Page 34 of The Masked Baron
Andalin pretended to understand. “So, whatshouldI talk about?”
Mrs. Lewis’s eye twinkled. “You’re such a lively one. I’m sure you won’t lack for conversation. But, just in case, you can always discuss fashion. Types of fabric, place of purchase, that sort of thing.”
Andalin sat back in her seat and groaned. “Well, that ought to go well. I could tell them how to dye cotton or how to make a feed sack into a dress, shirt, or rag.”
Mrs. Lewis folded her hands patiently across her lap. “You do not have to be an expert to discuss fashion. Merely ask questions, compliment, and nod your head. It’s very simple.”
“Fair enough.” Andalin sighed. “What else?”
Mrs. Lewis went on to list subjects such as the latest balls, who was traveling in what circles, and a few other subjects Andalin had absolutely no experience with. She was beginning to dread the idea of talking to Lady Kerrigan and her daughter at all. She would have to pretend she was either shy or mute.
A few minor activities like cards and croquet were planned for entertainment. In the end they both agreed to ask Ellis for input before they planned any further.
Hannah came to retrieve Andalin to dress for dinner. “I’ll pick out the dress this time.”
Andalin moaned. “I spend half the day dressing and undressing.”
“For a young lady with her pick of as many gowns as ye have, ye sure don’t appreciate them,” Hannah muttered.
“They are quite lovely. But even if I did feel comfortable dressing above my station, which I don’t, I couldn’t put any of them on myself.”
Hannah chuckled. “Seems we have this conversation on the regular.”
Andalin changed into the same gown she’d worn when meeting Lord Kerrigan. It was the most elegant she owned. Hannah finished styling an elegant tight twist on top of her head just as someone knocked on the door. Andalin had wondered if Ellis would put the practice of meeting her at her door aside since it was hardly proper. And after last night...
Hannah pulled the door open to reveal Ellis. So he wasn’t going to avoid her after all. Strange; it seemed to be how they played things after any sort of awkward moment crossed between them. And her following him in the dead of the night most certainly counted as awkward. However, seeing him now did not feel that way at all. She smiled shyly.
“Good evening,” Ellis said with a bow of his head. “May I?”
Ellis held his arm up, and Andalin quietly accepted it. As soon as she touched him, a thrill raced down her spine. She stole a glance up at his masked face to see if he noticed her reaction.
He was staring at her. The moment their eyes connected, all the senses in her body came alive. Suddenly unsure of herself, she pulled her gaze away.
“Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “I’m merely admiring the walls.”
Andalin bit her lip to keep from laughing. But his words had done the trick, and she relaxed.
After being served dinner, they were left alone in the dining hall.
“Did you sleep well last night after I left you?” Ellis asked.
“Yes, thank you,” Andalin said, removing her napkin from her lap. “Though, I’m not accustomed to your strange hours.”
Ellis sat back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. “I was worried your sleep would be restless. You had a terrible scare.”
Andalin remembered the way she had cried on the ride home. Shehadbeen scared. The woods had been so black, and yet every so often the moon would cast the most horrible shadows. They’d loom out as if to grab at them and pull them into the night. She shuddered, eager to forget the memory. “I regret my decision to follow you last night, if that is what you mean.”
“No, I mean to ask if you are feeling calmer today. I do not want you to be afraid while you are here. The woman from the woods... she—”
“Please!” Andalin said louder than she intended to. “I don’t want to know.”
Ellis leaned forward in his seat. “But you have harassed my staff and myself for information on the subject almost from the moment you arrived.”
“I was naive,” Andalin said, dropping her eyes humbly to her plate. “I think I know enough now. The woman in the forest is the witch of Baltar... Sephira. She is the one who is somehow responsible for the death of your family. And now... well, now you have found she is still there waiting in the forest. Probably waiting to finish off the family line, for who knows what reason. I have suddenly discovered the idea of a witch is far from my comfort zone.”
Ellis gave Andalin a small, comforting smile. “Your conclusion is rather close to the truth. Sephira, Sephany, Serenity, Seraph, Sherity are all the names given to the witch over the years. Yes, it is she whom you heard in the woods last night. Wicked, yes, but I wouldn’t fear her if I were you. She is afraid of me. She has been hiding from me for years.”
“Hiding from you?” Andalin fingered the tablecloth, angry she could not keep from prying for more answers.
