Chapter Nine

F lora sat on the bench next to Sara, secretly admiring the gloves she wore while her friends chattered on about the upcoming holiday. The day after her conversation with Lennox in the park, she had found the gloves wrapped on her bed when she had returned to her bedchamber after breakfast. They were the first of many gifts she had received from Lennox in the past week. Each morning, a present awaited her after breakfast, a meal she continued to take alone. After the third morning, she had stopped inquiring about Lennox’s whereabouts. She grew tired of the endless excuses and relented to enjoying the meal regardless of his absence.

However, it didn’t lessen her curiosity. Where did Lennox disappear every day until after luncheon? They had fallen into a peculiar routine throughout the week where he would join her for an afternoon stroll to explore Edinburgh. Most evenings Lennox pleaded he needed to work in his study after they shared an hour in the drawing room after dinner. Flora would retire to her bedchamber and never question him. Perhaps she would that evening.

“Those are lovely gloves you are wearing,” Sara complimented.

Flora blushed. “They were a gift from Lord Hepburn.”

“Have you made your peace with the gentleman?” Vivian inquired.

Grace scoffed. “Gentleman? Do you not mean her husband?”

Vivian twisted her lips in annoyance at Grace. “I am inquiring about the status of her marriage in a pleasant attempt, not bluntly to dissuade Flora from sharing.”

“Flora’s marriage is none of our concern,” Sara reprimanded.

“Then perhaps you wish to discuss how Somerville is so smitten with you,” Grace baited Sara.

Sara blushed a brighter red than Flora did. “Lady Lockhart, you are scandalous with your remarks.”

Flora patted Sara’s hand. “Grace means nothing by her comment.” Flora glared at Grace to cease her teasing. “She only attempts to learn any gossip since her marriage to Lord Lockhart must have become dull of late.”

Grace laughed. “My marriage to Calum is anything but dull, my friend. It is a delight beyond all my expectations. I only wish for my friends to share the same joy Vivian and I have found in our marriages.”

Vivian cleared her throat. “Perhaps you should contain your giddiness for another day. Our friends will find their happiness in their own time.”

Grace scoffed. “Were you not attempting to coerce Flora into sharing information about Lord Hepburn with us?”

Vivian brushed away an imaginary piece of lint from her coat. “I only attempt to learn if Flora agreed with her living arrangements with Lord Hepburn. Or if she wished to stay at our estate for an extended period.”

“Pshh,” Grace muttered under her breath.

Flora shook her head at her friend’s antics of trying to garner information about her predicament. “Lord Hepburn and I have declared a truce for the time being.”

“Only a truce?” Sara asked in a wishful tone.

Flora bit her bottom lip, contemplating whether she should share her doubts about Lennox. She didn’t want to appear as if she were a simple-minded lady who allowed her emotions to dictate her actions. Especially when, over a week ago, she had cried to them about how he had betrayed her. Would they hold the opinion she was a silly miss who fell for the charms of a scoundrel?

“We have settled into a comfortable routine as husband and wife. Except I believe Lord Hepburn attempts to pay court with the simple trinkets of affections he leaves on my bed for me to find every morning after breakfast.”

“Your gloves.” Vivian nodded toward Flora’s hands.

Flora trailed her finger across the embroidered flowers on the gloves. “Yes. Along with a bottle of perfume, hair ribbons, and a book of poetry.”

“Oh, how romantic.” Sara sighed.

Flora rolled her eyes but didn’t refute Sara’s opinion. Lennox’s actions were romantic, even though she tried to deny the effect they held over her.

“Do you find no pleasure in his actions?” Vivian asked.

Flora couldn’t lie to her friends. “I find immense pleasure in the gifts. There lies the issue.”

Grace smirked. “Why is there a problem? You married a very dashing gentleman who would make any lady swoon with envy. Why not enjoy allowing him to spoil you?”

Flora attempted a growl, but it came out as a weak sigh. “Because.”

Vivian smiled wistfully at Flora. “Because you fear he will break your heart again.”

Tears filled Flora’s eyes. “Aye.”

Sara squeezed Flora’s arm. “Do you see it as an attempt to trick you? Or are his gestures genuine?”

“I do not know. We never mention the gifts to one another.”

“Please explain,” Grace demanded.

Flora sighed. “I do not offer my gratitude, and he does not inquire if I am pleased with the gifts.”

