Page 44 of A Lady’s Rules for Seaside Romance (The Harp & Thistle #3)

He looked back at her and nodded. Pancake slowly moved to another patch of grass and lowered her head again to graze.

Onyx and Anne followed.

“How was the masquerade?” Victor tightened his grip on the reins, hoping nothing in his face would give anything away.

“Oh, you know.” Anne laughed, but it sounded quite forced. Victor frowned at her and she paled a bit. “It was pretty typical. For Lord and Lady Bell’s masquerade, that is.”

Victor stared at her, waiting for her to say more. Would she tell him about the secret tryst beneath the willow tree? Or would she hide that from him?

Anne’s mouth opened and she paused, as if weighing what to say. “And, erm.” She scratched the side of her nose. “My secret admirer was there.”

His idiotic heart skipped a beat. “Did he finally reveal himself to you?”

She stammered, then laughed nervously. “Sort of. He, well, he kissed me.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. This seemed like the way he would react if he weren’t deeply involved in this. “And who is he?”

“He didn’t reveal that. Yet.” She held his gaze as he said this.

This was possibly the most uncomfortable conversation he’d ever had. “And he’s going to in the future?”

“I certainly hope so! I mean, he did kiss me last night. Quite passionately, I might add.” She looked down with a coy smile as if remembering the night before. “It was very nice, and I thought about him all night.”

Ah, Christ.

“Why would he do that only once, never to reveal his identity? Wouldn’t he want to see me again?” Anne looked up at him through her lashes.

Victor could feel his face harden, even though he was trying his best to remain expressionless.

After last night, he would not return to her as the Phantom, of that he was certain.

It was impossible to. Now that he realized he loved her, that he wanted her in the most basest of ways, he needed to keep that part hidden away.

Anne frowned deeply. “What are you so upset about?”

“Upset? Nothing. I’m not upset.” He turned Pancake back in the direction of Summerwood. “I should head back.” The mare began to trot.

Anne and Onyx kept up beside them. “I would very much like my secret admirer to return,” she said. “I think it’s quite strange he hides his identity. I suppose I could understand it at first, but now that he’s kissed me, doesn’t he want to kiss me again? As his real self?”

Victor cleared his throat. “I haven’t the faintest idea.”

“I mean, it was clear he desired me. Of course, I wanted him just as ferociously.”

Victor resisted a groan.

“Though he made a curious comment last night. He said he cannot take me. Not that he wouldn’t, that he couldn’t . Isn’t that curious? Why wouldn’t a man be able to bed a woman?”

Victor had to bite the inside of his cheek. Hard. In fact, he was pretty sure he drew blood.

She continued, unaware of his strife. “But he was quite energetic , which is why I’m confused. I did ask him if he was maimed and he said he wasn’t.”

Victor made a choking noise and covered it up by clearing his throat.

“I bet he’s fun in reality. I mean, his real self, not his masked self. I’ll just have to convince him, I think.” She smiled, evidently pleased with her decision.

“Blast it all, Anne.” This was becoming far too much. “What happens then?” Victor slowed Pancake to a stop. Anne’s determination needed to be quelled. “You don’t wish to marry again. This secret admirer of yours—what if he isn’t satisfied with summer trysts beneath trees? What will you do then?”

Anne’s eyebrows went sky high. He was showing too much emotion and interest in this. Too late now. “I didn’t say anything about a tryst under—wait, you think he wants to marry me?” The horror in her voice was clear.

The way she’d said the word marry sent a severe jolt of humiliation through him. What mess had he gotten himself into? “Never mind,” Victor said, scowling darkly. And with that, he flew into a gallop, leaving her behind.

*

Back at the stables, Victor quickly left Pancake with the stablehands. He had hoped to get at least a minute or two’s head start from Anne to get back into the house, but, of course, she was right behind him. He scowled at her as he walked by her climbing down from Onyx.

“Victor!” Anne shouted after him. “What in the blazes is going on?”

“Nothing.” He kept walking, his strides longer than normal.

Infuriatingly, she jogged to keep up. “I don’t understand why you’re so invested in this. It has nothing to do with you, right?” When he didn’t respond she repeated herself. “Right, Victor?”

“Right,” he replied sharply.

As they approached one of Summerwood’s back doors, Anne sprinted ahead and stood with her back against it, her arms crossed, a determined chin lifted as she watched him with a dare in her eyes.

Victor sighed loudly and ran a hand through his black hair. “What are you doing?”

“I will move out of the way when you answer one question. Only one question. That’s it.”

He rubbed his palms over his beard as frustration pounded through his veins. “Fine. What is this all-important question, Anne?”

She lifted her chin higher. “Are you my secret admirer?”

Victor felt his face go hot and his head go light. Had she figured it out or was she simply trying to eliminate him? If she had figured it out, when had that happened? Had it been just now, or had it been last night? Christ, had she known it was him when she’d been pawing through his shirt?

The heat in his face worsened.

“Well? Are you going to answer me?”

He could lie. He could easily deny it was him.

But that would only make it worse. The entire reason for last night had been for them to come together without her knowing it was him.

To ease out of friendship into…whatever it was that was happening between them.

For her to see, feel, that they could be more than friends.

But the most unfortunate outcome of the entire saga was he had come to realize he loved her. Deeply.

And he knew while Anne may have accepted lust between the two of them, she would never accept love. Nor would she reciprocate it.

The thought, admittedly, hurt his heart.

Now he wasn’t sure what he wanted. It was a bit frightening—he didn’t like losing himself this way.

But at least now he knew they had two wildly different desires.

