Page 55 of The Masked Baron
Many times Ellis had answered this question in his mind, preparing himself for the day he would have to explain. Now, though, it seemed he couldn’t find the words to justify his actions.
Annie bit her lower lip—she was so adorable when she did that. “Was this what you wanted to tell me?”
Ellis ran his hand through his hair and looked at the mess behind him. The flames were starting to wane, and he knew he needed to go help while there was a chance at preventing any more destruction. “No, but I did want to tell you this too—eventually. I want to explain, but this is not the time. I need to try to help save what I can for the Whites. I am sorry you had to find out this way.”
Annie nodded as she seemed to see the house fire for the first time.
“I have a spare mask in my saddlebags. Will you be all right here while I run to retrieve it?”
When Annie nodded mutely, he bolted to the stables. A gate blocked the service entrance and the stables. As he reached to pull it open, he was knocked flat on his back. A rider on a horse pushed through the other side of the gate at just the same moment. The rider didn’t see Ellis, but Ellis got a clear look at him. It was Annie’s old friend Mr. Crow.
The scoundrel! And Ellis had generously let him go.
It wasn’t difficult for Ellis to put together the pieces. Mr. Crow had followed them home and started the fire. He had somehow discovered what side of the house to target. Seeing as Mr. Crow had come from the servants’ entrance, it was likely one of the Whites’ staff was involved as well. The man would regret the day he was born when Ellis was through with him. It would have been better for everyone if Ellis had cut the man’s arms off like he had threatened.
With the distraction of the fire, Ellis was able to retrieve and replace his mask without anyone else being the wiser. If he could do one thing right, it was to get around without being heard or seen. He returned to the action and helped beat the flames with a wet towel a servant handed to him.
After what seemed like hours, they were able to make some headway. A few servants carried furniture from the house, while others continued to douse and pound out the fire. Someone had been sent to bring the Whites home from the ball. The whole right side of the house and some of the back had been destroyed, but at least the Whites were not completely homeless. The house was large enough for them to live in the one side while the other was repaired.
The dying embers still put off plenty of smoke, and Ellis coughed along with everyone else. He caught sight of two carriages coming fast down the lane. It was about time they returned.
Ellis found Annie with the blanket tied around her waist. She was ringing rags in a bucket and handing them to the servants to wrap around their faces. Most ladies would have either been weeping out of despair or needed fainting salts to get them through such a horrifying experience, but not Annie. She was a doer, and it was an admirable quality. She caught him smiling at her, and she smiled shyly back.
As much as he wanted to pretend nothing had changed between them, it most certainly had. There wouldn’t be the same barriers between them as in the past. And there would be even less so when he finally explained everything. It was what he had yet to tell her that really worried him. He could only hope she would be so forgiving twice.
Chapter 20
The next morning, breakfast wasserved quite late. It had been close to four in the morning before they had managed to retire. Kerrigan had taken the Trentons to a nearby inn. The Whites, on the other hand, had insisted on staying in their home, even though the undamaged rooms smelled strongly of smoke. Without any children to call their own, their house was their greatest treasure. The destruction had devastated them.
Ellis wanted Annie to go with Mrs. Trenton, but she’d insisted on staying with the Whites. Ellis wondered if she felt responsible. He hadn’t much appetite and pushed around the eggs on his plate. He knew he would be restless until he heard of Mr. Crow’s whereabouts. He had wanted to search for the blackguard himself the night before, but he couldn’t leave Annie unprotected, so he’d turned the task over to the local authorities.
Mr. White pushed his plate away, food uneaten, and stood to leave. “If you’ll excuse me, my steward and I are going to ride over to the lumberyard and see if we can’t secure the wood needed for repairs.”
Mrs. White stood as well. “I need to make sure all the rooms are being properly aired out.” Turning to her husband, she said, “Do be sure to employ the craftsman Lady Margaret used to repair her cottage. He’ll charge a fair bit, but at least we know he will do an excellent job.”
Once they were alone, Ellis looked over at Annie’s untouched plate. “I don’t think the cook will be happy when all the plates are returned with the food still on them.”
Annie sighed. “You are right. Better to eat a little so as not to cause more grief.”
Ellis forced himself to eat his eggs. He would eat, if only to encourage Annie to do the same.
“What are our plans now?” Annie asked.
Ellis pointed to her food. “Do not get distracted. Finish, and then we will go for a walk and take some fresh air.” The exercise might prevent Ellis from going mad wondering about Mr. Crow.
Dutifully, Annie finished her food, and then the two of them set out for a walk. Ellis steered her away from the damaged end of the house.
“When do we return home?”
He liked the way Annie referred to Braitwood Hall as home. He also liked how her curiosity never left her quiet for long. Since she had entered his life, her constant chatter had snapped him back into reality—even if their conversations weren’t always friendly.
“I think it would be best if we leave soon,” he finally answered. “I wouldn’t want to impose on anyone else on such short notice. I’m sorry if it means you will miss another ball.”
Annie glanced sideways at him. “How do you have all of these friends and connections when I was so sure everyone besides the Kerrigan family and your staff feared you?”
Ellis knew the conversation would turn to him before long. It was one of the purposes of their walk. He had some explaining to do. “You are not the only one who has seen me without my mask. The decision to wear it was not even my own, really. It was Lady Kerrigan’s.” Ellis pointed to the churchyard, and they began walking there. “I know I’ve been aloof about the death of my parents. I’ve told you who was responsible, and I’m sure your imagination filled in the rest of the details. I want you to know the whole story, in hopes you will forgive my deception. Do you remember the book I gave you about the witch Sephira?”
Annie nodded, her eyes downcast.
