Page 41 of Trapped with the Earl of Sin

Finally, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He turned to see Susanna leading Mary towards the stables, both of them laughing, acting casual as they strolled. But Martin knew that this was just an act. He could almost sense the intensity of the stress balled up in Susanna’s shoulders.

“Oh, hello, Martin,” Mary declared as she waved towards him. “Thank you for the invite. It is the perfect day for a horse ride, and I am looking forward to seeing the cliffs. I have not yet been lucky enough to explore that area of this town.”

“Shall we saddle the horses?” Martin asked with a smile. “Get ready for when Edwin and Luke arrive?”

The women nodded and quickly saddled the horses, working in silent coordination. Just as they finished, Martin heard voices approaching. Edwin and Luke were on their way.

“Quickly, climb up,” Martin hissed at Susanna, just out of Mary’s earshot.

The three of them mounted their horses and positioned themselves as if they had been there for a while, casually preparing for a ride.

Edwin and Luke arrived, looking surprised to see them. Edwin’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his expression.

“Well, this is unexpected,” Edwin said smoothly, though his tone held a hint of annoyance. “I did not realize we were going to have company on our ride.”

Martin forced a smile. “We thought it would be a lovely day for a ride and decided to join you. The more, the merrier, right?”

Luke looked pleased to see them, his usual warm smile spreading across his face. “Of course! It will be great to have everyone along. Let us get going, shall we? Mary, I am so grateful that you are here too. I think you will love the cliffs.”

Edwin’s smile was tight, but he nodded in agreement. “Yes, alright. Let us go.”

As they rode towards the cliffs, Martin kept a close eye on Edwin. He noticed the subtle tension in Edwin’s posture, the way his eyes flicked towards Luke with a calculating gaze. Martin’s resolve hardened. He would not let Edwin out of his sight no matter what happened. This horse ride had only convinced him further that his paranoia was right.

The path to the cliffs was steep and narrow, with sharp turns and loose gravel. Martin rode next to Luke, engaging him in light conversation to keep the mood relaxed. Susanna and Mary rode behind them, keeping a watchful eye as well.

As they neared the top of the cliffs, Martin’s anxiety grew. The cliffs were a dangerous place, with steep drops and treacherous footing. He needed to be ready for anything.

They soon reached the top, and the view was breathtaking. The ocean stretched out before them, waves crashing against the rocks far below. Edwin dismounted first, followed by Luke and the others.

“It is beautiful here,” Edwin said, his voice carrying a hint of something sharp and unpleasant. “Perfect place for some quiet reflection.”

Martin’s heart pounded in his chest. He needed to stay close to Luke. “Indeed. I have always thought that this was a lovely spot.”

“It makes me very excited that I will be getting married soon,” Luke declared as he reached out his hand to Mary. As she laced her fingers through his, Martin could not help but watch Edwin’s face fall. It was very obvious that things had fallen apart for him. Whatever his plan was, they had ruined it… thank goodness. “I do hope the weather stays as beautiful for our special day.”

“I think our mothers will ensure that we have the perfect weather for our wedding vows.” Mary laughed, seemingly completely unaware of the danger that she was standing in the way of. “They want the day to be perfect for all of us. I cannot wait for it.”

As Edwin took a step back from the couple, looking like a man who could not stand to be in the orbit of their love, Martin allowed his eyes to wander a little. He found himself staring at Susanna, who looked utterly stunning with the wind blowing through her beautiful hair. Martin’s heart pounded as heat surged through his body. He had never felt this way when he looked at a woman before. There was something powerful and intense about just being around her.

What am I going to do?

Every fiber of his being desperately wanted to reach out and wrap her up in his arms. He could not help himself, he wanted to stake his claim on her so no one else could ever touch her again.

Martin craved her, wanted her, needed her so badly that it was almost painful.

It killed him that he was not free to hold her hand in the same way that Luke was with Mary.

“Well, I suppose we have done all that we came here to do,” Edwin declared as he threw his hands in the air in frustration. “Should we perhaps make our way back home?”

Martin furrowed his brow in confusion. Had Edwin simply given up on the pretense that this was a trip to reminisce? He looked like he was becoming increasingly desperate, which of course was troubling. The more desperate a man was, the more dangerous and erratic he could become.

“Are you not enjoying the view?” Mary chuckled, completely unaware of Edwin’s inner turmoil. “This truly is one of the loveliest places that I have ever been. I do not know if I will ever want to leave here. With the sun high up in the sky like it is, it is stunning.”

No one else spotted Edwin rolling his eyes, but Martin saw it. “Yes, but we have a lot to do, do we not?” he snapped back. “I cannot believe you are here neglecting the wedding planning. Do you not think that people might be looking for you?”

Susanna stared at Edwin with disgust. At least she was not impressed with his behavior, it meant that Martin was not imagining things that were not there. Unfortunately, they seemed to be the only ones to pick up on his attitude. Mary and Luke were too lost in one another, as usual. It was almost as if the rest of the world had simply vanished into nothingness because they could not take their eyes off one another.

Susanna stepped forward, her voice calm yet firm. “Edwin, the wedding planning is well under control. A little time to enjoy the view won’t hurt anyone. Let us not spoil a beautiful morning with unnecessary worries.”

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