Chapter 87

Ellery

From a few hundred feet away,my mother emerged from the rows of plants and strode up the hill toward the road. I started after her, intending to call her back, but Scarlet jerked on my hand when I stepped forward.

"This might not be about you," Scarlet hissed. "If he didn't know who you were when he saw you in his son's bed, then don't show yourself now."

"I'm not sure if he knew it was me or not."

"Then there's no reason to refresh his memory by going up there now. Wait and see what happens."

My gaze went back to the carriage in front of the manor. A second later, the footman stepped down from the back of the vehicle and walked a couple of paces before stopping to wait for my mother to close the distance between them.

My hand tightened on Scarlet's as annoyance filled me. We weren't part of the aristocracy, but neither was the footman, and my mother deserved more respect than that asshole was showing her.

My mother closed the distance between them and stopped in front of the man. As they spoke, my mother's hand started waving in the air. I could tell she was getting agitated, but eventually, she turned and beckoned me forward.

"I have to go," I said to Scarlet. "This is about me."

Scarlet squeezed my hand. "You don't know what this is about."

"Yes, I do."

"No. He might not know it was you in his son's room. He could be here for… ah… I don't know, but don't do anything stupid."

"I won't," I promised, but we both knew why the duke was here.

"You're not going without me."

"You should stay."

"No."

I knew it was pointless to argue with her; I'd follow her to Hell and back, and she'd do the same for me. I hoped this wouldn't turn into something that could hurt her.

"Okay," I relented.

When I went to walk away, she kept hold of my hand and didn't move.

"Scarlet?"

"Yes."

"I have to walk."

"Oh… ah… yeah," she stammered and started forward with me.

We kept holding hands while we made our way out of the rows and up the hill toward my mother and the footman. I spotted Scarlet's family amid the wheat; they hadn't risen but were watching.

When we were closer, my mother spoke. "The Duke of Locksley wants to speak with you, Ellery."

I saw the concern on her face, but she probably thought this was about me helping his son find the Hooded Robber; I knew it was something more.

"Yes, of course," I said demurely.

I was pretty sure I was going to throw up and hoped I didn't do so in front of the duke. While it would make him more repulsed by me, it would also amuse him to know how much he unnerved me, but the man could have me killed with a single word.

"This way, miss," the footman said to me.

Scarlet squeezed my hand before releasing it. Lifting my apron, I wiped my hands on it before pulling it over my head and handing it to Scarlet.

I almost told my mother I'd be right back, but I didn't know if it was true. For all I knew, the duke planned to have me arrested or killed before I ever saw her and Ryker again.

The footman walked with me over to the carriage and opened the door. When the footman didn't hold his hand out to me, I sent him a scathing look; he was no better than me, but he believed he was.

My family owned property and helped feed this realm. He was the servant of an abusive asshole who did nothing for the realm but increase its suffering.

Despite this, I could tell he considered himself above me and didn't want to touch me because of it. He stepped aside to let me enter the shadowed interior of the luxurious carriage that somehow still managed to shine despite the dust its wheels kicked up on the drive here.

I bit back the fuckyou on my lips as the footman stared straight ahead like I wasn't there. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him know he'd gotten to me.

Grasping the railing on the side of the carriage, I pulled myself up and climbed the steps. I ducked low to enter the elaborately decorated, perfectly immaculate carriage with thick red seats.

The red curtains drawn over the windows blocked out the light, but I immediately spotted the duke. He sat against the back wall of the carriage with his hands folded on his lap and his chin raised as he looked down his nose at me.

I loathed this man, but his resemblance to his son momentarily made me forget this. There were differences between them; the duke's hair was a dark shade of blond and his eyes a pale green, but their features were strikingly similar.

When the door closed behind me, I resisted the impulse to gulp as the duke lifted a hand and waved at the seat across from him. I settled onto the plush cushion, clasped my hands on my lap, and lifted my chin to stare back at him.

His gaze ran disdainfully over me, and his lips curved into a sneer. The fact he looked so much like his son was especially disconcerting.

When Ryker looked at me, only joy and happiness shone in his eyes. When this man looked at me, it was clear I was a bug he planned to squish.

I'd very much like to squish him too. However, there were roles to play in our society, and I had to be pleasant no matter how much I'd prefer to bring lightning down on his ass.