Page 13 of The Earl and Miss Muffet
“I . . . I am not sure. The similarity to my own life was . . . uncanny.”
“I would be interested in hearing more about the connection,” he said, hoping she would confide in him.
She shrugged, walls building behind her eyes. “It is hardly worth mentioning. Let’s start our game. I believe it is your turn to go first.”
Anton stared hard at her for a moment longer. Though she was quite a puzzle to him, he enjoyed discussing literature with her. It was nice to share what he loved with someone. He looked down long enough to move a pawn. “If you should find yourself comfortable enough to share more with me, I hope you will find the courage to do so. I enjoy hearing your thoughts. In fact, I cansee why you came up with the word bluestocking last night. Your intelligence does you credit.”
Miss Muffet’s cheeks pinked, and her attention became riveted on the chessboard.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” he hedged. “I assure you, it was not my intention. I simply find your conversation most refreshing.”
Miss Muffet lifted her gaze. “I am not used to expressing my thoughts. You are an adept listener, and I cannot help but prattle on.”
“I have yet to hear you prattle.” He moved another pawn when his turn came again. “Tell me, don’t you share confidences with your sister? I assume you are close in age.”
“You might say.” Miss Muffet hesitated before moving her rook. “We are twins.
“Twins? I never would have guessed with your differing appearance. It must be hard to be away from her.”
“On the contrary.” Miss Muffet’s soft voice was suddenly laced with derision. “I mean . . .” she took a moment to finish her sentence. “My sister is . . . well, she is Bianca. I cannot describe her. I am always in her shadow and content to be there.”
Anton tried to process what she had said and guess at what she wasn’t saying. He thought about her impression of the story he recommended. She said the mariner appreciated a form of life he had not before. Is that the part Miss Muffet thought resembled her own?
“Miss Muffet, do you hope your life will change when you return home?” Thunder and turf, he thought. That was only two weeks away.
“Change is inevitable, is it not? I can only hope the future has good things in store for me—hopefully, better than for the haunted mariner.” She spoke the words readily, but he sensed an undercurrent of uneasiness when she spoke.
He wondered if he shared a little of himself with her, if she would do the same. “Change can be hard. I am still adjusting to life without my father. I have learned happiness largely depends on our perspective and whether we have the courage to allow ourselves to be happy.”
Her gaze drifted to the window, fatigued by some hidden burden he could not see. “What if courage is not one’s strong suit?”
“Ah,” Anton said, capturing one of her pawns with his. “When playing cards, it is still possible to win with strategy, even without the trump suit. I think even a timid person as yourself has some tricks up her sleeve.”
Miss Muffet’s eyes shifted back to his, and the sparkle returned. “I didn’t think so before. Perhaps with the proper motivation, I will perform better.
His brow rose. “What would motivate you?”
Miss Muffet stared at him for a moment. Then her lips curled up into a mischievous grin. “I have an idea, but it is of a private nature, and I dare not tell you. Now I must work on my strategy.” She moved her knight into check position.
Blast. He hadn’t seen that coming. “I doubt you will struggle there.”
She gave a soft, musical laugh. “You would be surprised.”
Undoubtedly.
Miss Muffet had captured his attention, and he could no longer doubt it. There was something to be said for a person to be aware of their own weaknesses and yet, eager to improve themselves. He found her personality refreshing. So many people he met were eager to prove they were the best, when in reality, they were hiding their flaws behind pretense. It wasn’t just her modesty, but she had no ulterior motive to use his family for their rank or position. Their conversation—theirtime together—started because of circumstance but now had gradually turned into a genuine desire to know each other better.
Was this how it had happened for his siblings? It made him think of Terrence and then of Miss Bliss. The thought of his formertendrecame and left without any care. Thoughts of Miss Muffet, however, were flooding through his mind with a vengeance he had never experienced before. He wanted to know her secrets and protect her from them.
Chapter 8
Elena’shandstrembled.Shefinished reading the letter that had just arrived for her and creased it shut. While her mother had penned most of the letter, the last few lines were from Bianca.Take care not to act in any manner you may later regret. It would be a shame if anyone there was hurt as a consequence of your actions. Not everyone is as forgiving as I am. Farewell for now. I cannot wait to see you.
No one else would think twice about such empty sentiments. Elena, however, knew Bianca’s hidden meaning. When Elena returned, there would be no end to her punishments. Worse, Bianca might even hurt her new friends to hurt Elena even more.
She put a finger in her mouth and chewed her nail. Would Bianca really stoop to hurting Lord Crawford—an earl—if she discovered their friendship? She thought of the scissors Bianca had snipped her hair with, and the blood she had later found dried on her chest from Bianca’s pointed fingernail. There was no doubt that Bianca had an unpredictable temper.
If Elena were to protect Lord Crawford, spending time together at all would have to be forbidden. Bianca would know otherwise. Elena would miss Lord Crawford—Anton. Mary always called her brother Anton, so Elena had begun to think of him that way. And while she did not have permission to drop Mary’s title, she hoped by the end of her stay they would be good enough friends to do so in person.
