5. Ambrose
Ambrose
After lingering in Annabelle’s house to recompose myself, I stumbled out onto the front porch to find only empty carriages and cars in the gravel circle with a small group of drivers chatting nearby.
I made sure no one else was about before making my way down the porch steps and along the path that wound around the house.
As soon as I heard the commotion from the picnic, my steps slowed, and I felt my composure breaking again.
I was shocked to see Zeth out of the blue. I’d just been thinking about him in the barn, but he was the last person I’d expected to see anywhere in Everdeen, and at Annabelle’s picnic, of all places. How long had he been back in town? Since when did Zeth attend elite parties?
I thought back to how close he’d come to me, how he’d caressed my hair. And curses, I still smelled that lye soap as if he were here now. He’d teased me about courting, even tried to kiss me, only for it to be a cruel trick.
After all this time, Zeth was bitter over how we broke up—God, what a fool I was!
Although, his words about me having power in our past relationship made my blood simmer.
I could only assume he meant it was because I had wealth.
If he had a problem with me before, why did he bother proposing when we were younger?
What a jackass.
I had to find Annabelle and speak with her. I was here to woo her into courting, after all, and I needed something—anything—to distract me from thinking about that tall, handsome rogue. Dear God, did I call him a tall, handsome rogue ? I needed to get myself together.
As I came into the backyard, I saw a few of Annabelle’s maids already gathering picnic baskets and blankets. Small groups of people conversed on the terrace, so I passed them and made a line straight for Annabelle.
She stood in the middle of a few admirers.
Her blonde hair was pinned into a loose bun with golden strands falling around her slim face, and her blue eyes shone like diamonds.
Even her cheeks flushed like pink roses.
She was slender, poised, standing with the grace of a princess…
And I was but one of many who wished to know her better.
I looked around at my competition. Most of them were around the same height as me. One man was balding, while another was sweating profusely. A short, black-haired woman drowning in emeralds fanned herself. I was certain I could do better than any of them here.
That is, until I opened my mouth. I knew I would lose my words as soon as I tried to talk to her. I had already prepared myself for this exact scenario this morning, but Zeth had ruined it all. I couldn’t think now, not after he’d shown his face and gotten me so worked up. Even so, I had to try.
I shoved Zeth out of my mind and inched closer to Annabelle as a man left her circle. To my dismay, every time I tried to cut in and speak with her, someone else would step in and do it before me. After a minute, I tried again, putting up my finger and opening my mouth to break in.
But a young man asked, “Miss Winters, do tell me more about the car you purchased while in Port Winchester. I’m thinking of buying one myself.”
“You look so dashing driving it,” the black-haired woman added with a coy smile.
Annabelle granted them equal attention, and I sighed, ready to give up and leave.
I searched for a way out when I saw my father nodding at me in the distance.
I couldn’t disappoint him. Straightening, I cleared my throat and stepped in front of Earl Langley, a man a few years older than myself.
He grunted as I knocked him back and took his place to stand in front of Annabelle.
“Oh, Ambrose!” she started. “How lovely to see you. I saw Hattie earlier. She’s looking for you.”
That wasn’t at all what I was expecting her to say. Was she already trying to get rid of me? At least I could tell Father she pointed me away to find my sister. But no… that was an excuse.
Instead, I raised my chin, trying to appear at least a little taller than her, even though we were nearly the same height. “That’s actually what I’m here about.” I stared at her for a moment, my lips glued together as I forgot everything I planned to say.
“Um…” My mind went blank. The other two men beside me muttered something to each other, and my face went hot under Annabelle’s waiting gaze.
Finally, I blurted out, “Hattie and I were talking about going to the river to fish. Well, she doesn’t like to fish, but I enjoy it.
She mostly reads while I do it. Fish, that is.
I was wondering if you’d like to join me instead tomorrow. ”
The others standing behind me snorted with amusement. They were right to tease; I had just asked the dumbest question imaginable. Annabelle was so elegant. What was I thinking?
“That’s Ambrose for you, moving on to his next conquest. We know how this will end,” Earl murmured to someone behind me. I stood tall and straightened my jacket, not caring what they thought.
“Join you fishing?” Annabelle’s question didn’t sound prim. In fact, her eyes brightened in excitement. “Well, I haven’t gone this year yet. That sounds fun!”
