Page 65 of Surrendering to a Fiery Lady

A short while later, it was confirmed there was no sign of Miss Barge at all.

Ophelia retreated upstairs, where she found Elliot listening to his sister play a Haydn piece on her new piano. When Ophelia sat beside him, her body quite wooden, he leaned toward her.

“I take it her explanation was not a good one?” Elliot whispered to her under the cover from the music.

“My concern comes from something else.” Ophelia twisted to face Elliot fully. “Elliot, she is gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” Elliot said, laughing before his smile abruptly vanished. “You are serious?”

“I mean, her room is empty, apart from a dead bunch of flowers in the cupboard. No one saw her leave, and no one can find her, either.” Ophelia sat open-mouthed, wondering what on earth had really taken place with that maid.

“I suppose we should be glad she is gone, and at least we now know where the bunch of flowers went.”

“I should apologise,” Ophelia said hurriedly. “I was the one who hired Miss Barge.”

“You weren’t to know, love.” He lifted an arm and placed it around her shoulders.

The comforting action and the way he’d whispered the word ‘love’ had Ophelia quite forgetting Miss Barge. She leaned into Elliot, thinking only of him.

Chapter 21

“Shall I point out what a mess this study is in, or do you already know it?”

Harrison’s words made Elliot lift his head from where he was staring at his papers. Behind him, his tailcoat was slung over the chair, as haphazardly as the papers that had been thrown about the room.

“I imagine your new wife doesn’t care for the mess.” Harrison chuckled as he stepped over some of the papers, making his way toward Elliot.

“Good to see you too, Harrison.” Elliot waved his quill at his friend, warning him not to sit in a nearby chair. “Don’t sit there, you’ll ruin my filing system.”

“This is filed?” Harrison asked, raising his eyebrows as he gestured to the two piles of papers on the chair.

“Well, reasonably, anyway.” Elliot gestured instead to the window seat beside him, which was now empty. For much of the morning, Ophelia had sat there whilst he had worked.

Every now and then she had stepped forward, offering her thoughts on the investments and he had been glad for it. She was a wonderful distraction too. But in the end, she had promised to leave him be out of fear of disturbing him too much. She had retreated to keep Grace company, as she had developed quite a love for riding. A short while ago, Elliot had heard them ride out together across the estate.

“I suppose I should start by welcoming you back to London.” Harrison sat down into the window seat, still frowning at the papers. “But it seems you have returned just to work.”

“It is work of my own doing,” Elliot explained. “This all has its aim. Here, look at this. Tell me what you think.” He picked up one of the files off his desk and passed it back to Harrison, who took it gingerly before reading the title.

“Investing in the Indian tea trade?” Harrison’s eyebrows shot up. “These are all investments you’re looking at?”

“Yes.” Elliot nodded, sitting back and lowering his quill after making his latest round of notes. “I am determined on many things, Harrison. First, Grace and I will never come so close to destitution again. For another thing, I certainly do not ever wish to make Ophelia that close to poverty, either.

Second of all, I promised Ophelia I would recoup every penny of hers that I spent to pay off my parents’ debts. I intend to see that through.” He picked up the quill and used the feather end to point at the files in Harrison’s clutches. “That could be a good investment. What do you think?”

“Judging by the way we all drink tea, it is probably a safe bet.” Harrison returned the files to him. “This is a lot of investments, though.”

“Yes. I intend to spread the money thinly. It was a trick I was taught on the continent. Investments can go down as well as up and I do not intend to risk too much in any one bet.”

There was another reason that Elliot thought it a wise idea. He could still remember clearly the night he had played cards and been cheated by the card sharp when he had bet all his money. He planned never to risk his entire future in the hands of another man again.

“It sounds a wise decision. You’re doing a lot for your wife.” Harrison’s words caught Elliot’s interest. He sat back, fiddling with the quill in his grasp. “To repay her, I mean. Judging by all that you have said about her and the conversations I have shared with her too, she doesn’t strike me as a lady concerned with money.”

“She is not,” Elliot confirmed, looking past Harrison out to the estate. He could see in the distance Ophelia and Grace riding together, clearly enjoying their time. Just the sight of them together made him smile. “Yet I wish to do it for her.”

“May I take it that things are going well between you, then?” Harrison asked, eying Elliot carefully. Elliot didn’t need to say anything. His smile merely broadened, and it was enough for his friend to know. “Then I congratulate you. In truth, I can’t remember ever seeing you so happy. Not for a long time now, that is for certain.”

“I am happy,” Elliot confirmed, still watching the horses galloping together in the distance. He chose not to tell Harrison about the trouble Miss Barge had caused.

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