An Unwelcome Suitor (Entangled Inheritance Book 4) Read online

  I inched closer to my escape, ready to run as soon as Luke and Juliana took the turn around the corner. I peered out from behind the curtain, just enough to see Luke’s hand as he dropped his handkerchief to the ground near my feet. I frowned, staring at the crumpled square of white fabric.

  He and Juliana stepped away from the window, and their voices grew quieter to my relief. I stayed in my hiding place for a few moments longer before sneaking out, smoothing the static that had caused my hair to frizz. I picked up the handkerchief, still puzzled as to why Luke had dropped it. From down the opposite hall, I heard Luke’s voice, muffled and distant.

  “I seem to have dropped something near the back window. I will retrieve it and rejoin you shortly.”

  My heart gave a hard thud, and I instinctively searched for a new place to hide. Without any luck, I rehearsed an explanation for why I had been hiding behind that blasted curtain.

  Luke came around the corner, stopping with both eyebrows raised when he saw me. “I regret to inform you that our game of blind man’s bluff ended three days ago.”

  Why did he make me blush so easily? I gathered my composure, trying not to appear as embarrassed as I felt. “I declare that I am the best player in the entire world, for I have been hiding behind that curtain, undetected, for three days.” I kept my voice quiet, not wanting Juliana to hear me speaking with Luke. I had not felt guilty spending time with Luke before I understood how I felt about him. Now I felt like a traitor.

  Luke’s smile was exasperated and filled with amusement at once. “Why were you hiding? Did you mean to spy on me to ensure I was acting out our plan to your satisfaction? I think I might prefer your watchful gaze to the surprise of finding you spying behind a curtain.”

  I held my tongue against the playful retort I meant to give. Nothing could be the same between us, not now, not ever. I drew a deep breath, hardening my expression. “I heard you coming and did not wish to interrupt your time with Juliana. I am sorry to have caught you by surprise. Please go back to her. She should not be kept waiting.” I cringed at the curtness of my voice and the reaction on Luke’s face.

  I made it outside without looking back, which I was quite proud of.

  Letting go would be easier if I gave myself less to hold onto. So I convinced myself that Luke was not good and kind and caring. I told myself that he was not handsome, that he didn’t make me want to smile, that he didn’t hold my heart in his hands. By the time I worked through my entire list of things to forget about him, I had reached the stables on the farthest corner of the property.

  Riding my horses had been an escape from my sorrows before, so I requested my favorite mare be saddled before walking back to my room to change into my riding habit. Perhaps if I rode fast enough, the wind in all its wisdom could provide me with some answers, and even a little consolation.

  Chapter 20

  “Can you imagine the many guests we could host in this ballroom?” Betsey spun in a circle, looking up at her brother with rapture. “I can already see the many candles glowing around the room and the elegant ballgown I will be wearing.”

  I wanted to remind her that Luke and Juliana were still not engaged, but I stopped myself. Why hadn’t Luke proposed yet? It was nearly September…was he planning to wait until the very end of the summer? Juliana had assured everyone of her determination to carry out the marriage, yet Luke was the one that continued to procrastinate it. Was he waiting for my help in planning his proposal?

  Maryann had not left my side since arriving at Brookhaven, holding my hand and walking alongside me as Juliana showed the girls the grandest rooms of the house.

  “Shall we move to the library?” Juliana asked.

  Betsey grimaced. “I do not enjoy the smell of all that paper and leather, nor do I enjoy reading. I suppose a library is a necessary room, but I will much prefer spending my days in the drawing room once it has been redecorated in the current fashions.”

  Martha scowled. “The library is the best room in the entire house.”

  Betsey shrugged. “That is your opinion.” Her gaze traveled to me as we followed Juliana out of the room, a satisfied smile lifting her lips when I took up the rear of the line, as far from Luke as possible.

