A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 6)

Niall shook his head at him. Within seconds, both men were seated before the fire with large doses of brandy in their goblets. A somewhat hushed and expectant silence then settled over everyone. Niall and Will looked askance at each other. Neither of them knew of a way to extricate themselves from the situation. With their quarry gone, all they could do was sit and wait for the scenario to play out and make their escape just as soon as practically possible. They both knew that they couldn’t risk offending Flora Potter, not least because she was Atticus’s sister.

“I am sorry for this,” Clara whispered out of the corner of her mouth while the ladies accepte

d hot chocolate or brandy, which Flo dutifully handed out.

“You should be,” Niall growled. “I am not here for this.”

“You didn’t tell me why you are here,” Clara muttered.

“That’s because it is none of your business, or theirs.” He nodded to the women, who were still settling themselves and trying not to listen too hard to their quiet conversation.

“Don’t they look a wonderful couple?” Babette murmured suddenly, making no attempt to hide her study of both Clara and Niall, who were sitting side-by-side on a chaise closest to the fire. Will had been made to take up position directly opposite them.

To annoy his colleague, Will sagely began to nod and fought a smirk when Niall threw him a dirty look.

“We are not-”

“It’s not supposed to be announced yet, Babette,” Clara interjected.

“Yes. You mustn’t go around telling everyone they are a couple until the formal announcement is made. You will get poor Clara a bad name,” Edith chided.

“No, please do not go around telling everyone we are engaged,” Clara urged.

“We aren’t,” Babette gasped. “This can be our little secret, for now.”

“What happened outside? Why were you in the garden, Niall?” Flo asked, desperately trying to change the subject away from Clara’s fictitious engagement.

“Yes, dear. Whatever happened?” Edith demanded. “Did you see the man I saw? Was he still out there?”

“Yes,” Niall replied before Clara could answer her.

The ladies turned piercing stares on Niall as they waited for him to give them details. Clara opened her mouth but wasn’t sure what to tell them given Niall’s penchant for secrecy. She looked askance at Niall only for him to lift a querulous brow, making it perfectly clear that she was going to get no help from him. Sighing in disgust, Clara contemplated what to tell the ladies, but then decided that honesty was the best policy.

“There was a man in my garden. Niall arrived while I was fetching water and went to have a look for him. The man just lunged at me. Thankfully, Niall scared him off.”

“I think it would be best if I escorted you ladies home later,” Niall offered. “It won’t do to have you wandering around at night alone either.”

Both Edith and Clara understood Niall’s pointed warning. Edith saw it as her cue to tell the ladies about Erasmus accosting Clara earlier that same evening.

“Of course, now Erasmus knows she has a fiancé he is likely to leave her alone,” Audrey nodded.

“Do you think?” Sissy snorted. “That man wouldn’t take a hint if, well, if Niall hit him in the head with it.”

Audrey nodded. “He is a little obtuse. Erasmus that is, not your dear Niall.”

“He is not my -” Clara slid a wary look at Niall who was again studying her “-suitor, no matter what Erasmus tells anybody.”

“Well, of course we know that now, dear,” Babette gasped. “And it is no wonder why you are not interested in anything Erasmus has to offer.”

“Babette, you are scandalous,” Edith chided.

“I am not wrong to mention just how handsome a couple they are, am I?” Babette countered.

“Well, no,” Edith sighed. “I suppose not.”

“Well, there you go then.”

Niall sighed and mentally shook his head. He struggled to understand just how he had gone from standing outside in the shadows watching the house to sitting in the middle of ladies’ parlour sipping brandy listening to a group of women chatter about his wedding. When he had gotten out of bed this morning, he hadn’t even had a lover let alone an intended wife. Now he was due to be wed, and according to the women, was going to live at Atticus’s house once he had a wife.