Chapter 6

Those first few days following the wedding, with nobody else in the house other than servants, had been pleasant and Lucian found himself relaxed, but then it grew too quiet with his thoughts often turning to his temporary neighbor. If he could bed her without commitment, he would. But she was innocent and respectable, which would require a more permanent relationship if he wanted intimacy. As she was everything that he was not, Lucian could only imagine the difficulties they would encounter until they grew to hate the other, and the very reason he did his best to ignore the desire he carried for Eliza.

Regardless, Lucian still had to resist the urge to visit Greenhaven Cottage daily.

He rarely gave the neighboring estate a thought, even when someone lived there. But none of those people had been Eliza Weston.

In the meantime, Lucian busied himself with estate business, reviewed documents from his man of business regarding his investments made in mining expeditions and just yesterday he had received a package from a man who often traveled on his behalf and sent back interesting finds that included diamonds and emeralds, which Lucian added to his collection. There was not a gem that he did not own and kept on display in a small room off the library where he had also stored interesting rocks and fossils.

Except none of that interested him today.

He paced and wandered. The manor, despite how large it was, seemed small and confining, which prompted Lucian to make the decision to take his curricle into town. Perhaps he would enjoy a meal at the local ale house.

As he pulled out of the drive and onto the road, Lucian had to suddenly pull back on the reins before he ran over Eliza.

She stepped off to the side and looked up at him.

Why was she out on the road, walking, and where were her servants? “What are you doing?” Lucian asked.

“I went into the town and purchased a few items.” She held up her basket to show him.

A woman, especially a miss should not be strolling about on her own. She should at least have a companion or someone to protect her. “Where are your servants?” he demanded.

“They have other duties at the cottage,” she answered.

“You should not be alone.”

“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” She blew out a sigh. “Where are you off to?”

“I am on the way to town,” he said. “But I will see you home first.”

“That is not necessary, Lord Garretson. The walk is not so far and I am eager to return to my writing.”

“I will take you,” he insisted.

“Very well.”

Before he could jump from his seat to assist her into the curricle, Eliza hiked her skirt and stepped into the conveyance, which offered him a delightful view of her calf and booted ankle. This was the very reason they would never suit. Despite the years since they’d met, she was still a hoyden.

Once she was settled and smoothed her skirts, he clicked the reins again.

“Why are you visiting town today?” she asked.

“Why does it matter?” he returned. He didn’t want her to think that he was simply bored and had to get out of his house.

“You asked me, now I am asking you.”

“I must meet with my man of business.” As Lucian said the words, he did recall that he’d received a missive to call or send for his man of business when it was convenient. “And I need to visit the tailor.”

She nodded and looked up at the clear sky. “It is a nice day for being out. It is a shame that I must return to my desk.” Again, she sighed.

Lucian pulled into the drive and stopped before the entrance of Greenhaven Cottage. Eliza jumped down before he could assist her. “Thank you for driving me home.” She smiled at him. “Enjoy your afternoon, Lord Garretson.”

“You as well, Miss Weston.”

He watched as she entered the cottage and the odd feeling of distrust settled in his stomach. Yet, she’d done nothing since she arrived to make him think that she was up to anything other than working on her novel. Still, he would continue to keep an eye on her.

For a moment he was torn between returning home or going into town, then decided he needed to be out and it was unlikely that Eliza was doing anything more than she had told him.

For a sennight Eliza had waited and was prepared to wait longer before she snuck onto Wyndhill Park just so Garretson wouldn’t be so watchful and waiting for her. Today, however, changed everything, and if she hurried, she’d be able to explore at least one cave before he returned.

After giving Stella her basket of items from town, Eliza rushed up to her chamber and pulled on sturdy boots before retrieving the map provided by Micah, a lantern, flint, and a cloth satchel that she could throw over her shoulder for carrying items.

When she stepped into the kitchen her servants looked up and frowned.

“Lord Garretson has gone into town and I suspect he will be gone at least two hours.” Her trusted servants knew why she had taken this cottage but they were the only ones.

“Do be careful, Miss Weston.”

“I always am.” She grinned and exited the back of the house and went directly to the woods shared by the two properties. There she picked her way down a once well-used path. Previous residents must not have used it often as grass grew in the small patches of sun, and weeds preferring shade in other areas. Still there was enough of the old path visible that she could find her way and not become lost, and she finally emerged at the lake on the Wyndhill Park estate.

This was the very lake that she had fallen into right before she had kissed Garretson. More importantly, he had kissed her back.

Oh, what a wonderful kiss that had been.

But she shan’t think of that now.

Thankfully, Eliza was on the opposite side of where the folly stood at the lake’s edge and out of sight of the house and it was here that she consulted the map to the caves.

There were four in total where the Sinclair boys had played pirates and smugglers. They also sat at the back of the estate, just at the boundary of Wyndhill Park. Micah had also assured her that nobody had ventured there after their parents had died in 1801 because their guardian insisted it was too dangerous. He also admitted that it wasn’t as much fun after Lucian and Xavier went off to Eton. She had gotten the distinct impression that their childhood enjoyment had died with their parents. That was also the likely reason the mummy had not been discovered since it hadn’t been stolen until 1803.

Unfortunately, she did not have time to search all four caves today because it had taken her longer than she had wanted to make her way through the woods and to this property, then she had to stop a few times to consult the map, which meant that she only had time to visit the first cave. However, if the mummy and valuables were not stored in there, she’d be quicker when she returned to search the others now that she knew the way.

If the mummy wasn’t found in a cave, she would then search the abandoned mine and finally the crypts. It was here somewhere. She just knew it.