Chapter 12

Lucian stood in the front sitting room and waited for Eliza to join him.

He had intentionally hidden in his library for the remainder of the day because he feared that if he allowed himself to be drawn to her that he’d not leave. He wanted to believe that it was because she was in danger and he was protective, but that wasn’t all, and the very reason he must keep his distance. Ever since she had taken up residence in the cottage next door, it had been a daily struggle not to visit just so he could spend time with her. Now that she was living here, staying away from her would be even more difficult with only a wall separating them. All he needed to do was walk out of the library, turn right, and take ten steps and he would be at the entry of the parlor.

Being in such close proximity was a temptation and he willed himself not to see how she was faring in the parlor or to ask if she needed anything.

Thank goodness his staff had been practically underfoot since her arrival. A footman remained in the entry if the butler wasn’t present; another at each door that led to the terrace. Maids were also dusting rooms on the lower floor and sweeping up dust particles from an already shined floor.

Were they doing so because they were also trying to keep Eliza safe or because they were curious and hoped to overhear conversations? No woman had slept in the set of rooms assigned since his mother was alive.

Lucian glanced up when Eliza entered, wearing a simple dress of green. “I apologize for my attire. Other than the two dresses I brought with me for the wedding celebration, I did not pack anything beyond day dresses and walking dresses as I did not anticipate leaving the cottage except for walks in the town.”

“And into the woods.” He smiled.

“I did not anticipate dining at Wyndhill Park.”

“There is no reason why we must stand on formality, Miss Weston.” He didn’t care what she wore, and perhaps the uglier the dress the better. This dress was not ugly, only simple, but the green complemented not only her hair and skin, but eyes as well.

Lucian offered his arm to lead her into the dining room. It was expected, but he had to admit, he liked that she placed her hand on the sleeve.

“I apologize but by the time Cook learned that we were to have a guest it was too late to prepare a more appropriate meal,” he offered after they were seated.

“She does not need to go to any extra trouble for me. I dine simply,” Eliza assured him. “I am used to taking a one course meal in the kitchen with my servants.”

“I also enjoy only a light meal, one or two courses, except when my brothers are at home. They require more sustenance.”

“They are no longer growing boys,” Eliza laughed.

“No, but it is one of the rare times that we spend together. Even though we usually reside at Wyndhill Park, with the exception of Xavier, our interests and priorities do not allow us to interact much during the day. Thus, Cook makes certain there is a large meal that keeps us at the table.”

“She does not want you to grow apart?” Eliza asked.

“Cook was the one who stepped in after our parents died. There was a housekeeper, maids, and a governess, but Cook was the one who fed us, and slipped us biscuits and came to find us if we were feeling down. Our guardian wanted control and to make decisions for the family because I was too young at the time, or that was his opinion. He was the one who sent Elaina away to her grandparents in France without asking any of us. That action made Cook angry and she set out to be protective of me and my siblings.”

“France?” Eliza asked.

“Yes. My mother was French, which is where Father met her.”

“Was he on a grand tour?”

“No.” Lucian laughed. “Father and his friends had decided to sail to France, without making any proper plans.” He chuckled again. “Two of the friends were set to wed within a fortnight and the remaining four knew they would soon be forced to also give up their bachelor state given they were all heirs; thus they were celebrating and mourning what they would each soon lose. When they drank all the brandy, they decided they needed more.”

“So, they sailed to France?” Eliza asked in shock.

“That is where it came from so it made sense.” Lucian offered the same reasoning his father had. “Who knows what would have happened if they would have tried to sail the yacht themselves. Luckily, the friend with the boat also employed someone to captain it for them. But, stopping at the coast was not enough, except to purchase more brandy to settle their stomachs after most of them had tossed up their accounts during the crossing. They then sailed down Le Rance until they reached Dinan.”

“Why?” Eliza asked as soup was placed before them.

“My father could never answer that question.” Lucian chuckled. “But, when they exited the yacht in search of brandy to take back to England, and for food, they lost their footing.”

“Unsteady from brandy and from being on the water?” Eliza asked.

“Yes, to both,” Lucian answered. “None of them were seriously injured, but enough to delay their return. Father was unharmed and as he wandered about Dinan waiting for his friends to fully recover, he met my mother coming out of a café and was smitten on sight. When his friends were well enough to return, my father remained and courted her. Six months later he returned home with his bride.”

“That is such a wonderful story. To think, had he and his friends not been inebriated and in need of more brandy, they may have never met.”

The only people Lucian had ever shared that story with were his siblings. They liked to remember the meeting more than their death. It was nice to share it with Eliza.

It was also pleasant not to dine alone, as he had done since his brothers left the day after the wedding. In fact, he had taken to having a light meal in the library while he attended estate business or he would bring the book he was reading into the dining room with him. There was nothing worse than sitting at the head of a long table, eating a meal, alone.

He was also surprised to find himself sharing more of himself and the family than he ever had, though none of what he said was private, just not usually spoken of.

“It was to my mother’s parents that Elaina was sent after my parents died and where she lived for four years,” he finally said, remembering why he had mentioned France to begin with.

“Well, daughters are not nearly as important as sons,” Eliza offered with a bit of bitterness to her tone and then Lucian recalled how she had been often forgotten by her parents.

“I apologize for what you suffered and had I been asked, or given control, Elaina would not have been sent away.”

She nodded with a sad smile before she dipped her spoon into the soup.

