Authors: Marie Higgins
Chapter 17
Nick flattened himself against the wall of the adjoining room and sighed with happiness. Abby was falling in love with him quicker than he’d thought. That was a good thing, especially because it would allow him to protect her.
A male voice rumbled through the quiet house. Nick peeked around the corner to see who it was. Harry Westland—the very man Nick loathed and didn’t trust. He studied Harry as he spoke to Abby. Should Nick put her father’s best friend on the suspects list? Then again, why would Harry want to kill Abby when he’d offered marriage to her? And why would he want to kill Abby if Harry was nothing but an overprotecting father-figure?
“Thank you for coming to check on me, Harry, but I assure you, I’m fine. I have dismissed the servants so we can all take the day off.”
The older man’s forehead creased. “What? You gave them all the day off? What were you thinking?”
Abby huffed. “I’m thinking how devastated my servants are because their employer died. I’m thinking that I would like some peace and quiet, as well, and I’m thinking that I need to mourn in my own way.” She planted her hands on her hips. “So if you don’t mind, I would like to be alone today.”
Harry took a step into the house and grabbed her hand. “Please let me stay with you. I don’t think you should be alone at a time like this.”
“Did you not hear me?” she asked in a raised voice. “I would like to be alone today.”
“Abigail, please do not become upset. I just want to help you…and comfort you. I will always worry about your welfare. Please understand.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine. All the doors are locked, and I don’t plan on leaving. I’m going to get some much needed rest, and perhaps catch up on my reading.”
“What will you do about your meals?”
“I have survived just fine cooking my own breakfast. I’m quite certain I can handle the other meals on my own.”
Harry shook his head and stepped closer. Nick was waiting for the man to make one more move before he pounced on him. Abby had repeatedly told the idiot to leave, yet the man either didn’t hear, or didn’t care.
“What’s wrong with you, Abigail? You’re acting differently. Is something amiss?” He looked around the room.
Nick quickly flattened himself against the wall again, making sure he was out of sight.
“Nothing is wrong, I assure you.”
Quick footsteps shuffled on the hardwood floor in front of the door. Nick dared take another peek to see what was happening.
Abby wrung her hand free from Harry’s grip and pushed him toward the door. “If it will make you feel better, you can camp outside my front door and protect me from intruders. Better yet, stay in your motorcar and keep watch over the house. I’m certain my father would be proud of you for trying to protect me.”
Harry frowned. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. Now please leave before I become very upset.”
Harry nodded then kissed Abby’s forehead. “Lock the door when I leave.”
“I had planned on it.”
Once she closed the door, she rested against it and smiled. Nick grinned, too. If he didn’t know better, he’d think Abby wanted his company over anyone else’s.
She peeked out the side window until the roaring engine of a car slowly disappeared. She turned around, her eyes twinkling. “You can come out now, Nick.”
He stepped back into the living room, and it took every ounce of control not to run to her, take her in his arms, and continue the kiss they’d started. Instead, he decided to let her lead the way. When she was ready, he’d be here. He chuckled as he walked toward her. “Harry is one difficult man. Has he always been this overbearing?”
“Always.
I used to think he was trying to be like a big brother or something, which in a way was rather endearing. Now I believe he’s very troublesome, and I wish he’d stop acting like a mother hen.”
Nick laughed.
“Me, too, but for entirely different reasons than you have.”
She slipped her hand around his elbow and gazed up into his eyes. “What would you like to do today?”
“What would you like us to do?” Nick asked.
“I would like to get to know you better,” Abby said. “I hope you don’t mind.”
He touched her cheek. “I don’t mind at all. In fact, I encourage it.”
“Would you like to walk around the estate? There are several places on the property that are very private, where we won’t be disturbed.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Abby led the way, going from one hallway to another until they exited the house through a patio backdoor. Abby led him down a cobbled path past a flower garden.
She pointed to the roses. “My mother used to tend the garden religiously until she became sick and died. During her last hours, Father promised her he would always keep the garden beautiful with a variety of flowers and plants, just the way she liked. He told Mother it would keep her memory alive.”
Her voice quivered slightly, but she continued to smile.
“Your father definitely kept his promise. The garden is very beautiful.”
She turned them toward the barn. “Father’s favorite thing to do was ride his horse. Although he bought several motorcars, there were days when he would rather ride his horse to work. His employees laughed at him for doing this, but Father didn’t let it bother him. Even though he made money and lived in the big city, he was still a country boy at heart.”
Nick chuckled. “I wish I could have gotten to know him.”
She smiled.
“Me, too.
He would have liked you.”
“Do you think so?”
“Oh, yes. You have that kind of charisma that makes people want to be around you.”
He stroked her fingers, which still rested around his elbow. “Just as long as you continue to believe that, then I’ll be happy.”
They strolled by a small pond. Frogs croaked and insects chirped, making their surroundings more peaceful. Soon they reached a gazebo that was almost completely hidden by a canopy of tall shrubbery and trees. Nick sat beside her on the bench. Although the scenery was spectacular, the woman next to him was prettier than anything he’d ever seen. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He still couldn’t believe this wasn’t a dream—that Abby was finally real! A lock of hair had fallen across her temple, and he gently pushed it back.
“Nick, I’m really enjoying myself with you today,” she said softly.
“Me, too.”
“I’m quite shocked, however, considering I don’t know that much about you.”
