When she reached it, she shoved aside the vines that had grown through the lattice and plunged inside with her breath coming up short. Tears pooled in her eyes and she blinked them back. The surface of the lake turned a muted blue under brooding clouds, dark like Ethan’s eyes. Trees shadowed the edge of the water. A flock of starlings crossed the sky, and Darcy followed them with a gaze that ached to let the tears fall, but they would not.
Someone approached, and she moved back into the shadows. The stones in the path crunched under his tread. With nowhere else to go, she turned to face him. What she would say, she did not know. She only knew how confused she felt.
His shadow darkened the vines. His hand moved them back and he drew inside. He gazed at her with sad eyes, and for a moment they stood looking at each other in silence.
“I never doubted your adventurous nature, Darcy. But of all places for you to be, you have come to England?” His eyes had the same warm glow she’d seen before.
“I do not need to explain anything to you.”
“You are right. But if I had known you were here, I would not have come.”
She turned away. “I imagine not.”
“I would not have wished you to feel as you do now.”
“Then you must go. Nothing is keeping you here.”
“Nothing? You are keeping me here, Darcy. You have kept me ever since the day I first saw you.”
“Then why …” A lump formed in her throat and she steeled herself, thinking his words were meant to tempt her and draw her out. Her eyes closed when he laid his hand on her forearm and drew her close.
“We must talk, Darcy.”
“I have nothing to say. Nothing to explain.”
She pushed her way past him, her hands clenched, her arms rigid at her sides, tears stinging her eyes. She hurried off, her hood blown back from her face. Getting away from Ethan and his pained look was all she wanted. She could feel him standing outside the gazebo staring after her.
As she approached the door, she regretted not getting into a full-fledged row with him. And she was curious. Had he married Miss Roth and settled for a dull, loveless life with her? And what about the letter he had sent? The coward! Her mind screamed as she hugged her arms. He could not tell her to her face? He’d broken her heart, and it all came flooding back. He dared to say he was kept by her?
As she passed inside she heard the others in the sitting room conversing, and she paused outside the door.
“Everything has changed now that she is here, Langbourne,” she heard Charlotte say. “I doubt you will get a penny more for your troubles. And I shan’t get her jewels, if she has any of worth.”
For Charlotte to covet her grandmother’s jewelry and have no reservations about announcing her desire for it in front of Mr. and Mrs. Brighton repulsed Darcy.
“I already own the house, and it’s by my good graces that the old woman has stayed on at Havendale.”
“Why, Langbourne.” It was Mr. Brighton. “Only a heartless man would throw an old woman out or place her in accommodations below what she deserves. This is her home and her husband’s house. You do not mean …”
“I mean nothing, except to say Charlotte is my wife and she should have everything in this house, not a girl my aunt knows little of. Where is she anyway?”
“She left a moment ago … and so did Mr. Brennan.”
“Brennan is here?”
“Upon my request,” said Mr. Brighton with a nod. “By your expression, sir, you do not approve. He’s a fine authority on horses, and …”
“Do not bring him here again, not if you intend to keep your appointments at Havendale.” Langbourne sounded bitter. What did he have against Ethan?
Darcy turned her back to the wall and leaned her head against it. The warm welcome she felt vanished. It grew obvious the Langbournes did not want her here.
The shadows in the hallway deepened and cold air whirled around her ankles. Maxwell’s nails tapped over the hardwood floor, and he drew up to her, sniffing the tip of her shoes.
“We know nothing of your business, sir, and should not be drawn into it.” Mrs. Brighton spoke in a manner that shocked Charlotte. “But I must say, to look at Darcy is to look into the eyes of her mother, though they