viscountess replied without missing a beat. “As long as you tell me where you actually took shelter.”
Her grandmother wasn’t going to like what Annalise had to tell her. She’d still cover for her though. They both had a hatred for the duke. Annalise’s mother—Sarah, had died under suspicious means. The viscountess believed that Wolfton arranged for her to die. There was no proof of that, but that didn’t stop her grandmother from attempting to thwart the duke whenever possible. It was no surprise that her father had purchase the old Shelburne manor from Annalise’s Uncle Randall after he found himself heavily in debt and the entailment in flux. The viscount had offered to sell him the dowager house in an attempt to keep the Shelburne estate intact. The duke refused. He’d wanted to dismantle his wife’s family bit by bit if he could. Annalise often wondered what made her father act so cruelly toward others, but had yet to discover the truth.
Luckily her uncle had learned a harsh lesson and managed to live frugally for several years. He married well and bought a new estate in Dorset far away from the scars of his past. The dowager house where her grandmother lived remained far away from the new Shelburne Manor. Uncle Randall renewed the entailment to cover the acquired property to keep it safe for his son, Bryce. Annalise had yet to meet her cousin, who was a decade younger than her. She didn’t blame the viscount for keeping him away from her and Marrok. He was protecting him from the duke. No one with any sense willingly built a relationship with her father. She set her toast down and met her grandmother’s gaze. “The Marquess of Cinderbury came to my aid.”
“He’s a nice young man. I’ve met him walking in town.”
Cinderbury was indeed—nice, as her grandmother put it. “He didn’t want to dump me on your doorstep and run. I had to convince him of the wisdom of my plan.”
“No,” she agreed. “He doesn’t seem the type to run away from a problem. He’d make a good husband.”
Annalise rolled her eyes. Her grandmother was determined to find her a suitable husband and tear her from the duke’s grasp. She didn’t realize that would make things worse. “He’s not for me.”
“That’s your answer to every eligible gentleman I suggest,” her grandmother replied irritably. “Surely there is one that you like.”
She liked Cinderbury far more than she wanted to admit. If she gave her grandmother any indication she wouldn’t be averse to marrying the marquess, she’d never let up. The man in question deserved better than her. “I don’t wish to marry.” That was preferable than saying her father would never allow it.
Her grandmother sighed. “Darling granddaughter, you’ll never find happiness if you hide away from it.”
Sometimes hiding was far better than the misery defying her father gave her. She’d explained that to her grandmother several times, but the older woman kept hoping for a different answer. It wasn’t as if she never wanted to be happy. She wanted it desperately. Lord Cinderbury would be her first choice if she had one to make. “Are we going to have this discussion again?” Annalise lifted a brow, then picked up her tea to sip it. She stared at her grandmother over the rim, and then put the cup back on the saucer. “It won’t work, you know.”
“What?” her grandmother asked innocently. “Praying my granddaughter sees sense?”
No amount of praying would help her. Her fate had been sealed a long time ago, and she’d accepted it. Instead of feeding into her grandmother’s inquiries, she chose to ignore them and move onto another topic. “He’ll be sending someone here to check on me soon.”
“He’s a controlling bastard,” her grandmother said with hatred in her tone. “I tried to talk Sarah out of marrying him, but she wouldn’t listen to me. She had grand ideas about being a duchess.”
Her mother had served her purpose and given the duke his heir and a daughter he didn’t really want or need. To this day, Annalise still didn’t understand why her father had later married Estella’s mother. Maybe he had cared about her, but somehow, she doubted that. She didn’t believe her father was capable of caring. The reason he allowed Annalise to attend balls or leave the manor at all was for appearances sake. As long as the ton got a glimpse of her from time to time, they didn’t question when she disappeared.
“I barely knew my mother,” she said more to herself than anything.
“She was a lovely girl. You resemble her quite a bit.” Her grandmother sighed. “Though you’re stronger than she was. One day, you’ll realize that too and fight your father. He won’t see it coming either.”
Annalise wished she had the faith her grandmother did. “Everything is all right as it is.”
“Tell me you don’t believe that lie,” her grandmother said.
She didn’t, but she didn’t affirm it for her either. Instead, she sipped her tea and remained silent. Some things were better left unsaid. If she voiced how much she longed for more in her life, she’d welcome more despair into her heart. It was easier this way.
The sound of footsteps filled the house. Soon, a couple of footman came into the room. “My lady,” they said to the viscountess. “We’re here to escort Lady Annalise home. Her father is missing her.”
“How kind of them to send you two strapping young men to make sure she arrives safe. Do give my regards to his grace.” Her grandmother didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm from her voice. “Visit again soon, darling. It’s nice having you here for the night even if I had the storm to thank for the unexpectedness of it.”
“It’s been lovely, grandmother.” Annalise stood and then leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I’ll visit another time as soon as I’m able.”
With those words, she turned on her heels and followed the footmen out of the room. They were two of her father’s favorite henchmen and would have no problem using force if they felt a need for it. She stopped long enough to grab her red cloak from the hook by the door and then exited the house. Dealing with her father would take every ounce of strength she had. The footman would find no trouble escorting her home. Some fights were best left for t
hose with more stamina to deal with them, and some were more important to prepare for.
Ryan stared at the fire burning in the hearth. He hadn’t been able to sleep and couldn’t stop thinking about Lady Annalise. She’d been on his mind ever since he met her, but after last night… He shook his head and tried to dislodge the thoughts, but they were a permanent fixture. The lady had settled deep inside of his soul and planned on staying. Oh, he realized she had no control over him that way. At least she wasn’t doing it intentionally. That didn’t erase the fact that she’d burrowed her way into his psyche when he didn’t want her there.
He’d been surprised that she went out of her way to ensure they weren’t forced to marry. Ryan realized that many ladies were not scheming, and he’d often used his bad experiences to judge women he met. That was an impulse for him, and it took some time to shake free of it. Truthfully, he hadn’t believed Lady Annalise was a conniving woman. His issues were his own; however, he had trouble setting those aside where she was concerned.
Bloody hell…
What was he going to do? He stood and walked over to the bar, then poured two fingers of brandy into a glass. Ryan stared at it for several seconds before he raised it to his mouth and drained the contents. He set it down and stared at the empty glass. Drinking alcohol shouldn’t help clear his mind, but for some reason it had. In some strange way, everything suddenly made complete sense. He’d been draining his life of any possibility of love or joy by avoiding all that was good in the world. Estella had been his sole focus for many years. He’d used her as a way of avoiding what he really needed.
Lady Annalise hadn’t wanted to marry him. She believed it would be a disaster. She couldn’t be more wrong. They needed each other, and he’d prove it to her. Ryan had recognized the same despair in her eyes that he carried around in him. Maybe if they could find a way past that, they could find something more profound.