Trapped with the Earl of Sin

Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“… a

nd that is when she told me that I could not ever set foot in her store again. It was utter madness! I could not even believe what I was hearing.”

As everyone around Susanna laughed at the anecdote Luke was telling them, she tried to join in as best she could, but truth be told, she could not take her eyes off Martin. The atmosphere between them had shifted this evening, she could feel it. They were more drawn to one another than ever before.

Unfortunately, they had already shared one dance, so she could not sneak off with him for another moment alone to figure out what was brewing between them.

Much as she kept trying to convince herself that was only because of the mission they were on together, she knew it was also because of the kiss. She could almost feel him wanting to kiss her again, just as she did him. When they were dancing together, she was surprised that both of them had managed to resist.

She did not know how much longer she could keep going with these complicated feelings swirling inside of her.

“I am sure I might have done the same thing,” Edwin boomed, putting himself right in the middle of the conversation once more. He had been doing this all evening. Every time Luke spoke, he made sure to join in, to make it clear that he did not intend to leave his cousin’s side. At least, that was how it seemed to Susanna. “I would not like any rabble-rousers in my store as well. You have always been this way, Cousin. You might have a sweet-looking face, but you are one for secret trouble.”

Susanna’s eyes widened as she watched Edwin take Luke’s glass from him, before making a quiet comment about heading to the bar. This was certainly suspicious because there were lots of people in their little group, and Edwin did not offer anyone else a drink.

Only Luke.

She saw Martin looking taken aback as well.

This was exactly the sort of thing that they needed to be aware of, this was just what Martin had been talking about earlier. If Edwin was going to do something dangerous to Luke, then this might be the sort of place that he would do it. He could quite easily slip something into Luke’s drink, and no one would know.

If this man really was capable of murdering his best friend in a sick attempt to get closer to Mary, then there was no telling what he would do to his cousin.

He might even poison him.

Panic reverberated through Susanna. She knew that she needed to act. If she was going to protect Luke and ensure Mary did not end up losing another person that she was in love with, then she had to do something . But what? How could she prevent something terrible from happening?

As she caught Martin’s eyes, she could see that he was struggling to figure out a solution to this problem as well. But unfortunately, he did not look like he had any ideas either. He was stunned, and his brain might have been whirring at the speed of light, but he had nothing either.

Time was ticking down.

This was becoming increasingly desperate by the minute.

Something needed to happen, but Susanna was worried that she would not be able to act fast enough.

Everyone else might have been calm, but they had no idea what was going on. They could easily lose themselves in the conversation without panicking about Edwin, because none of them had any idea of what he was hiding in his bedchambers. What he might be doing to Luke’s drink right at this very moment…

Eventually, Susanna spotted Edwin with two glasses clutched between his fingers, returning to the group. She was not sure if that truly was a smug smile playing on his lips, but it certainly felt that way. Her heart leapt up into her throat, and she felt like she could not breathe, her whole body trembling with fear. The closer he got to the group, the more frightened she felt.

If she was not careful, her heart was going to absolutely explode with terror.

“Here you are, Luke.” Edwin handed the drink to Luke and watched him intently. It was almost as if he was waiting for the moment that the glass touched his lips, which only amped up Susanna’s anxiety.

He was definitely up to something.

Luke had not yet stopped talking, so he was not trying to drink. That gave Susanna a little moment to try and gather her thoughts, to work out what her next move was going to be. She did not even think to see if Martin had any plans because without being able to talk to him, she could only rely on herself.

Uh oh .

Now Luke was lifting the glass to his lips. It seemed to be happening in slow motion, and Susanna knew that it was now or never. She had to act, she had to do something drastic.

In a state of panic, Susanna lurched forward. The only thing she could think of was to knock the drink out of his hand, so it spilled everywhere. Then, if there was poison in it, it would not affect anyone.

“Oh my goodness!”

Luke gasped loudly as Susanna’s tumble knocked his glass sideways, spilling the drink everywhere. It was a real mess—it went all over the wall behind him. Even the glass tumbled to the floor because she had bumped into him so hard. It did not shatter, but the scene caused everyone to stare at Susanna.

Uh oh.

She acted without thinking, trying to save Luke’s life, but now with everyone staring at her, she did not know how to justify it. She caught Martin’s eyes as a heat burned in her face.

“Have you had a few too many to drink?” Martin chuckled, instantly trying to make this situation much more humorous. Thankfully, others joined in his laughter, defusing the tension. “My goodness, Susanna, I think it might be time to retire for the night.”

It was not the best excuse, but Susanna did not have anything else. She did not have any other reason for her actions, so she smiled thinly and nodded. “Yes, I think you might be right about that. It may well be best for me to get some sleep. I do apologize, Luke, I did not mean to cause you any issues.”

But Luke did not respond. He looked far too shocked to say anything to her, which was understandable. Susanna had truly acted out of character, and she was still doing so. She was not one to have too much to drink, and she was sure that Luke already knew that. But he could not argue with her.

“I will come with you,” Mary declared without a second thought as she linked their arms. “To make sure you are alright.”

“Oh no, you do not need to do that…” Susanna tried to insist, but Mary would not hear it.

Susanna glanced over her shoulder, shooting Martin one last look to ensure that he was extra careful now that she was being taken out of the equation. She did not really want to go to bed just yet, but she also could not stay. Not after that silly debacle.

“Are you alright, Susanna?” Mary asked once they were out in the hallway. “Have you really had too much to drink?”