I let out a breath of relief, hopeful my father would be proud of me for this. “So, tomorrow… Should I come and fetch you, or would you like to walk?” I gritted my teeth. Fetch her? “What I mean is, I can bring a carriage, or we could walk or ride.”
“Walking sounds fine, Ambrose. We can fish at my lake and not have to walk far.” She squeezed my arm, sounding kind and appreciative like she did back in our school days, and I ignited with pride.
But then her eyes drifted to the side as the other men wandered away. I followed her gaze to a familiar, devilishly handsome face coming right for her. As soon as I saw Zeth, my body went hot. What was he up to now?
“Anna,” Zeth exclaimed softly, sounding a bit winded and rather relieved as he reached us both. He spared me no glance as he took one of Annabelle’s palms as if pleading. “I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“Oh, Zeth Washer, is that you? It’s been ages. Why do you need my forgiveness?”
“For our last day together.” The huskiness of his voice hinted at a thousand shared intimacies that should have been mine. Zeth had always hated Annabelle for being the teacher’s pet. What was he on about?
Annabelle must have felt the same as me because she appeared confused.
Zeth let go of her with a remorseful pout to his lean face. “That frog that leaped out of your school bag during geometry, that was me.”
“You were the frog?” Annabelle asked, the corners of her eyes crinkling with playful surprise.
Zeth played along by making a ribbit sound, and when Annabelle laughed, I wrinkled my nose to stifle my smile.
Damn me for wanting to laugh at him too.
I should be wanting to slap him instead.
It was outrageous of Zeth to flirt with Annabelle as if he hadn’t had his hands on me just ten minutes ago.
I inspected him sharply for faults, my eyes straying down the front of his sleek blue jacket.
It seemed his new height also came with a hint of strength beneath his clothes.
His build was wider than I remembered and his attire nicer than the chapel donations he wore in his youth. Did he come into wealth?
When Zeth found me staring, I hoped he saw my scowl directed at him. He was ruining my moment with Annabelle so he could move in on her. His games made my veins surge with fire.
Zeth’s gaze flitted between me and her. “I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?”
I raised my chin. “Actually, yes, I—”
“That’s nice,” Zeth cut me off with a wave of his hand, the bastard. Then he turned to Annabelle with puppy dog eyes. “What’s important is that I needed to find you, and… May I still call you Anna?”
When I inhaled sharply, Annabelle glanced strangely at me before nodding primly at Zeth. “Of course.”
“Isn’t that Washer?” a man muttered behind me as he passed us. Another guy answered him with a rude jab. Recognition was hitting them all, and from their tone, they weren’t happy to see the Washers’ son included at the picnic.
The lively glow in Zeth’s eyes faded. Maybe he’d heard the rising gossip, but he seemed indifferent as he rose to his full height. “Anna, I sincerely beg your assistance. My sister attended your precious picnic with me and has gone completely missing.”
“Millie’s here too?” Annabelle asked.
“Yes, kind of you to remember her.” Zeth glanced around, his forehead creased. “I’ve searched everywhere and simply can’t locate her. Perhaps you know of a place where my little sister may be hiding?”
I narrowed my eyes at Zeth’s polished words, as if he’d rehearsed his own lines. “You didn’t seem concerned about her earlier.”
“I didn’t know she was missing,” he explained with a quick glare at me before facing Annabelle again.
She tugged her hand free from Zeth’s to place it against her chin, thinking. “I have many trails behind the house that wind throughout the woods. If she wandered that way, no doubt she found the gazebo or the lake. Shall we go look?”
“Of course.” Zeth beamed as he held out his arm, and Annabelle hesitated before she took it.
When they moved away from me and headed for the garden, I followed right behind and blurted out, “I’ll go too!”
Zeth glanced over his shoulder. “There’s no need to accompany us, Mr. Somerset.”
“Well, if your sister is truly missing, as you say, don’t you think we should gather a party to find her?” I put out my hands to emphasize the supposed seriousness of the situation.
“Good idea, Ambrose,” Annabelle agreed. “We should all search.”
Zeth nodded before he glared back at me with sheer annoyance. He gestured to the tree line with long and graceful fingers. “Well then, Mr. Somerset, why don’t you take the lead? We’ll follow behind.”