Simon waited outside the front of the house for their guests to ready themselves. Three wagons had been procured for the event, and all were ready for their departure. All that was left to do was to organise the troops and head to the wood.
He scooted over in the driver’s seat of the first wagon, making room for Ellen. She had yet to appear, and he looked over his shoulder at the house, wondering what could be taking her so long.
“May I sit in your wagon, Lord Simon?” Lady Astor asked. She was about a decade older than he, a widow who had lost her husband several years before. She was kind, if not a little strange, in her ideas. But then, he supposed she had been through enough in her short life to allow for a bit of eccentricity.
“Of course, Lady Astor. Please, allow me to assist you,” he said. He climbed down from the front of the wagon and went around the back. The wagons had been filled with hay, allowing people to ride out to the forest. Most everyone would have to walk alongside the wagons on the way back, as they would be filled to the brim with greenery to decorate their homes.
She thanked him, taking his hand. She climbed into the wagon and flashed him a grateful smile. When she was settled in her rudimentary seat on the edge of the wagon, she turned a questioning gaze on him. “Where is your pretty young bride? I have not seen her yet today.”
“I am sure she will be out any minute. She is probably ensuring the rest of the ladies are out before she joins us.” Simon smiled up at her, noticing the ragged scarf hanging like a wet rag about her neck. She had taken to wearing the oddest clothing since her husband had passed. She looked more like she belonged in a workhouse rather than a fine mansion just a few miles down the road from Sotheby Place.
Simon shook his head and glanced back toward the front door again. He smiled. “There she is,” he said. “I am sure you will be able to visit with her while we ride out to the forest. I am sure you will find her conversation quite diverting.”
“It only matters that you do,” Lady Astor said and turned away to watch the others as they climbed into the wagons. Simon nodded, walking back to the front of the wagon.
He waited on the side where the passenger usually sat and for Ellen to approach. He smiled at her, but she did not return it. He watched with alarm as she passed right by him and went to the wagon her father had brought. She met his gaze as she passed by, glaring at him coldly. He frowned, giving her a questioning glance. What had gotten into her?
He was about to follow after her and ask what was wrong when his father called to him. “Simon! We are ready to depart!” he said. “Lead on!”
Simon watched Ellen go for a second and then turned to climb into the buckboard of the wagon. Once settled, he looked over his shoulder at the back wagon. Ellen had climbed into the back and was sitting beside one of her sisters, chatting away as if she did not have a care in the world.
He turned back around and slapped the reins against the horse’s back. “Confounding woman,” he murmured, trying to figure out what had elicited such a drastic change in his wife.
They were about to pull out when Lady Genevieve appeared at his side. She placed a hand on the horse’s back and petted its soft coat. “Is there room for one more?” she asked. Simon was immediately put on the alert. After what Ellen had told him she had said at Everett’s party a few nights before, he was not sure it would be wise for him to have her in his wagon.
“Ahh, there is. Ask Lord Everett if he might help you into the back,” Simon suggested.
Lady Genevieve gave a slight pout. “Oh, I much prefer to ride in the front if you do not mind? Being thrown about in the back makes me nauseous,” she said.
“You will not be thrown around, I assure you. I am a very careful driver,” he said.
“Still, will you indulge me? I feel that we have not had a moment to catch up since you were married. Surely there is no harm in me riding alongside you, is there?” she asked. She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and he felt he could not refuse without making a scene.
“Very well,” he said. He stood, offering her his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up into the buckboard. She squeezed around him, sitting down with a satisfied grin.
“There. Now I can keep you company while you drive,” she said. She looked over her shoulder at the other wagons and gave a decided nod. “I think we are all ready to go, Lord Simon.”
“Wonderful,” he said, but his tone did not match his words. He looked back once more and caught Ellen’s eye. Her gaze burned with jealousy, and he swallowed hard. Simon scooted to the edge of the bench, as far away from Lady Genevieve as he could manage. It would not do for Ellen to see them sitting close together. He sensed he was already in enough trouble as it was.
Chapter 35
Ellen could barely contain her jealousy as she watched Lady Genevieve climb into the wagon and sit beside her husband. The sense of betrayal was almost more than she could bear, so much so that she thought of asking her father to stop the wagon so she could return to the house.
She ground her teeth, trying to block out Lady Genevieve’s annoying laughter. Simon did not seem to engage with her or join in with her laughter. Even still, she was upset. How could he cast her aside? Had he ever wanted her at all? Or had it all been a hoax?
As the wagon bumped down the snow-covered country lane, she withdrew even deeper into herself. At first, she had tried to look like she was having a good time, laughing and chatting with Beatrice. However, she soon felt silent, and her sister turned to speak with the viscount.
Ellen sunk deeper into her misery, in a foul mood from the discovery she had made earlier and the chill wind that blew around them. She brushed her hair away from her face, wishing she had taken Ambers’ advice and stayed in her room. It would have served Simon right for the way that he had done her wrong.
When they arrived at the edge of the wood, Ellen allowed everyone else to climb down from the wagon first. Her father came around the back and helped her down. “Is everything all right, Ellen? Why did you not ride with Simon?” he asked.
Ellen gave a short laugh. “We are together all the time now. I wanted to spend a little time with my family.”
Her father frowned slightly. “What an odd thing for you to say, my dear. Simonisyour family now.”
A pinprick of guilt assailed her heart. She glanced at the head wagon and spotted Simon helping Lady Genevieve climb down. She put her hands on his shoulders, and he placed his hands around her waist. She jumped down and left her hands on Simon’s shoulders for a split second longer than was proper. Ellen turned away, too incensed to watch anymore.
“Yes, well, married or not—you are still my flesh and blood,” she said and stomped off. She needed a moment to calm down, for the last thing she wanted to do was ruin the festivities for everyone else. She crossed her arms over her chest, taking deep breaths.