A Terrible Misunderstanding (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite Book 6)

by Rebecca King

“I told you,” Clara breathed.

  Sissy patted Clara’s hand. “Don’t you worry now. We are all going to escort you home. You will be perfectly fine.”

  “What does he look like? Might it be Niall?” Audrey demanded.

  “No, it isn’t him. The man I saw is new to the village,” Babette announced firmly.

  “Where was he?”

  Babette nodded to the alley beside Mr Figley’s grocery.

  “Let’s go,” Audrey snapped.

  Like a general marching off to battle, she squared her shoulders and positively dragged Clara down the street toward her house. The ladies remained tense, but their journey was swift as they hurried to safety.

  Nobody said a word until the front door was closed behind them. Rather than remove their cloaks, they all hurried through the darkened house to the front window, and arrived just in time to watch a figure dressed entirely in black leave the end of the street, cross the road so he was on the same side of the street as Clara’s house, and disappear into the woods running alongside the garden.

  “The blackguard is going to stand in the woods and watch the house,” Audrey announced firmly.

  “Who do you think it is?”

  “That man wasn’t Niall,” Clara replied worriedly. “Niall is far taller than him.”

  “It wasn’t that nice Will either,” Sissy added a little whimsically.

  Clara slid her a look and suspected Sissy was a little smitten with Niall’s colleague, not that she could blame her. The men from the Star Elite, and that was whom she suspected they were, were all incredibly handsome.

  Sissy craned her neck to get a better look at the trees but sighed when all she could see was her own reflection in the glass. “What do we do?”

  “Is your Niall here?” Audrey asked.

  Clara sighed.

  “You had better tell them.”

  Clara jumped and squealed when she heard her aunt’s voice directly behind her.

  “You have to stop being so jumpy,” Flo chided. She lifted her brows at Audrey, who was standing closest to the window. “Would you be a dear and close the shutters for me?”

  “I shall do the others,” Sissy offered and hurried across the room.

  Once they were encased in darkness, Flo lit several candles.

  “Take a seat,” she offered the ladies. “Now, I think you had better tell them everything.”

  Clara nodded.

  “Niall is not your fiancé, is he?” Audrey began.

  Clara slowly shook her head. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she blinked them away. She didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for her. She had gotten herself into this mess.

  “Like I said, it is all a terrible misunderstanding. I am sorry, but when Erasmus accosted me, I panicked and felt I had to do something to try to get Erasmus to leave me alone. Every time I go outside, he is there, waiting to pester me and he won’t leave me alone. He tried to force me to go somewhere with him and even tried to pick me up. Thankfully, Niall appeared and warned him off, but then Edith arrived, and everything got out of hand. I don’t know why I told Erasmus that Niall was my fiancé, I just did. It just seemed the right thing to say at the time; the best solution. I don’t know why Niall didn’t object. He just glared at me as if I had lost control of my faculties, but he didn’t tell Erasmus the truth. I lied. I am sorry.”

  Sissy sighed. “No wonder he disappeared. He was then faced with everyone at your house all clamouring for his attention and had an instant fiancé for his heroism.”

  “I didn’t know how to tell everyone the truth,” Clara whispered.

  “But why was Niall in the garden when that thug accosted you?” Audrey demanded.

  “That was what we were discussing in the church. Don’t you think it a little odd that something happens to Clara just after that Niall turns up? Don’t you think it unusual that he always happens to be in the area to save her?” Sissy shook her head and looked puzzled.

  “I think it is odd that he was happy to go along with the pretence of being engaged even when the danger had passed,” Flo added. “He was here, in front of all of us. At any point he could have stood up and told us the truth.”

  “Do you think he has something to do with that thug?”

  “I don’t know but until we know who Niall is and what he is doing in the area we cannot allow him into the house again. He cannot be trusted, Clara. We are just assuming he has links to your father. He may not,” Flo warned.

  “He lied about that?” Sissy gasped.

