Clearing his throat, he broke the silence. “How exactly did you say you knew Lord Bedford?”

Eugenie turned towards him, offering a weak smile. “We met in passing. Hardly worth mentioning. ”

“That is precisely what you said last night,” he remarked, narrowing his eyes.

“Well,” she replied, “it makes it no less true.”

He shifted tactics, probing further. “Where did you meet him?”

“At Lady Britton’s ball,” she said casually, brushing an invisible speck off her gown.

“Did you dance with him?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Heavens, no. We met in the library. It was all entirely innocent, I assure you.”

“I recall you mentioning going to the library at that ball,” Niles said slowly, “but you never mentioned you weren’t alone.”

Eugenie’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I was reading when a man entered the room. We spoke briefly, and then he went on his way.”

“You spoke to a man you weren’t acquainted with?” Niles asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” she replied with a slight edge in her voice. “The situation didn’t allow for an introduction. Besides, no one saw us.”

“You were most fortunate,” he said, his tone growing stern. “If anyone had seen you alone with him, your reputation could have been ruined.”

Eugenie shrugged lightly. “No one did, not even when we kissed.”

The air in the coach seemed to freeze. Niles shot upright in his seat. “ What ?! You kissed?”

Eugenie met his gaze with a composed expression. “We were debating a book, and somehow… we ended up kissing. It was rather confusing, and I’m not quite sure how it happened.”

“You cannot go around kissing strangers, Eugenie!” His voice rose slightly, his frustration evident.

“I am well aware,” she said, nodding with mock seriousness. “And it won’t happen again. ”

“It shouldn’t have happened at all!” he exclaimed.

“Regardless,” Eugenie continued, “after the kiss, Lord Bedford slipped out of the library, and I haven’t seen him since.”

Niles rubbed his temples, trying to rein in his growing irritation. “Do you realize what could have happened if anyone had caught you kissing?”

“It’s a good thing no one did, then,” Eugenie said matter-of-factly.

“Eugenie…” he began.

She cut him off with a knowing smile. “You can save the lecture, Brother. I know precisely what you’re going to say.”

“I doubt that,” he countered.

In a deep voice, mimicking him, Eugenie said, “You must protect your reputation at all costs.”

Dropping his hands to his sides, Niles scowled. “It makes it no less true. You don’t want to be forced into an unwanted marriage with a stranger.”

“You’re right,” she conceded.

“I know I’m right,” he replied firmly.

Eugenie leaned back against the seat, lifting a brow. “Can this lecture be over now? I promise I won’t ever kiss Lord Bedford—or any other stranger—again.”

The coach came to a halt in front of the manor, and Niles sighed. “Fine. But I’ll be partnering with Lord Bedford for the pheasant hunt.”

“You will do no such thing,” she said sharply. “If we switch partners, he’ll know I told you about the kiss.”

“So you want me to pretend I don’t know?”

“Yes.”

He stared at his sister, incredulous. “And why would I do that?”

“Because, Brother,” she said, her tone imploring, “I don’t want him to think I dwell on that kiss. ”

“Do you?” he asked, arching a brow.

She let out a huff, but it lacked conviction. “Heavens, no! I hardly think about it.”

Niles wanted to press her further, but the coach door opened, and a footman extended his hand to assist them. Stepping out first, Niles reached back for Eugenie, helping her onto the gravel drive.

As they approached the manor, the main door opened, and Elsbeth stepped out with Lord Bedford by her side, a hunting rifle resting casually on his shoulder.

Elsbeth’s smile lit up her features, and Niles felt a strange lightness in his chest. “Lord Westcott. Lady Eugenie,” she greeted.

“Lady Eugenie,” Lord Bedford said with a bow.

Niles glanced at his sister, noting the slight flush on her cheeks. Interesting. Despite her protests, it was clear she wasn’t entirely immune to Lord Bedford’s charms.

“It was most generous of your stepfather to allow us to pheasant shoot on his property,” Niles said, turning his attention to Elsbeth.

Her smile grew tight. “It was, wasn’t it?”

“Shall we walk to the pond?” Niles suggested, eager to shift the mood.

Once they retrieved their rifles, the group set off down a narrow path leading to the woodlands. Silence settled over them until Eugenie, clearly uncomfortable, turned to Lord Bedford and asked, “Do you like the weather?”

Lord Bedford looked at her, perplexed. “I… suppose so.”

Eugenie glanced up at the sky, her voice overly bright. “It’s quite an unremarkable day, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Lord Bedford replied.

Niles observed that Elsbeth brought a hand to her lips to hide a smile, though the amusement in her eyes was unmistakable.

He could understand the humor in the situation, but he felt a pang of sympathy for his sister.

Eugenie was trying so hard to engage Lord Bedford in conversation and it clearly wasn’t working.