  The tour of the house continued for an hour. Rose, Charlotte, and Maryann loved the stables and feeding sugar cubes to the horses. I introduced them by name to each horse, and by the width of their smiles, I guessed that they all could have stayed for hours. Juliana stood back with Betsey, for neither were fond of horses. Juliana and Martha both feared them, and had never learned to ride. I had always been the most interested in our father’s riding lessons.

  We moved onto the gardens, and I listened as Betsey prattled on and on about the rooms she had already seen. She seemed quite attached to the house already, as well as every corner of the outdoor property.

  Maryann tugged on my arm, her large eyes blinking up at me. “May I have a flower?” She pointed at the nearest bush in the gardens, with lilacs blooming. The group continued walking ahead as I leaned over. “Well, of course. Which one would you like?”

  Maryann’s tiny finger hovered over the flowers until she chose a large, fully bloomed one.

  “What an excellent choice.” I snapped the stem and held it up for her to smell.

  She sighed when she breathed in the floral scent.

  “Would you like to wear it in your hair?”

  Her eyes lit up, and she tucked the loose strands behind her ear. “Yes.”

  I quickly weaved the stem through the back of her dark hair, where the bulk of it was wrapped up in a twist. She beamed up at me, touching the back of her head with delicate fingers. “Do I look pretty?”

  “Very pretty.” I stood up straight, surprised to see that Luke had been waiting for us, standing several feet away. I looked away fast.

  “You look very pretty indeed,” he said to Maryann.

  She clicked her toes together, reminding me of something I would have done. Luke’s eyes lifted to me again, and I maintained his gaze with great effort.

  “Maryann told me just yesterday that you were her dearest friend,” he said.

  My heart warmed as I regarded the little girl, who looked down at her shoes now, uncharacteristically shy. “You are my dearest friend too, you know.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Maryann reached for my hand again, smiling up at me. I returned the expression before sharing a glance with Luke. My heart skipped at the weight in his gaze.

  Betsey’s voice, shrill and commanding came from across the lawn. “Do hurry, we are waiting for Maryann to see the water gardens.”

  I fell into step behind Luke, holding tight to Maryann’s hand.

  By the time Luke and his sisters left, I was exhausted. I was tired of pretending. After bidding my farewell, I went to my room, closing the door behind me. I had folded my collection of advertisements and left them on the far right corner of my desk, stacked on top of the letter Gilbert had written about Juliana. I did not have the heart to read the letter, so I looked at the advertisements to distract myself. I had not gotten far into the stack before a light knock sounded on my door.

  “Eliza?”

  It was Juliana’s voice. I stood and opened the door, making sure to hide the papers first.

  “Juliana.” I smiled, ushering her inside. “Did you enjoy meeting the girls?”

  “Yes, very much.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “I am glad to have the opportunity to aid their situation. They will thrive in a large home like this, especially the eldest. Her ambitions are great, and it seems she finally has an opportunity to realize them.” Juliana sat down on my bed, and I joined her, tucking my legs beneath me.

  “Have your feelings changed toward Dr. Pembroke?” I asked.

  Juliana twisted one curl around her finger, her eyes shifting upward in thought. “I believe he is making a great effort to ensure I am happy with the match. I appreciate that about him.”


  That was all Juliana ever said about Luke. She liked that he was thoughtful. She appreciated that he was making an effort. I had been foolish to think that she could fall in love with him when she still cared so much for Gilbert. Love was persistent, yielding to nothing less powerful than itself. And I could think of nothing more powerful than love.

  “I find it quite strange that he has not yet proposed,” Juliana said. “His sisters spoke as if there were an official agreement between us, but one has yet to be established. He knows I am willing to marry him. I cannot imagine what could be detaining him at this point. I, of course, cannot propose to him.”

  “Perhaps he is still unsure of your regard for him.”

  “I am quite fond of him.” Juliana tugged at the fabric of her dress.