It would be one thing for him to reveal his secret of inexperience to her if they were marrying, which wouldn’t happen.

But he couldn’t tell her about that for a short-lived summer liaison, which was what she wanted.

Victor looked down at her as he scrambled, deciding what to say. And she looked up at him with narrowed eyes. She wanted to know the truth.

But she wasn’t going to get it. Ever.

Victor stepped closer to her and set his hands on her waist, causing her to inhale sharply. And then he lifted her up and set her to the side.

“Hey!” she shouted quite loudly. And he went through the doors with ease. Somewhere behind him, Anne swore. “Victor, stop!”

But his attention was immediately taken away from Anne when he saw the scene in the house. Down the hall, in the foyer, Mrs. Ashby was shouting and her hands were flailing about. She was talking to Vivian, who was trying to calm her down.

“Mrs. Ashby,” Vivian tried saying over the woman’s erratic wailing. “I don’t know where she is!”

Victor halted in his tracks and turned around to look at Anne. Anne had paled. Something was wrong. She looked up at him and said in a low voice, “This isn’t over.” And then she rushed past him.

Anne approached Mrs. Ashby, who was speaking in strange shrieks Victor couldn’t understand.

As he got closer, he realized Ollie and Evelyn were standing in the doorway of the parlor, watching the scene.

His Grace was just outside the doorway next to them, his arms crossed and worry set upon his brow.

Dantes appeared, running down the stairs rapidly, carrying something.

Dantes’s eyes snapped to Victor and though no words were said, Victor knew something quite bad had occurred.

Immediately, Victor went to his brother’s side as Anne, Vivian, and Mrs. Ashby spoke.

“I don’t understand,” Anne said, shaking her head. “That doesn’t make any sense! Where’s Freddy? Freddy!” Anne shouted loud and scurried about the foyer, screaming her son’s name.

Something had happened to Freddy? A wave of fear struck Victor and his heart plummeted. It had been a long time since he had felt ice slide through his veins like this. Not since the days he’d cared for Dantes and Ollie in Whitechapel.

A strong hand gripped his shoulder. Dantes. Victor, dazed, looked over at his younger brother. Dantes’s jaw was clenched, but just as he was about to say something, Freddy appeared with Miss Stewart trailing. The governess was red-faced and wide eyed, as if she were about to cry.

Victor nearly collapsed from the relief. Unfortunately, it was short-lived.

“I looked everywhere,” Freddy choked out. His face was red, too, and there were wet streaks down his cheek. “She isn’t here. She’s gone.”

Miss Stewart looked as if she were shivering. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, Lady Litchfield!”

“I found this.” Dantes dropped his hand from Victor’s shoulder and brought the object he was carrying over to Anne, who bowed over it with Mrs. Ashby.

“That’s similar to the note I found,” Mrs. Ashby said with a shaking voice.

Anne didn’t respond. Instead, she lifted her head and looked around, searching desperately for something. Finally, she turned and found Victor, her wide eyes set on him. “Victor.” She released a sob and went over to him, holding out the note. Her hand flew to her mouth as he read it.

Dearest Mama,

I know you will be cross with me when you first read this, but I want to assure you I am quite happy and excited.

By the time you read this note, I will be well on my way to Gretna Green.

I’m getting married! Soon, I will be Lady Mary Ashby and what a dream it will be!

He is so handsome, Mama, so lovely, and I know he will take good care of me, don’t you fret.

I am not a little girl anymore, and I knew you never would have agreed to me marrying so soon, which is why I must elope.

I know I was supposed to debut next year, but what if one falls in love before then?

I’m making the right decision, and one day, you’ll forgive me.

Your loving daughter,

Mary

Victor blinked several times hoping to clear the words away, but the note remained.

Fear pumped through his veins. Mary wasn’t his daughter, but in this moment, he felt like an angry, protective father.

Calmly, he handed the note back to Anne and she burst into tears.

“What do we do?” Anne sobbed out the words.

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do!

” And she immediately went to Victor and buried her face against his shoulder.

He felt a surge within him. Protectiveness, love.

Right now, he didn’t give a single fig if his love for her would never be reciprocated.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

Shushing her, he spoke low into her ear while rubbing his hand over her back.

“We will figure it out, I promise,” he reassured her as his mind whirred on what to do.

What time had Mary left? What time had that bloody cad Lucas Ashby left his home?

Over the past few weeks, the blasted idiot wouldn’t leave Mary alone.

Victor hadn’t liked it, but he’d felt it hadn’t been his place to intervene.

Now, he was regretting that.

Victor took in a deep breath and looked around the foyer. Some were looking at him, and others were looking at Anne. No one appeared like they knew what to do. Freddy held a deep frown on his face. His shoulders were drawn up tightly and his head dropped.

“Freddy,” Victor said and Freddy’s head lifted up. When the lad met his eye, Victor lifted one arm. Freddy immediately came to him, allowing Victor to put an arm around his shoulder while Freddy put an arm around his mother. The trio found solace in each other. In a way, he held Anne and Freddy up.

Victor was not part of Anne and Freddy’s family. Yes, he was Uncle Victor, and he was close to them, but he was not one of them.

This also meant he had to be the strong one, despite the fear and worry—even anger—he felt himself.

“Mrs. Ashby, do you know what time Lucas left your house?” Victor met eyes with the Ashbys’ mother. “We need to know how much time they have on us.”

Mrs. Ashby sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Lucas?”

Why was she wasting time? “Yes. Lucas. Your son who ran off with Lady Mary?”

The older woman stammered and looked around at everyone. “It wasn’t Lucas who left with Lady Mary, Mr. McNab. It was Felton.”