Pricing The Heart

Chapter 10

Something tore across David's heart; something so sharp and swift, he clutched his chest with one hand to ease the pain and used the other to hold the blue curtain in place to keep it from blocking his view of the happy couple before him.

Jon and Eloise.

They were side by side on horseback. Jon, smiling broadly, appeared to be speaking—no doubt charming Eloise with his vain words, for she sat laughing. It was the sound of their laughter that prompted David to the window to this sickening sight before him.

His fingers tightened their grip on the curtain as he watched Jon dismount his horse and hurry over to Eloise's side. Jon held both arms out to Eloise, but she shook her head in refusal. Being the persistent man that he was, Jon did not back down until Eloise relented.

There was the sharp pain again. David gritted his teeth, cursing his heart for betraying him by responding once again to the sight of Eloise in Jon's arms as he lifted her off of the horse and placed her on her feet. The pain worsened when Jon, rather than back away, remained steadily planted before Eloise.

Too close.

It was none of his business, he hissed, his frown deepening as he watched Jon reach out and capture one of Eloise's stray locks, before tucking it behind her ear. David had never seen Eloise like this, he thought; he had never seen her this happy. She was breathtaking. Her hair fell to her shoulders in a glorious display of loose waves, her face was flushed with exhilaration, and her gray dress clung to her legs from where the wind blew against it, accentuating her perfect curves.

In that second, David imagined wrapping his arms around her waist and sliding his hands down the perfect mold of her derriere as he breathed in the scent of her skin.

Stunned by the carelessness of his thoughts, he jumped back and released his grip on the curtain. Shaking his head to banish the image of Eloise, he turned sharply from the window. He was acting like a silly schoolboy by hiding behind a curtain and daydreaming about a woman he didn't want.

Indeed, he didn't want Eloise! He argued bitterly with his silly emotions. Perhaps she was beautiful—breathtaking even—and perhaps it had been several years since he had been with a woman...

Five, the small voice in his head reminded him; five years since he had been without her.

Five years since I killed her.

Gripping the armrest, he settled on the sofa and took the newspaper from the coffee table. He remained seated for several minutes, scheming through the newspaper as he fought to distract himself from his many troubling thoughts, until a knock sounded on his door.

"Enter." The part of him that longed to turn around to find Eloise at his door was sorely disappointed when his gaze settled on Mrs Edward.

"Good morning, my lord." She curtsied.

Swallowing his disappointment, he silently kicked himself for banishing Eloise from his presence. "Good morning, Mrs Edward."

She entered the room, closing the door behind her. "I shall like to report something troubling to you. I'm told by Mrs Taylor that this has already been brought to His Grace's knowledge, but he failed to take it for the serious problem that it is."

David sat up straighter, frowning. He had never seen Mrs Edward appear so troubled. "What is the matter?"

"It is the young master, Adam. He refuses to eat. It's been three days since his arrival here and the maid informs me all trays have been removed from his chamber untouched."

David's heart dropped at the mention of Adam. He had failed to see or ask about the wellbeing of the child since his arrival at the manor, choosing instead to burden himself with thoughts of Eloise with his brother.