  “But he is not Gilbert.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger when she looked at me, but it quickly melted into agreement. She bit her cheek, nodding. She took a deep breath, as if to fortify herself. “He is a good man. That is all that matters.”

  “Do you not think love matters?” I kept the desperation from my voice, even though I needed the answer. I needed my sister’s wisdom when I doubted my own.

  “Love always matters, but in our situation, there are sacrifices that must be made.” She touched my wrist. “I will be all right. Please, do not worry. I am content with this.”

  So then why was I still not content? It was as I had always known—I was not as strong as Juliana. I leaned my head against her shoulder, feeling the need to rely on her strength again, just as I had after our parents had died. A tear wobbled on the corner of my eye, and I squeezed my eyes shut to clear it.

  “Luke would like to go on a picnic tomorrow,” Juliana said. “Would you like to come? I thought a picnic with you and Martha there would be diverting, and Luke agreed.”

  I bit my lip, puzzling over the best response. “I planned to visit Charity in the morning.”

  “Good, then you will be back by the afternoon. That is when Luke has planned the outing.”

  It seemed there was no escaping it. “Very well, I will.”

  My stomach twisted in knots. I did not enjoy seeing him attempting to flirt with Juliana, nor did I like seeing the discomfort between them. Still, I pretended I was delighted.

  When I stepped outside for my morning visit to Charity, I had not expected to find Mr. Yeatman approaching the house. “Ah, dear Lizzie, impeccable timing.” He sauntered forward, doffing his hat.

  He had told me that he planned to return in a week, yet it had only been a few days. I did not give him the satisfaction of even a smile. “I’m afraid I do not have time to speak with you at the moment, and my sisters have not yet risen for the day.” I couldn’t stop my next words. “Have you never learned that morning calls without warning are considered quite impolite?”

  He chuckled, increasing my irritation. “I was in town and thought it prudent to inquire if Juliana has received a proposal yet from the physician.”

  “She has not.” I crossed my arms.

  “Hmm. What a pity. I had hoped to offer my congratulations.”

  My lower jaw jutted forward in annoyance. “You are relieved.”

  “As are you, it would seem. Are you quite pleased that you still have time to secure the man you love for yourself?”

  My skin bristled. “You would do well to abandon your effort, Mr. Yeatman. He has plans to make the engagement with Juliana official today.” The lie burned on my tongue. I would have to encourage Luke to propose later while at the picnic, for it would not come as a surprise if Mr. Yeatman returned the next day to check on the reliability of my claim. The thought of encouraging it felt like a betrayal to my own heart, but it had to be done.

  “Do not cause yourself further pain, my dear. I do not understand why you deny yourself and your sister what you truly desire.” His brown eyes narrowed slightly. “You deny me my desires too, for I have always wanted Brookhaven. If Juliana weds Mr. Robins and you wed Dr. Pembroke, I will have the estate and we shall all be quite prodigiously happy. I do not see fault in this plan.”

  I placed one hand on my hip. “Why do you care if Dr. Pembroke is happy? As I recall, you hate him.”

  Mr. Yeatman’s face scrunched with distaste. “If his happiness is a result of my taking Brookhaven, then that is out of my control. I will even wed Martha if it will give you comfort to know that she is taken care of.”

  Disgust and anger mingled under my skin. “Martha would never marry you.”

  “Very well.” He swatted his hand through the air. “She may live in Dr. Pembroke’s little cottage with you and all of his sisters.”

  I shook my head. “His income is hardly enough for the four girls. To have Martha and me to look after would be too much of a burden. His sisters are overjoyed at the chance to have Brookhaven, and the eldest is quite attached to it already. She would be most devastated to lose it.”

  I did not want to be near him for a moment longer. I did not need to explain to him the complications of our current situation. I did not even know with certainty if Luke returned my feelings—I could have been mistaking our friendship for something deeper. What credibility could I give to Betsey’s words?

  Being polite to someone as impolite as Mr. Yeatman was draining, so I did not even try. I walked away before he could question me further. His silence was eerie. He did not call out to me; he did not try to have the final word.

