“Meredith? Queen of the hags? This is a bloody disaster!” He stomped about the room. “Very well. If you two milk sops won’t take matters into your hands, I will. We have a legacy, a history to overcome! And just because you have gotten soft, does not mean I have to. You just wait, Lucas.” He stormed out of the room, his head still shaking in disbelief.
He watched as his brother fumed, steam practically coming from his ears as he faded from sight. But Jack’s words haunted him. Was he going “soft” as his brother had put it? Was it possible that this new… development with Meredith was nothing more than a ploy the hags had implemented? Yet, as he considered her expressions, the prickly personality with which she rebuffed his advances… or answered them, he knew that such mannerisms were instinctive, not borne of some elaborate plot.
Shaking his head, he studied the fire burning low in the grate. It was madness, yet he was a willing participant in such folly, especially if Meredith was the prize. Tonight he would put forth additional effort in the delightful diversion of seducing Meredith.
She wasn’t averse to his kiss, that much was certain, so that meant that she was more… distrusting.
He could… he would change that.
All he needed was time.
And opportunity.
A garden maze.
Torchlight.
It was perfect. Now, if only he could get the woman to cooperate.
Unlikely.
Which in truth, made it all the more fun.
Let the chase begin.
CHAPTER SIX
“LOUISA! IT’S A MAZE, not a London Ballroom! You simply cannot wear that!” Meredith felt her last nerve stretching thin as her sister waltzed into her room wearing a delicate pale green silk dress — one that would shred to pieces if even brushed against the hedgerows of the Wingham estate!
“It is perfectly suitable.” Louisa smoothed the skirt and glanced over her shoulder at the mirror opposite her.
Meredith narrowed her eyes. “What is going on?”
“Going on? I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Yes… yes you do.” She marched toward her sister. “You have that… that… thing! That twinkle in your eye that means you’re going to do something either brilliant or foolish!”
“Deep breaths, Meredith… full sentences,” Louisa shot back, an unrepentant grin on her face.
“It’s Hugh.” Sara walked into the room, causing Meredith to turn and regard her. Sara’s face was beet red, her hat askew as her hair sprung freely from beneath it.
“And what happened to you?” Louisa asked, her tone hesitant.
“Ask Jack. The bloody son of a—”
“Sara!” Meredith and Louisa both interrupted her tirade.
“He can rot for all I care,” she fumed. “Rot!” Stomping her foot she stalked toward the mirror and whimpered as she looked at her disheveled state.
“Do I even want to know?” Meredith asked.
“No,” she grumbled.
Louisa snorted softly. “I’m great with not knowing.”
“I hope they pull the same prank on you.” Sara glared.
“Let’s move forward shall we? Sara, do you know what you’ll be wearing for the activities tonight? Hopefully something more sensible than your sister.” Meredith gave Louisa an admonishing glare.
It was Sara’s turn to snort. ”She just wants Hugh to notice her. They were walking in the garden earlier and if I weren’t so innocent—” Her blue eyes shot daggers at Louisa.
“Sara went behind us and put ink in Jack’s tea this morning at breakfast,” Louisa interrupted.
“What? Oh Sara…” Meredith lamented. ”I thought we agreed to save that! It was meant as the last prank so that they wouldn’t be able to do something similar to us!”
“I know, but I had such a perfect opportunity, and I simply could not pass it up!”
“I understand, but you must learn some self control,” Meredith scolded.
“Speaking of self-control—” Sara began.
“I think you need to wear my pink silk!” Louisa shouted, interrupting once more.
“Pink silk?”
“Pink silk?” Meredith echoed Sara.
“Yes! Don’t you think it will look lovely?”
“Indeed,” Sara replied, her gaze studying Louisa and then nodding once. ”I do think that… arrangement… can be made.”
“Are you buying her silence?” Meredith turned to Louisa.
“No… Can’t I simply be generous?”
“With your pink silk?”
“Yes.”
“I… simply do not want to know. Let Father or Mother deal with the both of you.” Meredith lifted her hands in exasperation.
“I’ll simply go and get ready,” Sara chirped and practically skipped out the door.
“Don’t pretend you’re immune to the charm,” Louisa whispered, leaning in slightly.
“Immune to what?”
“I know about Lucas…” With that she left, her footsteps echoing in the hall.
Just how had the Mayford brothers divided and conquered so effectively? Yet as she considered it, were they actually doing that on purpose, or had they all changed?
Disregarding the troubling thought, she dressed in her blue muslin and pinned her hair firmly, knowing they’d be shamelessly running throughout the maze, ladies or not, some things were never outgrown. With a smile at her reflection in the mirror, she made her way to the hall where they’d start the evening’s activities, hating that as she entered the room, there was only one person she noticed.