Chapter 31

Thank goodness he had locked the chamber door. Not that he would have minded being forced to marry Eliza because they’d been caught in the most compromising of all positions, but he did not want her to feel that was the only reason they wed. It must come to her as a natural course of their relationship. And, given how stubborn Eliza could be, it may even need to be her idea.

Lucian chuckled and sipped his coffee as he imagined Eliza asking for his hand in marriage, or deciding it was a good idea and telling him to propose.

He also knew that it would never come to that. Given Eliza’s independence, she may never agree to marry him, let alone demand it of him.

“Good morning, Lord Garretson,” Eliza greeted as she entered.

When their eyes met, her cheeks started to turn a lovely pink.

He had never seen her blush so deeply. At least not until he started to remove her clothing last night and she’d blushed several times since.

“Good morning, Eliza. I assume you slept well.”

“Far better than usual,” she answered as she took the seat the footman held. “I am not one to fall asleep until late and I always rise early. There are some nights that I only sleep four hours.”

He frowned, wondering if she was telling him the truth.

“There are times she does not sleep at all,” Stella announced as she entered from the kitchen carrying a pot of tea. “I can only assume that the reason she slept so late and why it took so long for her to hear me, was that she finally found deep sleep, likely because she was exhausted from worrying about that man writing letters.”

Lucian bit back a grin because he was certain he knew the reason.

“I came to inform you that I need to go into the village, Miss Weston. Is there anything that you need?”

Her eyes shifted to Lucian for just a moment and if he was not mistaken, shared a need that her maid could not fulfill. She then looked at her servant. “I need nothing, Stella, but do take Saul with you.”

“I do not need someone to protect me. It is you we worry about.”

“All the same. I would feel better if you had him,” Eliza insisted.

“If this man grows bold, he could use you to get to Eliza,” Lucian offered.

Stella’s eyes widened. “Goodness. I had not considered. Very well, I will take Saul. He will be glad to have something to do.” She chuckled as she returned to the kitchen.

“Tell me, Eliza, what do you really need?” Lucian asked quietly.

Her face flamed to red.

“You are not alone.” He winked then sat back as their breakfast plates were brought to the table, surprised at himself. Lucian had never winked at anyone in his life.

Maybe he could change.

As a rule, he would never allow anyone to alter how he reacted to anything, or his behavior, but Lucian had also recognized in himself that he was withdrawn and arrogant at times. He was also calm, reasonable, mature, and not given to flights of fancy. Whereas his opinion of Eliza had always been desire and temptation, aggravation and irritation, wrapped up in one exquisite package. She was also vibrant, determined and daring. He proceeded with caution.

They were opposites and where he had once thought such would be a difficulty, perhaps instead it was a perfect balance.

Maybe he wouldn’t so much change, but he was relaxed and more at ease than he’d been in a very long time. Not because of last night, but since she’d come to live at Wyndhill Park.

Yes, he was worried and wanted to keep her close to the house, but that wasn’t to tame her. He just didn’t want her harmed, and he would continue to insist that she remain guarded until that man was caught.

“What plans do you have for today?” Eliza asked.

He arched an eyebrow. “I am not certain. Is there a reason you are asking?” If she wished to return above stairs and lock the doors again, he would be happy to accommodate her.

“It is no longer raining and by the looks of it, the day is clear and the sun is shining.”

Lucian settled back in his chair. “What is it that you want to do, Eliza?” though he could likely guess.

“We could visit the caves to search for a mummy.” She grinned.

He should have realized that a change in their relationship would not alter her quest. He had already accepted that she would not stop looking until she’d searched every corner of his estate and Lucian would accompany her.

He sighed and sat forward and lifted his fork. “Very well. We will set out for a cave when we have finished breaking our fast.”

His reward was a grin. “Thank you.”

The sooner they could search the last two caves and the mine the sooner she would be done with this nonsense of believing there was a mummy hidden on his estate.

She ate quickly and quietly, an energy that was only Eliza exuding from her being. Lucian wished he could experience such excitement, but nothing had ever interested him enough, outside of bedding her, and that was an entirely different energy.

No, that was not true. When he had the opportunity to search for fossils and rocks, but only in England, he’d been eager to see what would be discovered. It must be the same for Eliza.

If he could sail somewhere fascinating and search for gems, crystals, rocks, and fossils, he would likely be filled with excited energy too. Unfortunately, that was something he would never be able to experience because he was the earl and his life revolved around the estate and Parliament, and eventually marriage and hopefully an heir and a spare.

He nearly snorted as he picked up a piece of bread. It had been last autumn that he had decided that it was unlikely he would wed and decided that it was not necessary so long as one of his brothers married and produced a male. Now that Eliza had come back into his life, he might be the one to father that heir. It wasn’t as if he had used any precautions last night. Not that there were many options for preventing a pregnancy, and withdrawing had certainly not even occurred to him when the moment arrived. Lucian wasn’t even sure it would have been possible because being in her had been perfection and beyond anything he had ever experienced or imagined.

“Woolgathering?”

He blinked at Eliza.

“I am finished and you have only eaten half of what is on your plate and are staring off. What is on your mind?”

Did he tell her?

No. Not yet, because Lucian was still not certain of where her heart layand if it was with him.