A short time later, they reached the pond, surrounded by a blend of tall trees and dense holly undergrowth. Eugenie surveyed the area and gave a satisfied nod. “This is a good spot to flush out pheasants.”

“I concur,” Lord Bedford remarked.

Pointing towards a clearing in the distance, Eugenie said, “That would be the perfect place to shoot.”

Lord Bedford adjusted his grip on his rifle, his expression focused. “Shall we?”

As Eugenie and Lord Bedford walked towards their designated shooting spot, Niles stole a glance over at Elsbeth. “I don’t trust Lord Bedford,” he confessed.

Elsbeth’s brow furrowed as she looked at him. “Whyever not?”

Niles began methodically loading his rifle, using the moment to think carefully about his response. He couldn’t betray Eugenie’s confidence, but he needed to voice his concerns. “He just strikes me as… well, a rake.”

Elsbeth threw her head back with a laugh that echoed lightly through the woods. “Pardon me, my lord, but my cousin is no rake.”

Her laughter softened the tension in Niles, though only slightly. Still, it was good to see her in such high spirits, even if just for a moment.

Elsbeth’s smile dimmed into something more thoughtful. “Charles and I both agreed a union between us would be madness,” she shared, her tone shifting. “Apparently, he only offered for me because he pitied me. My mother wrote to him and told him how terribly unhappy I was here.”

Niles lowered his rifle, suddenly more interested in her words than the hunt. “Why are you unhappy here? ”

Elsbeth sighed, her gaze wandering to the horizon. “How could I not be? I once had the world at my feet in Town—balls, opera houses, intelligent conversation—and now I’m tucked away in this far-off coastal village with little company beyond Lady Margaret.”

“There are worse companions,” Niles teased, hoping to coax a smile from her again.

To his relief, she grinned. “True. I am grateful for your aunt’s friendship, but it is still terribly lonely.”

“Have you told your mother this?”

She shook her head. “No. She’s far too consumed with Alfred. He’s bewitched her. She has no idea who he truly is.”

“And you do?” Niles pressed.

“Not yet,” she admitted. “But I will gather the proof I need.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the approach of a short man with a bushy beard, his leather boots crunching on the gravel. He raised a hand in greeting. “My lord, my lady.”

Elsbeth turned to him with a warm smile. “Good morning, Mr. White.” She glanced at Niles. “Mr. White is my stepfather’s gamekeeper.”

Mr. White gestured towards a group of beaters standing in formation nearby, some holding leashes of eager hunting dogs. “The beaters are ready, my lord. On my command, they’ll start driving the pheasants out.”

“Excellent,” Niles replied, his gaze flicking briefly to where Eugenie and Lord Bedford were stationed a short distance away. “I believe we’re ready.”

At Mr. White’s command, the beaters surged forward into the undergrowth, their sticks thrashing through the dense vegetation.

Moments later, a flurry of wings erupted as several pheasants broke cover, soaring skyward.

Niles raised his rifle with practiced ease and fired.

One of the birds plummeted to the ground, and a hunting dog darted forward to retrieve it.

“Well done,” Elsbeth said with genuine admiration .

Niles shrugged, lowering his gun. “It was just one bird. If I don’t put on a good show today, Eugenie will never let me hear the end of it.”

Elsbeth studied him for a moment before saying, “You and your sister seem quite close.”

“We are,” Niles replied, beginning to reload his rifle. “We had to be after our parents died so suddenly. We learned to rely on each other.”

“I always wished I had a sibling,” Elsbeth admitted wistfully.

Niles glanced at her. “It’s not as enticing as you might imagine. A sibling can be your greatest ally or the bane of your existence.”

“You make it sound so appealing,” she joked, her smile returning.

He grew solemn, his curiosity piqued by her vulnerability. “May I ask how your father died?”

Elsbeth’s smile faded, replaced by a shadow of sadness. “He was trampled by horses,” she revealed. “He was drunk, as usual, and stumbled in front of a coach outside a gambling hall. The coroner believed he didn’t even look before crossing.”

“I’m so sorry,” Niles said, his voice tinged with genuine regret. He wished he could offer more comfort, but he was at a loss as to what to say.

Her jaw tightened. “It was his fault. He loved his vices more than he loved us.”

“You can’t know that for certain,” Niles attempted.

“I can,” she asserted. “He seemed to only care for himself.”

Before Niles could respond, Mr. White stepped forward, his voice brisk. “The beaters are in position again, my lord.”

Niles nodded, adjusting his grip on his rifle. “Give the command.”

As the beaters resumed their task, the woods filled with the rustle of undergrowth and the rhythmic drumming of sticks.

Niles raised his rifle, his focus trained on the sky.

Just as he took aim, the sharp crack of a gunshot pierced the air, followed by the splintering of wood in a tree mere inches from Elsbeth’s head.