  “No. Yes. I am not sure,” Clara whispered. “He seemed to confirm it but whenever I asked him for details Niall always refused to give them.”

  “He hasn’t confirmed it either way?” Audrey asked.

  Clara shook her head.

  “Write to your father and ask him if he sent him,” Audrey suggested.

  “I have already written to Atticus,” Flo informed them. “I want to know if he sent Niall and if so, why he didn’t tell us. I don’t know what he thinks he is doing but it isn’t right for him to scare us like this. He could have had the decency to at least forewarn us that something was going on and we needed to be alert.”

  “Well, until we know for certain who Niall and Will are, they both have to be kept away, I agree,” Audrey warned.

  “Well, if it is that Niall out there watching the house and he is up to no good then we shall just have to make sure that he is thwarted whenever he tries to follow you, won’t we?” Sissy announced firmly.

  “The villagers don’t know that he isn’t my fiancé,” Clara whispered.

  “Oh, they already know,” Audrey sniffed. “We all guessed it wasn’t true when he looked like a stunned codfish the night that he beat the thug. However, he did look a little entranced by you, and was more than a little tender when he said goodbye, Clara.”

  “I am not going to be romanced by any conniving miscreant,” Clara snorted.

  “You needn’t worry about the ladies being annoyed. They understand given the circumstances and the man,” Audrey assured her. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “I am sure they will be more than happy to thwart any scheming he might be involved in.”

  “What about Erasmus? That person watching us, and that thug, might be connected to him,” Clara whispered.

  “There is no reason why Erasmus cannot be thwarted in exactly the same way. I am sure the ladies will think of something,” Sissy assured her.

  Audrey nodded. “Leave it to us. We will ensure that whoever is following you soon realises it is a lost cause.”

  Audrey’s plan was put into motion as soon as the following morning. Clara was forced to go to the grocery for some supplies because Rita had escorted Aunt Flo into town. The alternative was to sit at home alone and fret all day, and Clara had already spent the better part of the last long and miserable night fretting enough already.

  It was good to be outside. While the storm had passed a stiff breeze lingered, but it was refreshing rather than chilling and tugged and teased her as it danced about her skirts. She sucked in a deep breath and felt the burden of her worry melt away – for a few moments at last.

  As she passed the woods at the side of the house, Clara glanced briefly at them. It was disconcerting to find herself scouring the shadows for signs of someone lurking. It made her nervous and on edge, and wishing she knew for sure if there was someone in there, but without going in there was there was no possibility she would ever find out.

  Unless the man breaks his cover again.

  Determined to put the entire matter out of her mind, for now at least, Clara turned into the main street and set about doing her shopping.

  An hour later, she left the butchery and was about to turn toward home when she saw movement in the tavern doorway. Instinctively, she looked up to see who it was only to gasp when her gaze landed on Niall.

  Across the fifty or so yards of distance, their gazes met. Clara instinctively felt her stomach flip over. She had only a vague impression of highly polishe
d boots and very expensive clothing. What captured her attention was just how handsome Niall was. Following that came the realisation that he was still in the village. Immediately, she began to wonder if it was one of his friends who had followed her and her friends last night. She wished she had the confidence to go over to him and demand answers, but she already knew how reticent he could be.

  Without even acknowledging him, she looked away only to discover that she was compelled to look at him again. Her heart leapt when she saw he was purposefully striding toward her.

  “Oh, dear, it looks like your soon-to-be-ex-fiancé wants a word with you,” Audrey suddenly murmured into her ear.

  “Does Edith know that he isn’t Clara’s fiancé, Audrey?” Sissy asked curiously just a moment later when she came to join them.

  “Are you two following me as well?”

  Audrey and Sissy smiled at each other before they looked ruefully at Clara. “We are just keeping a friendly eye out for you, that’s all.”

  “Thank you,” Clara whispered fervently.

  “Watch,” Audrey murmured.