“Do you want footmen to accompany us?” he asked instead. “Would you feel safer?” Lucian wanted to be alone with Eliza but he also did not want to put her in danger.

“I would go alone, if you would let me,” she insisted. “You are the one who is afraid that the person who is writing the letters will approach me when I am convinced that he will be too afraid to face me when I am awake.”

Lucian chose not to argue with her. Even though he did not agree with her, it was likely the man, if he was even about and saw them, would remain away if he saw Lucian by her side.

“I will hurry so that we can depart.”

Eliza practically skipped as they rounded the lake instead of taking the bridge that might very well collapse on them. “We should have brought a picnic lunch,” she suggested. “If we find the mummy and valuables, we will want to stay and examine everything.”

“I am assuming you would actually have food in the basket this time,” he commented.

“Yes, well, if I hadn’t needed to sneak around.”

“It is my hope that once you have searched every place possible that I will not need to worry about you wandering off and finding yourself in danger.”

She stopped and frowned at him. “Wandering off? I am not a child Lucian.”

“Oh, I am very much aware of that fact. Especially after last night.”

Her face heated.

“I do not wander either. I explore!” she informed him and walked off.

Goodness, last night…her body heated at the memory and she could not wait until tonight, after it was dark and everyone had retired, and hoped that they would enjoy intimacy again.

“Here we are.”

Eliza stopped beside Lucian at the small opening behind rocks. Had he not been with her, she may have missed it. “Shall we go in?” She lifted her lantern.

Lucian withdrew a flint and lit her lamp and then his own.

“Would you like to go first?” He moved aside.

He knew that she would because she wanted to be the first to find the treasure. Whether it was actually a treasure or not had yet to be determined, but if Eliza found the missing mummy, then it would be a treasure to her. And, if all the other valuables that had been stolen were hidden with it, all the better.

She stepped inside and knew that Lucian followed because his lamp also lit the way. Slowly, she made her way into the darkness and searched along the walls and then the end of the cave, but her shoulders dropped with disappointment when nothing was found. Lucian proceeded at a much slower pace, though she could not understand why, but when he stopped beside a low bolder and chuckled, she came over.

On the ground beside it was a slingshot and pile of stones.

“I left this here. I used to lie in wait for Xavier.”

“You would shoot rocks at your brother?” she asked in outrage.

“Yes. Do not all brothers?”

“No! It is dangerous.”

“Your brothers did not?” he countered.

Eliza frowned. “I am not certain what they did as boys. My governess did not allow me much freedom.”

“I cannot imagine you remained obediently by her side.” Lucian chuckled.

“No,” Eliza admitted. “She bored me with walks in the garden to learn all about plants, or in the music room to learn how to play the pianoforte, or in the parlor to work on my stitching, or in the schoolroom to learn how to paint, which are apparently the only skills a miss needs to know to land a husband.”

“Can you play or paint?” he asked.

“No. I lack every talent she attempted to teach.”

“I am certain she would have gotten around to teaching you how to manage a household.”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “Yes, because apparently, that is all the daughter of a viscount needs to know.”

“Not horrid literature?”

“Literature of any nature should be included in all educations,” Eliza insisted.

“Was it at the Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies?”

Eliza grinned, recalling how much she enjoyed her time at school. It would have been happier if she hadn’t continually been disappointed when her parents forgot to bring her home, but she pushed those emotions aside. “We studied the sciences such as botany, not just plant names, gazed at the stars and learned constellations, were taught French and Latin, mathematics and not simply basic household accounting, but investments, as well as literature. Oh, and how to manage a household because our parents expected us to be prepared for our future.”

“Investments?” Lucian asked in surprise.

“Yes. As it was assumed we would all marry we needed to be prepared if our husband died so that we would know if a guardian was squandering those funds. We were told that if we were wise, we would make certain a husband was aware of our knowledge so that he would offer us more power over financial responsibilities instead of relying on someone else to offer pin money when they believed it was appropriate.”

“I suppose women do have little control.”

“We have none,” she insisted. “Unless we manage to take it.”

“As you have done,” he murmured, drawing her close.

“I do not have control over my inheritance, but I do not need it right now either. I have my own funds and only I decide how it is spent.”

He cocked his head and the corner of his mouth twitched. “Being an author has made you financially secure?” Lucian asked as if he didn’t believe her.

“If I am wise in how I spend my funds, then yes.”

“You are a remarkable woman, Eliza.” Lucian stepped even closer.

Her heart swelled at hearing his compliment. “It does not bother you that I am independent and can financially support myself?” Most gentlemen would not approve of such.

“The opposite, though it was not a matter that I had given much consideration to in the past, simply accepted that a woman must be protected and supported by a man.”

“This woman is quite happy in her independence,” Eliza assured him.

“Though, there are times when a partnership is of benefit to both parties.”

He came even closer and Eliza stepped back, wondering what he was about and only stopped when her back connected with the wall of the cave.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I am going to kiss you, unless you have an objection.”

“It is the middle of the day.”

“You have kissed me in the middle of the day,” he reminded her.

Except, when she had kissed him, no matter how heated, she knew nothing would happen, not like it did last night. And, if he kissed her now, she would want more.

“If you do not want me to kiss you…”

She did not answer but pulled him to her.

Lucian bent and placed his lips against hers though he was also smiling.