4. Eliza

4

ELIZA

S poiling myself a little had turned into a full week of indulgence. For the first time in my life, I outspent the monthly income generated from the flat by staying on at Claridge's. It was ridiculously stupid, given my only reason for doing so was the hope I'd run into my mystery man again. Six days later, I thought I had, but when I approached someone I'd only seen from the back, I realized it wasn't him.

We'd flirted a bit, and he'd asked me to join him for dinner. I agreed and it was fun. I learned he was visiting from Spain, and while he was almost as hot as the man I thought he was, I just wasn't feeling it. Our evening had ended with a sweet kiss at the lift without an exchange of contact information.

I received another ungodly hour text from Niven, saying my father had truly outdone himself at dinner the night before. Feeling guilty about not being there to run interference, I rolled out of bed, showered, then sent a message, saying I was on my way.

"I blame myself," I said to Harper after Niven gave me the blow-by-blow of their dinner with my parents, then excused himself to take a call.

"Why?" she asked.

"I know my father. If I'd been there last night, he wouldn't have pulled the stunt he did."

"Whether he would have last night or not doesn't matter. He would have eventually."

"If I hadn't been so caught up in"—I was about to say "staking out Claridge's in the hope I'd find my mystery man," but thought better of it—"my, um, date with a muy caliente Spaniard, I may have been able to talk some sense into Father."

I thought about the words Miss Bardwell and I had spoken to one another, praying Niv didn't break Harper's heart but more worried that she'd break his.

I put my hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "You're so good for my cousin. I hate to think anything my father said would change your opinion of him."

"Never."

"My dad has always tried to control Niven, but you know as well as I do that there's no man less likely to allow it." I studied her. "He's the most independent person I've known in my life, and yet, I sense his soul would be lost without you."

"I don't know about that."

I shook my head. "Well, I do. I can tell by the way he looks at you."

"It's me who would be lost without him."

"You needn't worry about Niven. He's invincible."

She raised a brow.

"What?" I asked.

"He'd like to be."

I seem to have lost track of the point of our conversation. "Now, I'm confused."

"What made you use that word?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's just the way I've always seen him."

I glanced up when I saw my cousin come out of the bedroom at the very end of the hallway and he appeared distracted.

"Eliza. You're still here."

"Niven, you invited me."

"Right, right. Sorry."

"Shall I come back some other time?"

"No. Now's good."

When he ran his hand through his hair and looked at Harper, I felt as though I was intruding.

"I'll just excuse myself," I muttered.

"No, I'd rather you hear this too. It's about the cottage in Alfriston."

"Go on," I said.

He explained there was a stipulation in the title that stated the property could not be sold without approval from all the heirs. Other than my father, Niven and I were the only two.

"I assure you I have no interest in it whatsoever," I said, leaning forward. "If you need me to have the solicitor prepare a document for me to sign stating such, I'd be happy to."

"It might be a good idea, if you wouldn't mind. Another thing you should know is that if he intended to sell, I could demand he deed it to me."

I studied him. "Meaning he'd have to give it to you."

Niven nodded.

Neither of us needed to say it out loud. This would not sit well with my father. In fact, I'd predict he'd do everything he could to circumvent the stipulations set forth in the title—legally or otherwise. A feeling of dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

I didn't think Niven should give up his pursuit of ownership out of fear of my dad's reaction; however, he was well aware that this would most likely result in a permanent estrangement in our already small family.

My eyes met his again. "I'll back you on this, Niv."

His nod was solemn. "You're certain?"

"Yes." If it came down to it, I would choose him over my parents.

Niv looked at his phone when it vibrated. "Ashford is here," he muttered.

"Ashford?" I asked Harper when he got in the lift and the door shut behind him.

She shrugged, but who the man was didn't matter. It was time for me to leave. Not just the apartment. I had to get the hell out of London.

I gathered my bag and sweater, and when my cousin returned, I approached him and the man with him. "Niven, if we're finished with our discussion, I'll say my goodbyes."

"We are, for now. By the way, Decker, this is my cousin, Eliza. Eliza, meet Decker Ashford."

"I'll say hello and farewell at the same time." I shook the man's hand, then rushed forward to stop the lift door from closing.

Once in the lobby, I decided to walk to Claridge's rather than search for a car for hire. Less than a block from my destination, someone exiting an apartment building on the other side of the street caught my eye. At first, I thought I was imagining things like I had with the Spaniard, but after looking twice, I knew I wasn't. It was the mystery man I'd seen during my first night in town at the Fumoir.

Deciding fantasies were best left as such, I lowered my head, not wanting to know where he was headed. It didn't matter. By tonight, I'd be back in Edinburgh, where I belonged.