For a moment, Susanna considered telling Mary everything so she could be warned as well. But she had promised Martin that they would wait until they had irrefutable evidence that Edwin was up to something. Much as she was sure that was a poisoned drink. It was probably not enough.

“I do not think I had too much to drink,” she confessed to her sister, because Mary knew her well enough to see that she was not intoxicated. “I think I am just clumsy. Perhaps because I am a little tired. It has been a busy time, with a lot of social events. I definitely think it is a good idea for me to return to bed. But, Mary, you do not have to come with me. I do not wish to cut your evening short. You have been having such a wonderful time with Luke. I am sure you are dying to go back in there.”

“I have had a lovely time,” Mary confessed. “But I am also a little tired. You are right, we have done nothing but dance and socialize. I am trying to make sure that I get plenty of sleep before the wedding. I want to look my best.”

“Oh, you do not need to worry about that. You are always beautiful, Mary. That will be no different on your wedding day.”

But Susanna could already tell that she was not about to change her sister’s mind. Mary was not about to leave Susanna to return to Luke’s estate alone. So the women left the ball and climbed into the carriage together to go back to Luke’s home.

“Did you have fun tonight?” Mary asked her as the carriage rumbled along the cobblestone road. “It looked like you were having a lot of fun.”

“It did?” Susanna asked in surprise. “Really?”

“Oh yes. Especially when you were dancing with Martin. You always look like you are having fun with Martin.”

Susanna swallowed hard, recalling their conversation earlier. It truly did seem like Mary had seen right through her. “Have you not heard me complaining about Martin and his teasing?”

“I have heard everything that you have said about him,” Mary declared with a cheeky smile. “And I see you around him too.”

Susanna sighed. It truly was getting increasingly difficult to hide the effect that Martin had on her. If Mary had spotted it, then it would not be long until everyone else saw it too. Then how would she explain their closeness and secretive conversations? They would have to keep their distance then, and it would be even harder for them to take Edwin down.

“Mary, has Edwin caused you any problems?” Susanna asked impulsively as the carriage drew closer to the estate, changing the subject to something that she really wanted to talk about. “Has he said anything worrisome to you?”

Much to Susanna’s relief and surprise, Mary shook her head. “If I am being honest with you, Susanna, he had not been problematic at all. I am sure that he has seen how happy Luke and I are together, and he has finally taken the hint. He does not even seem to want to be around me at all—he is too busy spending time with his family, which is nice. It is a relief to know that Luke and I will be able to get married with his blessing. I much prefer Edwin when he is not obsessing over me.”

Susanna wished that she could smile along with Mary, but she did not think that Edwin would give up that easily. Susanna was even more convinced that Edwin had nefarious plans involving Luke. It was agony to not be in the ball, keeping control of everything going on around her. But she hoped that she could trust Martin to keep Luke safe.

“Soon, I will be a wife,” Mary commented as the carriage finally came to a halt. “And then I will not need to worry about a thing. I will be able to look forward to my days as a wife and eventually a mother. I will have none of these silly, petty troubles any longer. Life will be perfect. This is something that I have been waiting for, for far too long.”

“I know,” Susanna agreed. “And I believe you have finally found it.”

“Do you really think so?”

Susanna forced a smile, trying to share in her sister’s excitement. “Yes, Mary, you deserve all the happiness in the world. I am sure your life with Luke will be everything that you have dreamed of.”

“I think so too,” Mary sighed contentedly. “And I cannot wait for all of that to get started on our wedding day.”

Susanna knew the responsibility weighed on her to ensure that happened. That nothing got in the way. Hopefully, once Luke and Mary had said their vows, Edwin would have to get over his feelings for Mary. He would have to move on.

A weariness overcame Susanna as they stepped out of the carriage and walked into the house together. Perhaps it was better that she had left the ball when she did, or she might have ended up asleep on her feet. It was not like she could share another dance with Martin anyway, and she had been struggling to decline dance requests from others. Now she was very much looking forward to crashing into her bed, and sleeping off the day.

Then she would be able to face whatever dramas the morning had for them head-on.

“I am going to retire for the night,” Mary said, stifling a yawn. “It has been a long day, and I want to be well-rested for tomorrow. You should get some sleep too. You truly do look a little weary. But please, come to me if you need anything, alright?”

“I will,” Susanna promised, though she knew sleep would be hard to come by with so much on her mind. “Goodnight, Mary.”

“Goodnight, Susanna.”

As Mary disappeared up the stairs, Susanna lingered in the foyer, her thoughts drifting back to Martin and Edwin. She could not shake the feeling that something was brewing tonight, and it made her uneasy not to be there.

Maybe I foiled Edwin’s plan. Perhaps Edwin will have nothing else…

But the thought offered little comfort. Edwin was cunning and determined; she doubted he would be deterred so easily.

Deciding she needed some fresh air to clear her mind, Susanna stepped out onto the terrace. The night was calm, the cool breeze a welcome relief from the stuffiness of the ballroom. She gazed out at the moonlit garden, trying to gather her thoughts and plan her next move.

Her mind drifted to Martin, still at the ball, likely keeping a watchful eye on Edwin. She trusted him, but the uncertainty gnawed at her.

The last few days were so much easier when she was beside him, and now without him there, it was as if a part of her was missing.

Even if it was unlikely that he would dance with another woman tonight, she still hated to be without him, which was a troublesome feeling. Because soon enough, they would go their separate ways, and she would have to get used to life without him.

Which felt like a very strange concept now.

How on earth was she going to cope?