“Truly?’ Lavender asked, her tone incredulous. She flushed, looking away. “Forgive me, I just—”
“It’s fine. I understand your disbelief.”
He hesitated again. It was so unusual to see that Lavender forgot the barrage of questions that had rushed to her head at the mention of the late countess and his mother.
“The evening is upon us,” he went on as he wandered over to the closest window. “And this storm shows no signs of breaking soon.”
“Yes, that appears to be the case,” Lavender agreed. She drew nearer to the window as well. The skies were so dark and angry that it was almost as dark as nighttime. Wind and rain pounded the windowpanes with so much force that it was a wonder it didn’t break right through.
“So I shall send word to your brother,” Austin said. “He will worry when you do not return home.”
“What will you tell him, Austin? That you have held me hostage at your house and have no intentions of returning me?”
He snorted, which she considered a success at her jest. “I shall tell him the truth. That you came to visit me late in the afternoon, without a chaperone, and that the current weather conditions make it impossible for you to return home.”
“Oh, heavens, don’t act as if you aren’t happy to have me here.” She came closer still, until she could peer up at his face. “Aren’t you lonely here by yourself?”
“Not in the slightest.” Austin glanced at her. Whatever he saw must have displeased him because he frowned a little and swallowed harshly. Without warning, he turned away, making his way to the door.
Lavender watched him go, feeling a little snubbed. She knew she was not the prettiest. Perhaps not even the smartest. But she had hoped that whomever she married would admire her individual charm. Did that mean that she was both unattractiveanduninteresting?
Austin paused at the door, looking back at her. “You’re going to be late if you intend on standing there all day.”
Lavender perked up. “Pardon?”
“Dinner. It will be served shortly.” Then he walked through the door.
She was left staring at the spot he’d just vacated, his last words ringing in her ears. There had to be something seriously wrong with her, she decided. Because why did that fill her with such giddiness?
Lavender hurried to the door and then paused to compose herself. She barrelled through right after, expecting to chase after him but she ran right into his chest instead.
“You will hurt yourself if you keep doing that,” he commented dryly.
Lavender rubbed her nose, her grin peeking out from behind her hand. “I thought you had gone ahead of me.”
“Perhaps I should have.” He turned and began making his way down the hallway. Lavender noticed the fact that he was keeping pace with her. “But I do not want you to get lost on your way to the dining room. I’d hate to have to go in search of you.”
“What an odd way of saying that you care about my well-being,” Lavender chirped.
He scoffed. “I care more about a nosy lady poking her nose into rooms where she does not belong.”
“Oh, so there are rooms that I have not seen yet. That is certainly good to know.”
“Don’t you dare think about it.”
“Far too late for that, my lord,” Lavender laughed. She nudged him playfully and he only grunted.
It only took them a couple of minutes to reach the dining room. Footmen stood at hand to serve the first course and Lavender did not miss the scowl Austin gave them.
“Are you uncomfortable?” she asked him.
He frowned at her. “No.”
Lavender watched as he pulled her chair out for her and tried to swallow her surprise. “Yes, you are. The scowl on your face tells me that you are.”
It only deepened. He took his seat and the footmen took that as their cue to move. “According to you, I am always scowling.”
“Which is correct. And by now you should know that I am very rarely wrong. But it looks like a scowl of discomfort rather than your usual scowl of displeasure.”
