Page 23 of The Masked Baron
Andalin knew eventually she would have to give the diary to Ellis. He deserved to have a part of his sister. Andalin also knew she would not be able to relinquish it until she read every page. She wanted so badly to know the secrets of Braitwood Hall, what had happened to Eliana and her parents, and why Ellis wore a mask. This was her chance to discover the answers.
Andalin tossed and turned for another few minutes before she was able to fall asleep. The last thought on her mind was if she would ever see her own dear father again.
***
The next morning at breakfast Andalin wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed when she did not cross paths with Ellis. She wondered if she would have been able to look him in the eye. She felt repentant for her harsh judgments of him. After reading the diary, she also felt somehow as if she understood him better. She wanted her fresh start to begin with a civil morning greeting—a smile, ahow do you do, and a promise for only pleasing conversation.
Andalin’s morning ride passed quickly with her anticipation to finish the diary. She found a quiet, secluded part of the grounds where she wouldn’t be seen from the house. She eagerly brought out the diary from where she’d hidden it under her cloak and began to pore through the pages.
Andalin read about Eliana’s first ball and how nervous she had been until she was finally asked to dance. She had even included a sketch of the dress and jewelry she had worn. Andalin laughed when she read about Eliana’s attempts to flirt with a young gentleman named James. His name slowly became Eliana’s favorite subject. Braitwood Hall had a great deal more life in those days, it seemed.
Andalin was a quarter from the end when she came upon a different sort of entry. Eliana had been out picking strawberries by herself when a beautiful young woman had come out of nowhere. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Eliana wrote how strange it was that when the woman had left, she hadn’t taken the road. She’d disappeared right into the forest.
A few entries later the woman returned while Eliana was painting the trees in the orchard. The young woman seemed even more beautiful to her than she had during their first encounter and introduced herself as Serenity. She confessed to living in the forest, where her loneliness had led her to Braitwood Hall. Eliana envied Serenity’s appearance, for such beauty would easily win her James’s love. Eliana noted several more encounters, but the specifics were not included. She had few close friends and was truly happier from having made this strange and secreted friendship. A few entries later Eliana invited Serenity to come to a lawn party. Serenity said she would consider it and then disappeared into the trees again.
Andalin quickly flipped to the next page, only to learn that Serenity had not come to the party and how acutely it disappointed Eliana. After the lawn party Eliana concealed herself in the orchard. It was while sketching in her journal that Serenity finally came to Eliana. Eliana questioned her about not coming to the party, and Serenity replied that she rarely frequented social gatherings because she did not like the attention. Their mutual loneliness bonded them to each other. Eliana promised Serenity she would visit her in the forest.
Andalin turned the page, and her breath caught. The next page was empty. She thumbed through the rest of the book, but it was all empty. What had happened? Had Eliana gone into the forest? Had she been devoured by wolves?
Andalin closed the book and attempted to digest the facts. A strange woman had come from the forest, and a mere two weeks later Eliana was no longer writing in her journal. It was time to find Ellis. Andalin needed to know what had happened to Eliana.
Chapter 9
At the entrance to themanor house, Mr. Lewis informed Andalin dinner was ready. She hadn’t realized how much time had passed while she had been reading. She looked down at her hands and dress—a newly formed habit. Sighing, she realized she would have to wash before getting her questions answered.
She hurried upstairs and found Hannah waiting impatiently to help her.
“There ye are! Mr. Lewis has been all over the house and grounds searching for ye. Yer dinner will be cold before ye have yer first bite.”
Andalin grimaced when Hannah insisted she not only wash but change clothes before returning downstairs. “I’m sorry. I was simply enjoying the last warm days of the season. I honestly didn’t notice the lateness of the hour.”
Hannah seemed to be having an internal struggle of whether or not to stay angry. “Yer right about the weather. Won’t be too many more nice days left. Still, ye should be more considerate of the help. We aren’t young enough to be chasin’ around lookin’ for ye.”
Andalin didn’t argue. “I apologize again. It was senseless of me.” When it seemed her appearance appeased Hannah, Andalin bolted out of her bedroom.
She was nearly out of breath from her race down the stairs when she stumbled into the dining room. She sighed heavily when she saw the empty room. She didn’t know why she’d ever tried avoiding Ellis; he did enough avoiding for the both of them.
Andalin didn’t enjoy her dinner. She was too annoyed at Ellis. Here she had made all these resolutions to be better, and he wasn’t letting her have the chance to prove herself. In addition, she felt a keen urgency to talk to him about Eliana’s journal.
After dinner Andalin took the journal and planted herself in the library. She wanted to see if Ellis was in his room, but after the last encounter, she dared not look there. She would simply have to sit and wait in the library and hope Ellis would find her instead.
When two hours passed, Andalin finally gave up. She snatched the journal and marched out of the room, right smack into Ellis’s chest.
“Ouch!” Andalin groaned.
Ellis reached out to steady her. “Pardon me. Did I hurt you?”
Warmth from his touch radiated through her shoulders. Reluctantly, she took a step back, out of his arms, hiding the diary behind her, and rubbed her nose. “Never mind. I was just coming to find you.”
“You missed my company. I knew you’d come around.”
Andalin glared before she realized what she was doing. She swallowed back her retort. She was supposed to be proving herself. “There is a very important matter I would like to discuss with you.”
Ellis folded his arms across his chest and frowned. “Go ahead.”
Andalin took a deep breath. “This might be taken better sitting down.”
His frown deepened, but he obeyed and accompanied her back into the library, taking a seat in an armchair. When Andalin sat down, she carefully kept the diary hidden beneath the extra fabric of her skirt.
