Chapter 13 #2
“How do you do?” she greeted meekly, wiggling her fingers at them after she got to her feet.
For a moment, Constantine and Caitlyn only stared at her in shock, and it was then that Elara took the opportunity to take in the features of the woman who had just attempted to seduce her husband and realized she had seen her before. It was, she confirmed, a maid. One of his maids.
Despite their marriage being just a deal to save them both from ruin, Elara felt her heart tremble in pain at the realization.
“I thought you were still on your trip,” Elara explained, her gaze focusing on Constantine.
His gaze hardened, and his jaw twitched with irritation as he pressed his lips together.
“I just returned,” he answered stiffly.
“And ran straight to your paramour, I see.”
The words were out of Elara’s mouth before she even realized it, and then she snapped her mouth shut.
I said that aloud? What is wrong with me?
Some words were too bold, even for her.
Constantine’s eyes narrowed with growing irritation, then his head snapped toward Caitlyn as he put his hands behind his back and took another step back from her.
“As I stated earlier, Caitlyn, our... arrangement is finished. Since you cannot accept that, I will be releasing you. Today is your last day.”
A surprising amount of satisfaction rose up in Elara as she watched the young woman’s face grow pallid, and her jaw drop.
“But Your Grace! I... please, do not be so harsh,” she pleaded. “I apologize for pressing you, but you cannot dismiss me. Where will I go?”
“I assure you, I do not care. I warned you to stop pressing me, and I will not accept you speaking ill of my wife.”
“I am sure that Mrs. York will write you a stellar letter of recommendation, Caitlyn,” Elara stated, her tone calm and full of authority. “In fact, I shall see to it myself. But you may leave our presence now. I have things to discuss with my husband, and as he just said, you are dismissed.”
Constantine’s vivid green eyes stayed locked with Elara’s even as Caitlyn turned to him with a pleading tone and whispered, “Your Grace.”
“You heard my wife,” he said through gritted teeth. “Get out.”
From the corner of her eye, Elara saw Caitlyn stumble back and stare at Constantine.
Then, finally, she obeyed, letting out a sob as she hurried to the door and shut it loudly behind her.
For several seconds afterward, Elara and Constantine continued to stare at each other.
She had no doubt what Constantine was feeling; the annoyance was clearly etched on his handsome face.
Inside her, however, she was battling a storm of emotions.
Embarrassment, anger, unexpected hurt, and wicked glee that she had just sent her husband’s former mistress away.
“What are you doing here, Elara?” Constantine demanded, breaking the tense silence.
“I could ask you the same thing,” she replied coldly, narrowing her eyes. “You came home without a word, and I find you with your mistress.”
Constantine raised a single brow as his lips twitched.
“She is not my mistress,” he said. Elara blushed instantly as he took a step toward her; static instantly formed between them. “But it surprises me to hear that you see this as your home now.”
“Stop,” she warned.
“Not that I mind,” Constantine smirked as he took another step closer. “I just find it interesting that you call my house so. Especially since you and I have an arrangement.”
“It meant nothing,” she hastily replied, taking another step backward.
She let out a soft gasp as her backside hit the front of his desk, and it made her feel more trapped than ever.
“Just as you mean nothing to me,” she icily added, gripping the edge of the desk for support.
“I am not so innocent as to believe that a shameless man like you would not have a mistress. But a maid? It seems you and your brother have similar interests.”
Surprise glimmered in Constantine’s eyes for only a second before a smugness took over.
“Careful, wife,” he warned, taking another step closer. “You almost sound jealous.”
Elara barked out a laugh, even as her body filled with warmth from his proximity.
“Jealous? No, do not flatter yourself. Quite the contrary. In fact, the only Harcourt man I feel anything other than disdain for is young William,” she replied, tipping her chin up.
Constantine let out a humorless huff of a laugh as he ran his gaze down Elara’s body. His close inspection made her want to tremble, but she fought to keep her body still.
I am just nervous I was caught, that is all, she told herself, as she felt a twinge in her lower belly when his gaze paused at her throat, and he tilted his head, almost as if he were curious about that particular part of her person.
“What were you doing in here, Elara?” he asked again. His deep voice had lost its bite, and his tone smoothed over her ears like silk. This time, she could not help but adjust her shoulders and grip the desk a little tighter.
She did not answer.
Constantine let out a sigh, shook his head, and stepped closer, enough that the front of his breeches grazed the front of her skirts.
He raised his hands, and for a moment, Elara’s heart trembled, thinking he was about to reach out and touch her.
Then he unbuttoned his jacket, reached inside, and pulled out a neatly folded handful of papers.
“We had an arrangement, you and I,” he said, waving the papers before her. “You are to care for William, give him some much-needed motherly affection. And I am to look for clues on my brother’s whereabouts. You have your duties, and I have mine.”