  Clara lifted her brows. To her astonishment, when she looked at Niall again it was to see Edith suddenly leave her shop and place herself firmly in Niall’s path. He stumbled to a stop, so he didn’t slam into her and knock her off her feet. Once he was certain she was all right, he scowled down at her and muttered something.

  “He doesn’t look very happy, does he?” Sissy whispered.

  “He is probably annoyed that he hasn’t been able to follow her like he planned,” Audrey mused with no small amount of satisfaction.

  “Edith has him now. Let’s go,” Sissy hissed.

  “Where were you going?” Audrey demanded.

  “Home.” Clara suddenly felt the need to be inside her house where she was safe and could have a little time to herself to contemplate how Niall made her feel. She had thought she had been successful in putting him out of her mind. Last night, for the first time since she had set eyes on him, she had slept soundly without thinking about him once. But now she knew it had probably been exhaustion that had made her sleep so heavily.

  “He is cross,” Sissy murmured.

  Clara threw one last look at Niall. The dark look he threw her was followed by an impatient sigh as he was forced to stop and talk to Edith.

  “Do you think I should rescue him?” Clara asked. The urge to go to him was strong, not least because she felt as if she owed him. “He did save me from Erasmus after all.”

  “Yes, but Edith isn’t anything like Erasmus,” Audrey growled. “Don’t compare them. He doesn’t need saving.”

  “He looks terribly angry,” Sissy sighed. “If I was you, I would let Edith calm him down a little and go home while you can. Once you get there, close all your shutters and don’t let anybody in, especially him.”

  “What if he gets even more annoyed and accosts me the next time I come out?” Clara asked somewhat absently.

  As she spoke, her gaze scoured the length of him. He looked handsome even from a distance; and so out of place it was a little worrying that he was in Serpentine. He was dressed as any urbane gentleman who would have fitted into the streets of London. However, in a small rural village like Serpentine, he looked a little over-dressed.

  “Do you think he might be from the War Office?”

  “Yes, I do,” Clara whispered.

  “He might work with your father?” Audrey lifted her brows when Clara nodded and continued.

  “Having said that, part of his job is to remain hidden. He shouldn’t be seen. Niall is hardly doing much to remain hidden, is he?”

  “What if he is trying to lure someone out?” Sissy gasped in a theatrical whisper.

  “Who?” Audrey demanded.

  “I don’t know. I doubt we will ever know. For now, all we need to do is wait because he will move on eventually, of that I am positive. For now, I just need to forget about him,” Clara whispered. “As handsome as he is, Niall cannot be a part of my life, I know that much.”

  “Then he shall stay away from you,” Sissy confirmed.

  Together, Clara’s friends nodded and resumed their escort of Clara. Clara, after one last lingering look at Niall, purposely turned her back and walked away. It was difficult to see where she was going because she struggled to contain the urge to look over her shoulder at him one last time. Clara wanted to, more than she cared to admit, but daren’t. Sissy was studying her intently and kept constantly glancing over her shoulder at him as if trying to work out if she was lying again.

  “Have you notified the magistrate that Erasmus is pestering you again?” Audrey asked as they walked.

  Clara sighed. The look she gave her friend could only be described as dour. “I went over there but was told that he had gone to London. He had some sort of professional meeting apparently, with the Lord Chief Justice.”

  “Do you think that might be why your father has sent the men here to watch over you?”

  “I cannot see why he would. I mean, having them lingering around the house would draw people’s attention, not thwart it,” Clara replied honestly.

  Before long, Clara found herself closing her front door having waved goodbye to her friends. She was now cold, and desperately wanted some time alone to think. It wasn’t going to happen, though, because she had just removed her shawl when a loud banging on the front door began. She knew immediately who it was but hesitated to answer the door not least because she wasn’t at all sure she wanted to see Niall again.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “Good morning,” Clara began when she answered the door. She still wasn’t at all sure it was the right thing to do. It was only the incessant pounding that stopped her from ignoring him. It was driving her out of her mind with worry. Secretly, she was also curious to know why he wanted to see her, especially after everything he had done to keep away from her.