He took her hand in his and caressed each finger slowly. “Do I frighten you?”
Abby smiled and shook her head. “If you did, I wouldn’t be here with you now. In fact, I would have allowed Harry to stay.”
He chuckled. “Thank goodness for small miracles, right?”
“I don’t know what it is, but…” She hesitated. “I feel safe with you. It’s as if I’ve known you a long time.”
“That’s how I feel.”
“My father would be turning over in his grave if he knew I was alone with a strange man.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Am I really that strange?”
“Only in the nicest terms.”
She giggled. “Although, I have to admit, I’d never seen anything like the suit you wore at the funeral. Several people commented how they’d never seen a suit made of such fabric.”
Nick shrugged. “I thought it looked rather good on me.”
She leaned closer and laid her hand on his chest. “I’m certain you’d look good in most anything.”
“Well now, Miss Carlisle. That’s quite a bold compliment.”
She blushed. “I know. I don’t understand myself lately. I’ve been acting out of sorts, and since meeting you, I find myself saying things that are not proper.”
He took her hand from his chest and kissed her fingertips. “I like how ‘un’ proper you are.”
“Indeed?” she whispered.
“Oh, yes.”
As he stared at Abby, he wished she’d lean in and kiss him. But women of her era didn’t make the first move, he remembered suddenly. He lifted her hand again, but instead of her fingers, he pressed his lips against her palm.
“Nick?”
“Yes, my dear.”
“I—I very much would like it if you…um…I mean, I wish you would kiss—”
He pressed his mouth against hers before she could finish the sentence. She answered with a sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer, splaying his hands across her back. Gently and very slowly, he moved his lips across hers, not wanting to startle her in any way. She seemed content in the kiss, which thrilled him even more. Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to his body. Abby gasped and withdrew. Her eyes were wide as she searched his gaze.
“I’ve never…I mean, a man has never done that—”
Groaning with delight, he silenced her with another kiss, ecstatic to know he was the first man to kiss her this way. There were other things he wanted to be the first man to show her, but he didn’t think today was the day to teach her. For right now, he’d just enjoy kissing her. And the way she clung to him and answered his passionate kisses let him know she was enjoying it, too.
A snap of a twig disturbed the moment, and Nick looked around, straining to listen.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“
Shh
.” He placed his fingers on Abby’s mouth, listening closer.
Another twig snapped, and he jumped to his feet. The rustling of leaves came from behind a bush, and he tore out of the gazebo like fire was on his heels. A flash of material caught his eyes ahead of him, and he dashed behind the tree. The dew on the grass coated his shoes and caused him to slip. He grabbed the trunk before his backside met the ground. By the time he gained his balance, the person had disappeared. Growling, he punched his fist into the tree. He didn’t know who it was, or where they were hiding now, but he knew one thing. It was a woman.
* * * *
For lunch, Abigail fixed a green salad while Nick prepared the fruit. He didn’t say much, seeming lost in thought. After she set the food on the table and sat, he joined her.
“I wish I knew who sneaked onto my property and spied on us,” she began.
His gaze lifted from his food to her. “I wish I could tell how old the woman was. All I know is that she wore a brown dress.”
Abigail shrugged. “That could be anyone. Did you see if it was a servant’s dress? I wonder if my maid, Lily came to check on me.”
“I couldn’t tell. Whoever it was ran like a locomotive, and because I’m wearing these stupid sissy shoes, there was no way I could catch up.”
She snorted a laugh.
“Sissy shoes?
Why do you call them that?”
“All they’re good for is show,” Nick answered with a grin. “It’s hard to walk in them, and there’s no chance of running, especially in dew-covered grass.”
“Now you know how women feel.”
“I sure do, and I know I’ll never take comfort for granted again.”
Abigail took a dainty bite of her salad, afraid to eat too much in front of him. Men didn’t like women who ate a lot. Then again, she really didn’t have much of an appetite. All she wanted to do was
stare
into Nick’s dreamy eyes while he held her in his arms. Good grief, what was wrong with her? How was he able to enchant her so quickly? But the truth of the matter was, she’d long for this kind of attention from a man since her father and Harry made certain she never got it.
Nick sipped his lemonade and placed the glass back on the table. “Abby, can you tell me about your maid, Lily.”
A piece of food caught in Abigail’s throat, making her cough. “Why?” she finally managed to say. “Do you think she was spying on us?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, I can tell you, she’s old enough to be my mother, and I don’t know if she can run fast.”
He shrugged. “Tell me about her anyway.”
“Why?”
“I’m just curious.”
“What do you want to know?” Abigail asked.
“How long has she worked for your family?”
As Abigail bit into her sliced apple, she thought back to Lily’s first day as her maid. Abigail was probably ten, perhaps twelve.
“A good ten years if not a few years more.
I cannot recall the exact date she began her employment with my father.”
“What do you know about her? Does she have a husband?
A family?”
“No husband, although I have heard her mention a daughter, so I suppose she was married at one time.”
“Where is her daughter?”
Abigail rubbed her forehead. Lily had worked for the family for all these years, and Abigail didn’t know that much about her. Of course, most of Abigail’s time was spent trying to impress her father and gain as much of his attention as possible. “I don’t recall. I probably seem like such a fool not knowing it. Lily is close to me, and yet I don’t know that much about her life outside working for us.”
“Do you think her daughter is dead?” Nick asked.