Elara shook her head as she kept her eyes on the papers.
“I am caring for William,” she told him.
“He is a wonderful little boy. But I need not do much when it comes to caring for him, and I have time to spare. You do not know me well, Your Grace, but you will find that when I am interested in something, I have a hard time letting it go. In this particular subject, no matter what you task me with, I cannot just sit back and trust you to find what I need.”
“Oh, I am quite aware of how intensely focused you can be when you want something,” Constantine retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “It was the first thing I learned about you. Other than the fact that you look sinfully delicious in crimson.”
Elara blushed at the compliment, earning her a smirk from Constantine. Angry at him for catching her off guard, she tried to take the papers from him. He snatched them away before her fingers could even make purchase, and instead ended up slapping her hand against his chest.
“You do like to play rough, wife,” he mused immediately after the hit. “Careful. Sometimes I like that.”
Elara gaped at his words, then glared at him.
“You are insufferable,” she seethed, slapping him again in the same spot.
“In that at least we are alike,” Constantine quipped, then tapped the papers teasingly against her forehead as his smirk widened. “Now, if you would stop being so, perhaps I would show you what I found.”
Elara pushed past the strange and annoying feelings of giddiness brewing inside her from their interaction, and with a quickness, reached for the papers again. This time, he allowed her to take them, though it earned her another annoying chuckle from his sculpted lips.
“Enough with your teasing,” she chastised, pushing him backward.
Again, Constantine chuckled, but to her relief, he took a step backward so she had enough space to turn around and face the desk. Hastily, she unfolded the papers and placed them on the desk. “What is it you have found?”
The flesh on the back of her neck prickled as Constantine’s warm breath fanned over the space, distracting her for a moment.
Then his arm came around her waist, and a second later, she felt his chin rest on her shoulder.
This time, she could not help the shiver that passed through her, warming her from the inside out.
Despite her annoyance with him, the touch sent pleasure sparking through every vein in her body.
“Here,” Constantine stated, bringing his other arm around her so he could point at something on the top paper.
Elara’s eyes fluttered closed as he spoke, his warm breath once more fanning over her flesh and threatening to make her squirm in delight.
She forced her eyes open, knowing she would be a fool to think anything Constantine did meant anything real, and looked down at the page. It seemed to be a list of wagers from an establishment called The Epsom Derby.
“Why is this important?” she asked, turning her head to face him. She nearly faltered when she realized how close his face was to hers, and quickly looked back down at the page.
“The Epsom Derby Sweep is going to start in two days,” Constantine explained.
“And what is that?” Elara asked.
“The Epsom Derby has two to three races every month, but in July, they have the Sweep. One to three races every day for a week. It is a betting man’s greatest achievement or greatest downfall.
By this list of accounts, it seems Augustus has been there every year for the past decade to place his bets.
Including last year, when he was supposed to be out of London. ”
Excitement laced through Elara’s veins. Constantine had made good on his promise and actually found another clue!
“So you suspect he will be there again this year?” she asked, turning to face him again. This time, Constantine stayed still to face her, and Elara’s breath caught in her throat as their eyes met, and Constantine smirked in that annoying way that made butterflies erupt in her stomach.
“According to these statements, my brother has done quite well with his bets over the last few years. Last year, he won over ten thousand pounds. A small fortune for anyone, but essential for someone who needs to stay on the run. I highly doubt he will miss an opportunity to earn such funds again,” Constantine explained.
“It is only an hour’s drive away, but I will rent a place closer to the track so I can keep a better eye out. With luck, I will see my brother.”
Elara shook her head and turned around so she could fully face him.
“With luck, we will see your brother,” she replied, folding up the papers again. “I am coming with you.”
Constantine frowned as Elara pulled back his jacket and neatly tucked the papers back into the pocket from whence they came.
“You certainly are not,” he retorted. “You are going to stay here with William, as you promised.”
Feeling encouraged by her progress, Elara smiled and pushed past him.
“Oh, I will,” she promised, going to the door. “He is coming with us. We could all use some fresh, country air. I would wager the boy has not yet left this house in his young life.”
Constantine’s brows furrowed deeper.
“Well… no,” he confessed.
“Then it is settled,” Elara said cheerily as she opened the door. “We will take his wet nurse and nanny, of course, and we will all go together. I shall go get William ready, and inform Mrs. York while you make the arrangements.”
“Elara—”
“Truly great work, husband,” Elara praised as she closed the door between them.
In the hallway, she grinned, not sure if she was more delighted by the clue they had found or the look on Constantine’s face.
He had flustered her on more than one occasion, and she could not help but get a thrill from thinking that, for the first time, she had actually flustered him.