  “Is it?” Niall growled.

  “Is it not?” Clara blinked at him and waited.

  “No. It is not, but I am sure you are already aware of that,” Niall announced.

  “Should I be?”

  “Yes, you should seeing as you are responsible,” Niall snapped.

  “How?”

  “By telling the whole village that you are to be my wife,” Niall bit out through clenched teeth. He had to keep his back teeth clamped together to stop himself from shouting at her. “Care to tell me why wherever I go I end up with people wanting to stop and chat, or sell me something, or congratulate me on my forthcoming nuptials?”

  “Sell you something?” Clara edged warily, wondering if Audrey and her friends had already set to work.

  But they failed because he is here and they aren’t.

  Niall dug around in his pocket and slapped what looked like two pieces of paper onto the table.

  “Tickets for the country dance next week. Two tickets for the goose raffle. Oh, and I have been told I am to join the congregation on Sunday and I don’t even go to church. Not only that but I have been interrogated every time I step out onto the road by every curious local in the village, about our wedding no less. They are better than any interrogator in the Tower of London, I can tell you. With their skills they should live in London. I have had every old biddy, aged gentleman, young gossip, and curious matron demand to know every aspect of my damned life and they refuse to stop.” Niall wagged a shaking finger at her. “And it is all your fault. This entire debacle wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t told that sodding idiot that we were getting married. Why in the Hell did you do it? What possessed you? Didn’t you think that the truth would come out eventually, especially when we don’t marry? Didn’t you think about what would happen if your father turned up, but you couldn’t parade the intended groom in front of him? You cannot just accost a stranger and create a web of lies that drag him into your life whether he wants to be there or not.”

  Niall sucked in a breath and willed himself to calm down. As he had been talking his voice had grown in volume
to the point that he was shouting.

  Clara felt uncomfortable but shrugged. “You are moving on anyway, so what does it matter?”

  “Does it not occur to you that I have things to do in this village? I shouldn’t have to explain why I am here to the likes of you just to be able to go about my own damned business,” Niall said. “You cannot just accost any random stranger and enlist him as your fiancé. This isn’t the damned army. You cannot just conscript people. Do you not consider my life? Do you not consider whether it is fair on me? Do you not consider whether I would want to be drawn into your sordid little lies? What is it, daddy’s little daughter getting a bit bored living here all by herself, so she concocted a story just to add a little colour to her drab and weary life?”

  “It is no such thing,” Clara whispered, horrified that he should think such a thing.

  “I know that you must be lacking in suitors, but I do not see that using strangers as a distraction from Erasmus is going to solve your problems. I am sorry, but you chose the wrong man if you think I am just going to be forced into marrying you. You are most definitely not the type of woman I usually find attractive, even if I could overlook your lies,” Niall snorted.

  Inwardly, he was cringing at how cruel he was being to her. It was necessary, though, not least because he had been following the thug from the night Clara had been abducted only to lose him because he had been accosted by another of Clara’s friends who had been trying to get him to join the church choir and had refused to take ‘no’ for an answer. He had been forced to signal to Will to follow the oaf, and that had drawn the attention of several of the other locals on the street, who had all turned to study Will with the same avid curiosity as they had him. Although she didn’t know it, Clara was single-handedly ruining the Star Elite’s protection of her and their investigation into Smidgley, and she was putting the men’s lives in danger. Now, even they couldn’t hide.

  “I am sorry you think I would willingly do such a thing.”

  “But you have,” Niall growled. “That is exactly what you have done. Why have you not told your friends that you were not engaged to me? You could have, if you wanted to. I demand you stop this lying at once, and tell them all that we have no connection, will have no connection, can never have any connection and that I am most definitely not, and never will be your damned fiancé. Moreover, if I wanted to be a part of village life, I would sodding well live here!”