Page 9 of The Lord Next Door I Wished For
He ran a hand over his hair, trying to collect himself. No. She’d said she was here with someone, and chasing after her would only add fuel to the fire if anyone had seen them together outside.
He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, staring at the space he’d last seen her like she might miraculously reappear and explain herself to him.
Eventually the friends he’d arrived with sought him out and drew him back into the revelry. But he spent the rest of the night seeking out the auburn-haired beauty whose sudden appearance in his life was beginning to feel more and more like a dream as the minutes ticked away.
Over and over he replayed what she’d said…
And what she hadn’t.
She’d never answered his question, he realized.
What had led her to come to such a place, and with only a maid as a companion?
And most of all…
What had she meant when she’d said she’d been hoping to find him?
CHAPTERTHREE
Luke supposedhe had too much time on his hands to think as he made the journey to his family’s country estate. And the unanswered questions that surrounded Jane only grew more persistent in the day after the masquerade.
The long carriage ride gave him little to do but replay Jane’s words and marvel at how much she’d changed.
And how much she hadn’t.
He found himself smiling more than once as he replayed their interaction. Though he supposed she wasn’t recalling the incident quite as fondly.
When his family’s manor came into view, he couldn’t stop hearing her voice saying that he’d grown up to be like his father.
That wasn’t true. Was it?
His father wasn’t necessarily cruel, but he wasn’t kind, either. Worse, as far as Luke was concerned, the man had no sense of humor whatsoever. He’d never once heard his father laugh or make light of a situation. It was all doom and gloom for the old man, and Luke wasn’t sure how his mother not only survived their marriage, but even managed to keep her generous nature.
He was filled with dread as the carriage rolled to a halt. Too many bad memories, by far, in this large home.
But the moment his mother stepped out to greet him, the bad memories vanished.
“I’m so happy you’re home, my love,” she said as she embraced him.
“It’s good to be back, Mother.” And in that moment, he actually meant it. He’d seen his mother often over the years, but rarely atthishome. Without speaking of it, they’d fallen into the habit of meeting up wherever his father was not.
The London townhome or the inn near Eton when he was still in school. But rarely here.
Which was why he hadn’t seen Jane in so long. Why he hadn’t recognized her at all until it was too late.
Stay out of my path.
He winced. Blast. What she must think of him.
“Make yourself comfortable, dear, I’ll have Mrs. White bring us some tea, shall I?” His mother didn’t wait for a response before hurrying off, leaving Luke to idle in the drawing room while the servants fetched his trunks.
He looked around the room for a long while. It was odd how little it had changed since he’d last been home to visit. And yet, it felt different.
The house felt quieter, and far more…serene, he supposed. He’d never wish ill upon his father, and he’d grieved when he’d received the news of his passing. But at this particular moment, he could admit that he was also a bit relieved that his father wasn’t here to shout at his mother or to give him lectures on…anything. Everything.
It had never mattered what the topic, really. His father had always found a way to turn it into a learning lesson for Luke.
“There now,” his mother said, all smiles as she hurried in. Her bright smile was at odds with the dark mourning gown she wore. “Mrs. White will be in shortly. But tell me about your journey. It must have been arduous indeed traveling home from the continent with such haste.”