  I walked fast over the path toward Oakley Manor, glancing over my shoulder once Mr. Yeatman had already climbed back into his buggy. He did not move, remaining in front of the house. Did he plan to wait until my sisters were ready to receive him?

  As strange as it was, it was not worth dwelling on. There was nothing he could do to change Juliana’s mind. I would convince Luke to propose today, and Juliana would say yes. I ignored the pinch in my chest as I made my way to Oakley Manor.

  Chapter 21

  Juliana had selected what must have been the most unsteady vehicle of Brookhaven’s property. I would have expected much more from a barouche. I sat beside Martha on the rear-facing seats, straight across from Juliana and Luke. With every bump in the road my knees brushed against Luke’s, and I cursed his long legs once again. For the length of the ride I kept my gaze fixed on my hands, unwilling to look up at his face.

  Where did he plan to stop for this picnic? We rode past Oakley Manor and then Gilbert’s cottage. I watched Juliana as we passed it. Her gaze was fixed similarly to mine—on her hands, as if she too were afraid to look up. Fortunately Gilbert was not outside. Did Juliana ever plan to tell Luke about him? I had kept my word to her about keeping her secret hidden, but it was not fair to him. A marriage could not be built on things like secrets and lies.

  We traveled for what must have been ten more minutes until we reached a copse of trees at the base of a hill, perfectly shaded and surrounded by yellow wildflowers. Both the coachman and Luke began helping us down. I prayed it would be the coachman to help me, but I was not so fortunate. Luke stopped in front of me, extending his hand. The coachman had just finished helping Martha down, and in my panic, I turned away from Luke, waiting for the coachman’s available assistance.

  I cringed at how obvious my rejection had been, how impolite. The moment my feet touched the ground, I walked to Martha’s side. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead, even as I felt the weight of Luke’s on the side of my face.

  After my conversation with Mr. Yeatman that day, I needed to find a time to convince Luke to propose to Juliana. But how could I speak with him privately? My heart picked up speed at the very thought. Even if I did find an opportunity to be alone with him, it was not wise to take it.

  Luke spread a blanket over the grass and opened a basket filled with food from Brookhaven’s kitchens. I had trouble focusing on my plate through the duration of the picnic, which did not last nearly as long as it should have. I listened to the sparse conversation passing between Luke, Juliana, and Martha as I nibbled at the food on my plate. On
two occasions, Luke tried to ask me a question, but I responded with very few words, turning the topic back to Juliana. I sensed his confusion and hurt at my change of behavior toward him, but it was for the best. Martha ate her second plate of fruit and bread, oblivious to the tension.

  After several long stretches of silence, Luke stood, packing up the food he and Juliana had hardly touched.

  Both of them seemed to reflect the feeling of exhaustion I had experienced the day before—exhaustion over trying to feel things they could not feel, and exhaustion over pretending. Juliana’s smile was small and tight, as was Luke’s. Every action and word was proper and polite. Even so, they appeared to be trying their best. There was nothing to blame but fate and Aunt Augusta, both of which could not be trifled with.

  When we reached the barouche, the coachman stepped down to hand us into the vehicle. To my dismay, Luke offered his hand again to help me up. I stared at it, unwilling to look at his eyes. With a light touch, I took it, climbing up as fast as I could. I let go the moment I was securely on my seat, making sure not to look at him for more than the briefest moment. “Thank you.” My voice was curt.

  Luke said nothing as he walked away, and I was glad I had been strong enough not to sneak a glance at his face.

  The coachman stepped up to his seat and took the reins, setting the horses in motion. I gripped my seat tightly, more prepared this time for the bumpiness of the ride. The first ten minutes passed uneventfully, as I had chosen the seat across from Juliana so my knees would not touch Luke’s. The conversation was stilted, and I was eager to return home. Why had I even agreed to come?