“Cook often came to me in the evenings after our guardian had retired. I would be in the library reviewing the accounting and all documents relating to the estate to understand or make certain the guardian was not making poor decisions, not that I would know what a poor decision was. I was frightened. It was daunting to be the Earl of Garretson at sixteen with five younger siblings. She listened to my concerns and was the one who encouraged me to take over when I reached my majority.” Lucian settled back in his chair now that his soup was gone. “A regret is that I did not send for Elaina immediately, but I needed to make certain that I could manage on my own because my next fear was that I would not be able to protect my sister as I should when it came time for her to attend a Season.”

“So, your reasons were not to ignore her?” Eliza asked.

“No, never that. I needed to prepare to take over the guardianship and I attended those first two Seasons not for enjoyment or to find a wife, but to learn and observe to protect her the best that I could.”

“Many brothers would have simply seen that she married well.”

Lucian couldn’t help but chuckle. “I already knew Elaina would never simply settle. And I wanted her also to be happy, which is what she did achieve.”

“You are a good brother, Lord Garretson,” Eliza said after a moment. “As are mine.”

If anyone would have told Eliza that she would enjoy a quiet meal with the Earl of Garretson, just the two of them, she would have thought them mad. Except, tonight was lovely. He was warm and shared a part of his past, only some of which she had been aware. Earlier she had been certain that the only reason he allowed her in his home was because he was too chivalrous to allow her to remain in a cottage where she may be in danger. In fact, he had become stiffer and more proper and cold with each step from the cottage to the estate, then dismissive of her after they entered the manor before barking demands at the servants before he disappeared.

His mood was completely different tonight and he was rather likeable if not pleasant. What had brought about the change?

Did she dare ask?

Perhaps it was as simple as he’d been disturbed earlier and had now recovered and put his mind to being a good host.

Disturbed! She’d been terrified and angry and some of those emotions lingered but Eliza was determined to push past them. Nothing and nobody could harm her while she was here.

While they dined on fish and vegetables, Garretson shared with her stories of him and Oliver at Eton and later Cambridge. The two had been close friends but had drifted apart when her brother decided to travel, which led Oliver to New Orleans where he currently lived. Eliza had to wonder if she would ever see her older brother again.

After the meal concluded, they retired to the sitting room where tea was delivered. Lucian offered wine, but she declined. She’d drunk enough with dinner and simply wanted something more comforting and soothing to help settle her into slumber in this strange house.

She just hoped that she was able to find sleep.

After she poured, Garretson took a seat across from her and studied her for a moment. “Why were you searching caves on my property today?”

Blast him! He had been friendly all through dinner when it had been a ruse to lure her into a sense of friendship.

“Why do you think?” she countered.

“I have no idea, but I do recall forbidding you from trespassing.”

“Yet here I am.”

“What are you about, Eliza?”

Her pulse ticked. He’d not addressed her by her first name in ten years.

“I came to Greenhaven Cottage to finish a novel begun long ago, not anticipating that someone would have followed.”

“Then why was it necessary to trespass and search the caves?”

“Because I cannot finish the novel until I know what they hold,” she answered honestly.

He stared at her for a moment, then his eyes grew wide. “You are still searching for that blasted mummy, aren’t you?”

She shrugged. “You never let me finish my search before.”

“Nor will I now,” he yelled.

“Why?”

“For one it is too dangerous to leave the manor, let alone go traipsing about to the far border of the estate.”

She anticipated this would be his reaction and drew in a deep breath before sighing.

In truth, after today, she wasn’t exactly anxious to be too far from the manor either. Though, she could not remain inside forever.

“What of the cemetery? I am told there are crypts.”

“Crypts!” His voice rose. “You think someone hid a mummy in a crypt?”

Eliza wasn’t really surprised by his outrage. “As they are large enough to store a body, why not a mummy?”

“There is not a mummy in one of the crypts,” Garretson insisted.

Eliza arched an eyebrow. “Are you so certain?”

“Yes!”

“Does that mean you visit the cemetery often and would know?”

Garretson opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and frowned.

“When was the last time you visited the ancient cemetery?” she asked.

“Not since my parents were buried,” he answered quietly. “I see no need to visit graves.”

“Truly? I adore cemeteries.”

“You would,” he answered dryly.

“As you have not returned in fifteen years, then anything could have been hidden within,” she offered.

“We have a groundskeeper as well as gardeners who would have alerted me if a mummy had been left in a crypt,” he argued.

“They go inside each?” she questioned, though Eliza doubted that a mummy would be left in a place where it might easily be discovered if another person needed to be buried, and assuming the crypt would be used.

“There is no mummy in the cemetery!”

“You are likely correct,” Eliza agreed and sipped her tea. “Can you make the same claim of the caves?”

“Yes!”

“Does that mean you have explored them recently?”

Garretson narrowed his eyes and glowered at her. “Not since I was twelve and sent off to Eton. However, my brothers, at least Silas and Asher, had likely explored them before Asher was sent off to Eton, which would have been around 1803, though I doubt Silas would have gone alone. Therefore, had there been a mummy, it would have been discovered by my younger brothers.”

“The mummy was taken in 1804.”

“Eliza…” there was an edge of warning in his tone, but Lucian said nothing further. Could he not think of a threat to use against her?

“There is also an abandoned mine,” she offered, not to be deterred from her quest. She had been looking for that mummy for thirteen years and would not stop until she searched the entirety of Wyndhill Park. If it was not here, then she would be forced to give up because the only clues she had led to here.

“There is no mummy in the crypts, caves, or the mine!” he nearly yelled. “Cease searching for it.”