Chapter 7

The entire time that Lucian was in town and meeting with his man of business and then with the tailor, he had the most uncomfortable sensation that Eliza was up to something.

To his knowledge she had not trespassed on his property. He also had remained at home. However, he had told her what his plans were while in town, which had been a foolish mistake on his part because no doubt Eliza had calculated how long he would likely be gone and was searching his property again.

Lucian then pushed the ridiculous notion aside. Eliza had been much younger, with a beyond average and vivid imagination, when she had explored his estate. No doubt, she had forgotten about the mummy. And, if she hadn’t, would have certainly given up her search for it long ago.

It was also likely that it was his imagination being overactive. Yet, Lucian would not be able to shake the feeling that she was up to something until he knew for certain.

Perhaps it was because she could have leased a cottage anywhere yet chose Greenhaven Cottage. It was too convenient and it had nothing to do with the wedding.

As he was leaving town, Lucian knew that he had to put his suspicions to rest so instead of returning to Wyndhill Park, he drove to Greenhaven Cottage. If she was writing at her desk as she said she was going to do, then he'd have to admit that he simply did not trust her without reason.

After he pulled in front of Greenhaven Cottage, he jumped down and tied the horses to a post and knocked on the door. A very startled maid opened it and her eyes widened upon seeing Lucian.

“Lord Garretson, we were not expecting you.”

“Would Miss Weston be available?”

“I…um… Let me see where she is.” The maid stepped back so that Lucian could enter. “If you would wait here, I will go in search of her.” She then disappeared down the corridor that led to where Eliza penned her novels, but turned opposite that door and into what Lucian assumed was the kitchen since the dining room was on that side as well, but closer to the front of the house.

He did not know Eliza all that well, but he was certain that she was not the type of miss who cooked.

Whispers drew him nearer the dining room where both maid and footman stood just inside the doors leading to what he assumed was the kitchen, which meant the maid had come nearly full circle.

Lucian ducked back out of sight and stood at the foot of the stairs and tried to listen to what they were saying, but they talked too quietly.

Either they did not know where Eliza was, or they knew and were trying to come up with an excuse that was not trespassing on his property.

“I will go find her,” the manservant finally said.

“Find who?”

That was Eliza’s voice.

“Why are the two of you whispering in the dining room?”

Where had she come from? Clearly, she had not been in the house or the manservant wouldn’t have decided to go look for her.

“Lord Garretson has come to call,” the maid answered.

“Has he?” Eliza stated in what sounded like pleasant surprise. “Please bring tea to the parlor.”

A moment later she swept into the entry and Lucian was taken aback by her disheveled appearance. Coppery ringlets fell about her face and neck, but not in an intentionally arranged manner. There was dirt on her cheek, her dress was dirty and there were scrapes on her hands.

“Where have you been, Miss Weston?” he asked. “I believe your servants were wondering the same, though I could not hear what they were whispering.”

“Exploring the wooded area behind the house,” she answered with a smile.

“Are you aware that the wooded area merges onto Wyndhill Park and curves around the lake that you are all too familiar with?”

Eliza’s eyes widened in surprise. “Does it?”

She was lying, though he had no evidence on which to base his conclusion.

“Why were you exploring the wooded area?”

Eliza blew out a sigh. “Am I to be interrogated each time you visit Lord Garretson?”

“No. I apologize,” he answered. If he constantly made demands, he would never learn the truth of why she had taken Greenhaven Cottage. “You are injured.”

Eliza chuckled and led him into the parlor. “Yes, well, I was imagining my heroine escaping a scary gothic castle, being lost in the forest after dark with only a full moon to guide her, when it could be seen through the trees, while branches and shadows reached for her, snagging her clothing and just like the heroine in my story, I tripped and fell, scraping my palms.”

Her explanation was reasonable, especially for an author of gothic novels.

Why the blazes was he so suspicious of her?

It was something he’d need to examine once he returned to Wyndhill Park. She was likely telling him the truth and Lucian would just need to learn to trust her.

“Do have a care, next time,” Garretson offered.

“We were not whispering about where Miss Weston was,” the maid announced as she entered, followed by the manservant who was carrying a tea service. “We were concerned by this.” She handed a letter over to Eliza. “It arrived in the post today.”

Eliza reached for it and when she saw the front, Lucian was certain that she’d lost color and her hand started to shake.

Eliza had been telling Garretson the truth. Her mind had been on a scene for her novel as she returned from the caves. She also fell and scraped her hands, except that had happened while in the cave, not on the path. Still, she had not lied, she simply twisted the truth a bit.

As she reached for the letter, Eliza realized that it was addressed to her, at Greenhaven Cottage. She also knew the handwriting and it was not from her brother or her publisher.

“This came while I was out?”

Blast! Her hand was shaking.

“We did not want to alarm you, but you also need to know.”

Eliza turned it over to break the wax seal and realized that it had already been opened.

“We did not want to wait for your return to learn the…”

She nodded. Neither of her servants would have ever dared open a personal correspondence. However, this was another matter entirely. They all wondered when the next missive would arrive and Eliza had hoped that she’d hidden herself away well enough that they would be free of the messages until she returned to London.