Grace held her hands up in exasperation. “Why ever not?”

Flora twisted her head away from her friends to watch the children play. She missed taking care of children. She envied how her friends had become a family with the children they cared for. Before long, Sara would join Vivian and Grace in that aspect. Somerville no longer hid his infatuation with Sara, and her friend blossomed from his attention. With the state of her marriage in question, Flora felt useless. She found discontentment with a life of idle activity. If she couldn’t govern children, she wanted to run wild in abandonment like she had before she married Lennox.

“Are you beginning to forgive him?” Vivian asked. She watched her friend struggle with her emotions and understood her dilemma. It wasn’t too long ago that she had been in the same predicament with Maximilian. Flora’s pride was something fierce, and she would struggle until Lord Hepburn proved his worth. She wanted to help Flora, but her friend must find her own answers. Vivian could only offer Flora the support she needed.

Flora gave the smallest nod that would’ve gone unnoticed by anyone else but her friends, who watched her too closely. Her gesture marked the first attempt at Flora admitting the truth about her tattered emotions. By confessing how she felt, she feared she would further her capitulation by sleeping with Lennox, an act she needed to prevent. It would be her downfall to allow him access to her heart.

“We are always near whenever you wish to talk about your struggles. But understand this, we will never judge you if you choose to forgive Lord Hepburn and resume your marriage in the full aspect. Sometimes one must go through a heartbreaking ordeal to understand how much someone means to them. I am unfamiliar with your Lord Hepburn, but the admiration and devotion shining from his gaze while he stares at you is not a false display of emotion,” Vivian shared with Flora.

“Thank you for your friendship,” Flora choked out.

Each lady reached out to squeeze Flora’s hand in comfort. They offered no advice or teasing comments. They understood the enormity of Flora’s distress as only the closest of friends would. Her friends humbled Flora with their friendship. Never had she held a close bond with anyone other than these ladies. They were the true meaning of a friend.

