Read Online Ladies of Deception 02 - Misleading Lord Martineau by Ginny Hartman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ginny Hartman
could chase after the bonnet. Once he had secured the wayward bonnet, he sauntered back and carefully replaced it on her head, making sure to tie the strings beneath her chin to secure it in place.
“ Thank you Elliot, I was in no mood to go traipsing through Kensington Gardens making a fool of myself all for some silly bonnet, even if it is one of my favorites.”
“ It was an honor to play the fool for you,” he smirked. Then turning serious he said, “I’ll always take care of you, you needn’t worry.”
Oh how foolish she had been to believe him, she thought bitterly. If only he had been as eager to chase after her as he had been to chase after her bonnet that blustery spring day.
Chapter 8
Wednesday April 20 th , 1814
Elliot sat at his desk sorting through the piles of invitations he had received and tossing them one by one into the fire. He’d watch each one as they disappeared into the inferno, the paper curling into black rolls as the flames reached up to lick the unopened envelope before engulfing it completely and turning it quickly to ash before tossing the next missive in to obtain the same fate.
Knowing that Felicity held no desire to have him back in her life, he saw no reason to attend the silly society events that he so loathed. His only reason for going would be to see her, but now the thought of seeing her and knowing he couldn’t have her would most likely kill him. Instead he had been wallowing in self pity and despair in the confines of his townhouse, trying hopelessly to decide what to do with his future.
The thought of running his families estate by himself for the remainder of his years seemed dull and depressing. He had once dreamt of sharing that life with Felicity and after her disappearance he had only sought to distract himself with frivolous pursuits, refusing to think about forging a future. He felt all of a sudden that he was at a crossroads of sorts, now being forced to shut the door completely on the past and what could have been and forced to look depressingly into a future that he could muster up no excitement for.
The only thought he kept coming back to was the thought of escape, the sadness that engulfed him was too much to bear. He remembered a time when Pierce had been eager to escape his upcoming marriage and had mentioned the thought of fleeing to America. Elliot had discouraged him from going ahead with the plan but was now regretting the fact that he didn’t encourage him to go and tag along with.
He threw the last of the invitations into the fire and turned to look out the window. America—the thought of venturing to a new land where he could start fresh with no reminders of what he no longer had sounded enticing. He had always been hesitant to leave in the past holding out a thread of hope, however minute, that someday Felicity would come back to him. Well she had come back and it wasn’t him she sought, he thought angrily, the pain washing over him anew. With both of his parents gone and Felicity no longer a probable part of his future he had nothing to hold him back.
Elliot laced his hands together and put them behind his head, crossing one foot over his thigh as the idea of starting a new life in America began to take root. The more he thought about it, the more attractive the idea became. There was no one in London who would miss him if he were to leave, no one who depended on him besides his tenants, but surely they wouldn’t be saddened by his departure. Abandoning the family estates was the only point of regret he could foresee but of course he could always hire someone to oversee his duties while he was away just in case he did want to return someday and take up where he had left off.
His thoughts were running wildly through his head as Percival entered the room and interrupted him. “My lord you have a visitor. The duke—”
“Leave it to Pierce to show up at a time like this,” Elliot muttered irritably, cutting Percival off.
“ As I
“ Thank you Elliot, I was in no mood to go traipsing through Kensington Gardens making a fool of myself all for some silly bonnet, even if it is one of my favorites.”
“ It was an honor to play the fool for you,” he smirked. Then turning serious he said, “I’ll always take care of you, you needn’t worry.”
Oh how foolish she had been to believe him, she thought bitterly. If only he had been as eager to chase after her as he had been to chase after her bonnet that blustery spring day.
Chapter 8
Wednesday April 20 th , 1814
Elliot sat at his desk sorting through the piles of invitations he had received and tossing them one by one into the fire. He’d watch each one as they disappeared into the inferno, the paper curling into black rolls as the flames reached up to lick the unopened envelope before engulfing it completely and turning it quickly to ash before tossing the next missive in to obtain the same fate.
Knowing that Felicity held no desire to have him back in her life, he saw no reason to attend the silly society events that he so loathed. His only reason for going would be to see her, but now the thought of seeing her and knowing he couldn’t have her would most likely kill him. Instead he had been wallowing in self pity and despair in the confines of his townhouse, trying hopelessly to decide what to do with his future.
The thought of running his families estate by himself for the remainder of his years seemed dull and depressing. He had once dreamt of sharing that life with Felicity and after her disappearance he had only sought to distract himself with frivolous pursuits, refusing to think about forging a future. He felt all of a sudden that he was at a crossroads of sorts, now being forced to shut the door completely on the past and what could have been and forced to look depressingly into a future that he could muster up no excitement for.
The only thought he kept coming back to was the thought of escape, the sadness that engulfed him was too much to bear. He remembered a time when Pierce had been eager to escape his upcoming marriage and had mentioned the thought of fleeing to America. Elliot had discouraged him from going ahead with the plan but was now regretting the fact that he didn’t encourage him to go and tag along with.
He threw the last of the invitations into the fire and turned to look out the window. America—the thought of venturing to a new land where he could start fresh with no reminders of what he no longer had sounded enticing. He had always been hesitant to leave in the past holding out a thread of hope, however minute, that someday Felicity would come back to him. Well she had come back and it wasn’t him she sought, he thought angrily, the pain washing over him anew. With both of his parents gone and Felicity no longer a probable part of his future he had nothing to hold him back.
Elliot laced his hands together and put them behind his head, crossing one foot over his thigh as the idea of starting a new life in America began to take root. The more he thought about it, the more attractive the idea became. There was no one in London who would miss him if he were to leave, no one who depended on him besides his tenants, but surely they wouldn’t be saddened by his departure. Abandoning the family estates was the only point of regret he could foresee but of course he could always hire someone to oversee his duties while he was away just in case he did want to return someday and take up where he had left off.
His thoughts were running wildly through his head as Percival entered the room and interrupted him. “My lord you have a visitor. The duke—”
“Leave it to Pierce to show up at a time like this,” Elliot muttered irritably, cutting Percival off.
“ As I
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