Howard nodded, visibly impressed. “A wise answer. Too many forget that land is not merely soil but lives tied to it. Your husband seems to understand this well.”
The mention of Tristan tightened her chest. She wanted nothing more than to leave and find him now, to spill everything. Yet Lord Howard’s presence held her in place.
Evelyn clasped her hands. “Lord Howard was just telling me of his dealings in America. And all I have been telling him is how lean he had gotten. They probably feed themselves with the same food they feed their dogs over there.”
Lord Howard turned to Evelyn, the smile on his face as big as anything. “I just told you, dear. They just do not put as much importance as we do on food over there.”
“Yes. And your frame has made that quite clear,” Evelyn responded.
Eliza laughed at Evelyn’s lines despite herself. She could feel Clara lingering by the door, waiting for her to step back out, but she couldn’t. At least not while she still continued to listen to the couple before her.
Lord Howard’s eyes seemed to weigh her. “You look troubled, my lady. Forgive me if I intrude, but one learns to read faces after many years. Is all well?”
Eliza kept her voice even. “It is nothing, my lord. Only a long walk and heavier thoughts than I expected.”
He studied her a moment longer, then inclined his head. “Then I shall not press.”
Evelyn broke in with a laugh that carried a note of nervousness. “Do not be so serious, Howard. You will frighten her away before she has even had her tea.”
Lord Howard chuckled, though the weight of his presence did not lighten. “Very well. Will you come join us for tea?”
Eliza shook her head almost immediately. “I am afraid I must decline. I apologize, but I have some matters to attend to, and you will have to excuse me.”
Lord Howard nodded as well, giving her another slight bow. “Of course, Lady Vale. I look forward to speaking with you again.”
Evelyn gave her a warm smile. “Go, my dear. We shall manage here.”
Eliza curtsied again and left the room, her steps quickening the moment the door closed behind her. The air in the corridor felt cooler and sharper against her skin. She pressed her hand against her chest, trying to steady her breath.
Lord Howard’s presence had been commanding, yes, but her thoughts could not linger on him now. What mattered was Tristan. The truth weighed too heavily to wait.
She turned down the hall, her heart fixed on one resolve.
She would tell him tonight.
Chapter 26
The morning was yet to fully begin, but Tristan could already feel the weight of the next day pressing down on him. The gathering Marcus had called, the lords who would demand answers, the schemes waiting to ensnare them.
Everything gnawed at him like a steady but dull ache beneath his stomach. He couldn’t wait to get this over with. To eventually challenge Marcus and know exactly what his goal was at the end of the project.
He tried to push the thoughts aside and keep his features calm. For now, Eliza did not need to see the storm raging in him. At least not more than she was already aware of.
He stood in the drawing room as his grandfather spoke quietly with Lord Howard. Both men looked perfectly at ease, though Tristan could feel the sharpness in their presence. They were men who had weathered storms far worse than this. His grandfather had wasted no time, of course, in telling Lord Howard about everything that had been happening so far. The way some man had been quietly purchasing lands around Evermere, and what it could possibly mean.
“This is clearly a daylight land grab if I have ever seen one,” Lord Howard whispered after the duke finished narrating everything that had happened so far. “You cannot let this Mr. Harwood andwhoever his cohorts might be get the better of you. That would do nothing except cause irreparable damage.”
The duke looked up at Tristan, who remained standing by the edge of the door, the look on his face sayingDo you hear him?
“I am working on it as we speak, Uncle Howard,” Tristan responded.
As Lord Howard opened his mouth to speak once again, Eliza stepped in, her light step drawing every eye. Her bright green dress reflected the flecks of sunlight that drifted in through the tall windows. She had tied her hair back loosely, a few strands brushing her cheeks. When she smiled in greeting, Tristan felt something inside him ease.
The duke’s expression softened. “My dear,” he said, holding out his hand. “You bring warmth into this room.”
Eliza curtsied, her cheeks touched with color. “You are kind, Your Grace.”
Lord Howard stepped forward with a slight bow. “And may I say, Lady Vale, I see why your name has reached so far already. You carry yourself with quiet strength. It is rare.”
