The skepticism in his gaze did not escape her, and she feared he would ask what kind of errand. Then what excuse would she make to satisfy him? “An errand?”
“Yes. To post a letter.”
“She should be in the kitchen preparing supper.”
Lowering her eyes, Darcy moved on. He followed and made his way ahead of her, causing her to stop short. It unnerved Darcy, the way his eyes scanned her face.
“I have not told you, Darcy, how pretty I think you are— with the way your hair falls over your shoulders, how the light catches it. It is enough to drive any man mad.”
She felt her face burn, at once stung with anger. How dare he treat her in this way, bar her from going on, speak to her with such unbridled lack of inhibition. “You should not say such things.” She moved. He stopped her. She had to keep her head, think how to escape without causing alarm. Defiant, she folded her arms and stared at him.
“Do not be so offended,” he said.
She glared. “Your compliments should be reserved for your wife—or your mistress.”
He laughed. “Charlotte is not pretty. Why should I lie to her? As for my mistress, she is, and she knows how to please me.”
Darcy frowned. “How can you live as you do? How can you have no conscience that it is wrong to betray Charlotte? Did you not mean the vows you made before God?”
“Ah, now you would preach at me? Charlotte is as cold as death and always complaining of illness. If you would see her beneath her chemise, you would be shocked at how frail a woman she is. She has given me no heir. And does she care? Not a whit.”
“Let me pass.”
He circled his fingers around her wrist. “You should meet Rowena. Some call her a harlot. But she is a kind and gentle soul, and faithful. She is the only woman I willingly provide for. Without me she would starve, or be enslaved to another man.”
“Why are you telling me these things?”
“I would have taken care of your mother if she had let me. I hope she lived to regret it.”
Darcy jerked away and breathed out a sigh of frustration. She hated his words, the manner in which he looked at her, the smell of wine on his breath. If only Ethan would walk through the door.
Langbourne inched forward, and she would have tripped back if she had not put her hand on the banister to steady herself. “I do not wish to hear any more of this. Let me by.”
“You are frightened of me, aren’t you?” he said.
“Not at all.”
“Then why are you trembling?”
“I am cold.”
“Why do you withdraw from me?”
“You are too close …”
“Not close enough, I’d say.”
“I wish to go to my room and you are preventing me.”
“Only because I have news to tell.” Langbourne leaned back against the wall and put one boot upon the step in front of Darcy. “I have decided to close the house. I may even sell it. Everyone is to leave and settle at Meadlow.”
Darcy’s throat tightened. She supposed he believed it was generous of him. “Not I, Mr. Langbourne.”
He pulled away from the wall. “You will do as I say.”
“I will do as I wish. You have no authority over me.”
“I am your only male relation while you are here, and you are under my roof. You will obey me. Besides, you might enjoy Meadlow before you return to America. Unless, that is, you are prepared to go now. Have you enough to pay for return passage?”
She had not thought of this. She’d come with so little money, and the coachman who took her overland charged her more than what the ticket was worth. One gold coin would not buy her way home. But it did not matter. She’d marry Ethan.
“I’ll give you what you need,” Langbourne said, “as long as you take Madeline’s care into your hands and accompany her, with Mrs. Burke of course. I can use a new housekeeper.”
“Grandmother is too frail to leave Havendale. She has lived here most of her life and it would kill her to leave.”
“Nonsense. She will have Charlotte for company, and I plan to move Rowena to a residence near Meadlow to keep me company.”
Shocked, Darcy’s mouth fell open. “That would be deplorable. How could you?”
“Gentlemen do it all the time. Charlotte will not care. What is important