The Bet

“I shouldn’t have any expectations. He gave me no hint that he was inclined to consider me anything more than someone he had injured and then accommodated for a while,” she whispered.

Strangely, this morning, her foray to the top of the bluff didn’t bring her the peace it usually did. Today, she felt edgy and restless.

I wonder if it is because I have received that letter?

It had brought her choices, but did she want to take one of them?

Was she ready to live her life elsewhere? Did she even want to? She

could go back and try to rebuild the farm but had no idea what she would do then. She revelled in being able to stand so close to the abundant energy of the ocean. Could she live without that as well?

She was still contemplating these questions when she let herself into her grandma’s house several minutes later.

“Good morning, Miss Matthews. How are you this morning?”

Estelle froze at the sound of that achingly familiar voice.

“Myles!” she cried. When her grandma tutted a warning at her, she immediately regretted her faux pas, and lowered her gaze as she dipped into a curtsey. “Sorry. My Lord.”

“Now, I shall have none of that. It is Myles,” he replied firmly, issuing her grandmother with a brilliant smile that made the old woman blink. He bowed in response to her curtsey. “I wonder if I might prevail upon your good nature to escort me on a walk this morning?”

“Me? A walk?” Estelle blinked in surprise. “Of course, I would love to.”

She looked hesitantly at her grandma, who nodded her agreement.

“Well, let’s go then.” Myles turned to her grandma and bowed. “I shall have her back in an hour.”

“Take your time,” Wynne murmured.

She watched them go and then shook her head in amazement. As soon as the door was shut, she hurried to the window and watched the couple walk down the road. In contrast to their previously glum faces, both now looked animated and carefree.

“There’s trouble afoot, I don’t doubt,” the old woman muttered, unsure if she should be panicking or not. Aware that there was little she could do about their association after Estelle had already stayed in the Hall with him, Wynne turned her attention back to her bread-dough, and hoped her grand-daughter knew what she was doing.

“How have you been?” Estelle asked him when they had left the village and were strolling amiably down the road.

“I am well, thank you,” Myles replied. “I have just returned from London.”

Estelle nodded. “How is your father?”

“He is well and sends his regards,” Myles replied.

He struggled to think of something to say that would ease the stiffness of their conversation but couldn’t think of anything beyond how wonderful it was to see her again. It confirmed all of his deepest suspicions and left him in little doubt that he had made the right decision to ask her to spend some time with him today.

“Where are we going?” she asked when they had left the village behind and were steadily approaching the Whispering Woods. She stopped and looked back at the village now a mile or so away and wondered if they should turn back.

“I thought it might be nice to go and take a look at the woods again,” Myles suggested.

He saw he resistance on her face and hastened to reassure her. “We had the staff walk through the woods and search it once you had gone. The magistrate and his men removed all trace of the satanic practices, and have kept the stones and paraphernalia they found as evidence against those responsible. I am pleased to be able to say, with confidence, that there is nobody lurking in the woods now. The gardeners have also done some work in there that has transformed it. I should like it if you would take a look. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.”

Estelle looked at him doubtfully. After several moments she shook her head.

“I can’t.” She looked at the woods warily. “I am sorry.”

Myles turned to face her. “Trust me,” he urged gently. “I promise you, it looks quite different now. Not at all scary and, while I don’t recommend you go in there when it is foggy, or dark, it is perfectly fine now.”

He held his hand out. Estelle looked at it. Her gaze lifted to meet his. She got the distinct impression that he wasn’t just asking her to walk with him through the awful woods. He was asking her to place her trust in him.

She looked at him again. His steady gaze didn’t waver. She suspected then that this journey was going to take her in a completely different direction than the path she had expected her life would take. With Myles, she suspected that this new journey would bring her many surprises.