If only they held the answers to her heart.

~~~~~

H EPBURN DRILLED MURRAY for the tenth time. “When did she leave?”

“Two hours ago, my lord.”

“Why did you allow her to leave?”

“Because upon your orders, you said Lady Hepburn should resume her usual routine without interruption. I sent Donald to trail her at a respectable distance to watch over her,” Murray explained.

Hepburn paced the foyer, glancing out the window for any signs of Flora’s return. His guilt gnawed at him for not being available to accompany her to the park to visit her friends. His fear intensified with each minute she never returned. Even though no one threatened her life, he detested her exposure to the culprit. With each day of silence from the villain, Hepburn worried the rogue would physically lash out to seek his vengeance.

“Why has she not returned by now?” Hepburn growled.

“It is not unusual for Lady Hepburn to stroll through the city after she finishes visiting with her friends. It eases her boredom,” Murray attempted to reassure Hepburn.

Hepburn stopped in front of the butler and snarled. “The circumstances of Lady Hepburn’s freedom have changed as of this minute. I am to be made aware before she leaves henceforth so I may accompany her.”

“But you need your slee—”

Hepburn slashed his hand through the air. “Not at the expense of my wife’s safety.”

In his tirade, Hepburn had been unaware his wife had returned home. She must’ve entered through the servants' entrance instead of the front like a proper wife. His wife’s determination to hold on to her governess status instead of the lady of the manor frustrated him. Now she stood witness to his outburst.

She frowned at his behavior from behind Murray. “Is there a fresh development you have not made me aware of?”

“No, my lady,” Murray answered.

Flora smiled with patience at the butler. “While I appreciate your reply, Murray, I referred to my hus— Lord Hepburn, for the answer.”

“Of course, Lady Hepburn. If you will excuse me?”

Flora nodded for the servant to take his leave. Once Murray ushered the other servants to follow him away from the foyer, Flora moved to stand in front of her husband. She arched her eyebrow for him to explain himself, but her defiant husband only spun on his heel and stalked away to his study. He thought to avoid an explanation, but she wouldn’t stand for his silence. She followed behind him and settled into the chair across from the desk.

Hepburn pretended to show interest in the paperwork on the desk, but he didn’t fool Flora for one second. She folded her hands in her lap and relaxed back into the chair, making herself comfortable for a long wait. Her husband could be as stubborn as she was.

The words on the parchment blurred before him. His pitiful attempt to read the document didn’t fool his wife for a second. The way she sought comfort in the straight-back chair meant she had no intention of leaving until he gave her some sense of the truth. How did he explain to Flora how he feared for her if she wasn’t within his sight? His panic wasn’t only from the villain who lingered in the background waiting to strike but how he dreaded she would disappear again and he would never find her.

He took small steps to gain her forgiveness and tried not to rush her. He longed to express his feelings honestly and redeem his misdeeds from the past. But when Flora showed no signs of appreciation for his attempts, he stayed silent, waiting for her to express that she enjoyed him spoiling her. He had damaged her pride, and she continued with her stubbornness. Lennox only wished she would take pity on him. A selfish wish, but a wish no less.

“Your gloves look lovely on you.” Lennox made a poor attempt at complimenting Flora.

Flora peeled the gloves off her fingers and laid them on her lap. “Thank you.”

“The blue brings out the flecks of silver in your eyes.” Lennox brightened when his next compliment sounded more eloquent.

Flora bit back a smile at how Lennox floundered with his attempt to draw her attention away from his outburst with Murray. Also, it would appear her husband was as unsure of her as she was of him. Did it bother him when she never paid her gratitude for his tokens of affection? Did her distrust prevent Lennox from expressing his true feelings?

“I greatly appreciate your kind gestures,” Flora murmured.

“Appreciate,” Lennox mumbled under his breath. He had hoped her reaction would be more than appreciative. Perhaps he hoped for the impossible with his attempt to court her.

Flora winced at Lennox’s disappointment. She avoided looking at him as her gaze swept the study. After a week in residence, Lennox still hadn’t stamped his presence in the room. There were no touches of his personality mixed with the items of his grandfather’s. The study held the same stiffness from when she first explored the home upon her arrival. Even the desk showed no indication of an earl with estate business. A few parchments of paper were stacked in a neat pile. Did Lennox plan to abandon the title again once he secured her safety?

“Did your grandfather have many holdings with his title?”

Lennox sighed at the change in conversation. Flora blocked his every attempt to draw her out in an intimate discussion. “Besides this residence and his one in London, there are a half dozen throughout Scotland attached to the earldom.”

“Who took responsibility after your grandfather passed away?”

Lennox cleared his throat, ruffling through the paperwork. “I did.”

Flora swished around to stare at Lennox. “You? I thought you only claimed the title recently.”

Lennox was the one to avoid Flora’s gaze that time. “In certain aspects, that is the truth.”

Flora scoffed. “Another lie. Why am I not surprised? Why did you hide this before we married?”

“Because I never planned to engage with the title. It was an unwanted burden. However, it suits my purpose for now.”

“So you have no plans to remain and fulfill the title to its full capacity?” Flora inquired.

She wished she could withdraw her question. She wasn’t prepared to hear his plans for the future or his hopes for the outcome of their marriage. Flora hadn’t come to terms with her doubts yet enough to express her wants and needs. She would love a successful marriage filled with love and happiness, but how did one achieve such a monumental wish when it had started in deceit?

Lennox shrugged. “It depends.”

Flora let his answer settle between them without a comment in return. It held so many possibilities it frightened her to explore. Also, she believed Lennox didn’t want her to question him further. Her husband held his own doubts that differed from hers. Nonetheless, they were doubts. Their conversation, like their daily interactions, set them spinning in a circle, around and around with no progress. Flora grew weary of the tedious roles they played with one another. Yet her uncertainty persisted in playing a part in the severe politeness between them. Perhaps the truce wasn’t such an ideal compromise. At least before, their sparring had pushed them to confront the issues between them.

Flora rose to leave. Once again, they were at an impasse, and she grew disenchanted from the unanswered questions. When she reached the door, she paused. “I find your gifts lovely tokens of affection. They warm my heart every time I receive one.”

Lennox had risen to follow Flora, but when she swept out of the study before he had a chance to respond, he sank back into his chair. His hopelessness vanished at her parting comment, and he broke out into a grin filled with satisfaction. Slowly, each day, he chipped away at the wall she built around her heart. With steady progress, he hoped to climb through the rubble and claim her soul. Before, he had swept her off her feet and left her in devastation with his deceit. This time, he planned to show Flora the depth of the love he held for her and how he would never betray her again.

Earning her trust was the key to winning her heart.