Her Men

She didn’t get the chance to ask him any more questions as he was gone.

Going in the direction that he pointed, she nibbled her lip, hoping there would be a chance of talking to someone or at least, just leaving. There was no one in the kitchen, but the scent of home cooking filled the air. She couldn’t see any signs of breakfast until she opened the oven and she saw a plate. She grabbed a towel and pulled the plate out, inhaling the delicious smell of pancakes and maple syrup. She loved pancakes. Her favorite was chocolate chip but plain were good too.

She didn’t go back out there.

Sitting at the counter, she took a large bite and closed her eyes, moaning in appreciation. She kept her gaze on the door that led out to the garden. He’d told her not to leave.

Then don’t leave.

She still believed her parents were capable of keeping her locked up, and running away right now seemed like the worst plan. If what James said last night was to be believed, he wanted out of this marriage. All that told her was her parents had something on him. She stared longingly at the door, wanting nothing more than to go back to her old life, or maybe something better. She’d always idealized the British landscape. The idea of living by the beach, a small cottage where she’d be able to walk into the nearest town. A simple, quaint life. This was the furthest thing from it, but at least she was protected.

He’d taken her cell phone, so she had the best excuse there was.

Once she finished her breakfast, she washed her dishes, drying them up and searching the entire kitchen for the right cupboard in which to place them. With that all done, she took one last, lingering look at the door and then headed back through the dining room.

She’d head outside once she had wandered throughout the large house. Last night she’d thought it was huge, and it was. She found two different dining rooms. The one nearest the kitchen had the longest table, so she imagined that was used for social functions. The other dining room had a smaller, more intimate one.

“I wonder how many women he’s wooed here.”

Her husband was nothing more than a stranger. The only information she had on him was that provided to her by the glossy magazines her mother loved so much. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she checked out some of the artwork, not really taking a liking to it.

Moving on, she found his office from last night and wrinkled her nose. It was way too conservative-looking, and if she had her wish, she wouldn’t see him for a long time. Businessmen went away on long day trips, and she didn’t imagine him lingering all that long for her.

After the office, she found the entertainment room, game room, then a large blank room, which she had no clue what it was for, before finding a room with so many books it was pretty much a library in itself.

She didn’t bother going upstairs to check out all the bedrooms, and ran her fingers down each of the spines of books she could reach. Some titles she couldn’t even pronounce and were in such great condition she wondered if they’d even been read.

There was no title that stood out for her to read or to curl up on that uncomfortable-looking sofa in the corner, so she went to the window and took a look outside. The sun was shining and the garden looked so peaceful and full of warmth, whereas the house seemed so cold, sterile, and not very inviting.

Seeing no one around, she headed downstairs and walked right out the back door, making sure to close it quietly behind her.

She wasn’t sneaking away or hiding. She was just exploring the grounds. Nothing wrong with that.

So many flowers greeted her along with a beautifully mowed lawn. Statues covered the garden, and she guessed at night they would be aglow showing the full scale and beauty of the house.

Abby noticed a path and rather than veer off it, she followed it, taking her time as she passed each display of flowers.

The beauty captured her attention, and she wanted nothing more than to dive in and stay in the moment. There was nothing wrong with just taking time, enjoying every part, loving life.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she stumbled onto another building. This one was set away from the house and she saw the door was open. She stepped through the threshold and couldn’t help but smile as she saw the large pool.

She paused the instant she caught sight of the butler or James’s PA. She didn’t know what to call him, and he’d not given her a name.