With a deep breath, she unfolded the parchment.

Roses are red, violets are blue, wherever you go, I will find you.

She let go of the parchment and it drifted to the table as Stella quickly filled a cup with tea and handed it to her.

“We must inform your brother,” Stella insisted.

“You will not!”

“Those were his instructions to us,” Saul reminded her.

“You are my servants, not his.” It was Eliza’s reminder of who paid them and it wasn’t Isaac.

Garretson reached forward to pick up the parchment. Eliza tried to take it first but was not quick enough.

His blue eyes widened as he read. “Who sent this?”

“We do not know,” Saul answered before she could.

“How many have you received?”

“Nearly a dozen,” Stella answered.

Eliza glared at her servants. “I will ring if I need anything further.” Just because they worried more than she did not mean they needed to share any more of her personal matters with Garretson.

“You should write to your brother,” Stella warned as she exited.

If she did not like her servants so well, she would sack them. But they were only trying to protect her and for the most part, she couldn’t have had a better couple taking care of her and the house.

“Nearly a dozen?” Garretson demanded after her servants had gone.

“You need not concern yourself.” She hated that her hands shook and that this person knew where she was, but Eliza did not need someone else trying to protect her.

With a sigh, she set her cup back in the saucer and rose to cross to the sideboard and lifted the decanter of brandy. “Would you like one?”

“Please,” he answered.

Eliza poured two glasses and returned to her place on the settee.

Given he was a gentleman, titled, and viewed himself as a protector since he had told her on more than one occasion that she needed one, Eliza knew that Garretson would not leave until she was honest with him. She just hoped that he didn’t take it upon himself to act as her guard.

“These missives are the other reason I left London. This cottage is leased in Isaac’s name for that reason and he is the one who liked the location of Greenhaven Cottage.” There was no reason for Garretson to know that she was the one who had chosen the location intentionally and that it had nothing to do with the letters.

“Your older brother. Why?” Garretson questioned.

“It was important that I disappear but Isaac did not like the idea of me being just anywhere with only strangers in the vicinity.” She took a sip of her brandy then blew out a sigh. “He knows and trusts you and believes that if I was found by this person or was in danger that I could go to you for assistance. Obviously, he is not aware that the one place that I might need to seek shelter is an estate that I am forbidden from visiting.” She took another sip of the brandy and hoped that it quickly calmed her nerves. “Not that any of it matters. These letters are harmless and from someone who wishes to frighten me. If they wished to harm me, they would have already attempted to do so.”

“If you find yourself in danger, you will come directly to Wyndhill Park,” he insisted, as she knew that he would once he learned the truth.

Eliza arched a brow. “Does that mean I am no longer banned?”

“It means that I do not want you searching my estate, but my home will offer safety if you need it.”

“I can assure that I will not.”

“Do you have any idea who might be sending these?”

“No.”

“When did they begin?”

“The first had been mailed to my publisher, addressed to E. B. Westin, even though the writer clearly knew that the author was me. They were then mailed to my brother’s home, where I had lived for a time and addressed directly to me. That’s when I took rooms at the Pulteney Hotel, and my first attempt at hiding. Whenever I left, I was dressed as a widow and veiled. Except, the same day that I received the letter from Olivia inviting me to the wedding, I also received another one of these, addressed to me at the hotel.” She waved the letter. “That is when Isaac decided that I needed to leave London.”

“Is that also the real reason you did not go to your family estate?”

“One of them,” she answered. Though the main reason was because her parents were in the country. “This person knows who I am, and who I write as. No doubt they would have searched for me there.” She took another sip of her brandy. “That is when Isaac and I decided to lease a country home for the summer, and you now know why Greenhaven Cottage was chosen.”

“Did it occur to you that if this person is following you that they would have known you were at Wyndhill Park and note where you went after?”

Her stomach tightened when she looked into Garretson’s blue eyes. “I did not consider being followed.”

“Obviously, neither had your brother, or he would have found you a different place.”

“If this person…” Eliza picked up the parchment and waved it around, “had followed me to Wyndhill Park, they would have then followed me to my next destination, so I am not certain it matters where I would have gone.”

“You need to tell your brother,” Garretson insisted.

“Why? There is nothing he can do.”

“Then perhaps you should return to his home where you can be watched over.”

“I will not hide.” Her voice rose with her objection. “Nobody is going to drive me from my home no matter how temporary the residence.”

“At least let me send additional footmen over to help watch Greenhaven Cottage.”

“That will not be necessary. I am only to seek your assistance if I am in danger, which I am not.” Besides, she needed to be free to come and go, which included sneaking onto Wyndhill Park to search caves. His footmen would report to Garretson the moment she tried.

“Then write to your brother or I will.”

“This is none of your concern, Lord Garretson.” She hated being protected, or being told what was best for her. “You would not have even known of the missives if not for your ill-timed arrival.” Eliza finished the brandy in her glass and stood.

Garretson came to his feet. “Sometimes being too stubborn is dangerous, Miss Weston.” He turned and stalked from the parlor.