Bring Forth a Fire (Book 1)

Twelve - The Past's Long Shadow

I tried to be pleasant when the Hartfords finally visited, a week after Grandmother announced they would be coming. Yet it was quite hard to concentrate on the colour of my dress, the arrangement of my hair, and the fortune I would have should I accept Alan, their son. My mind kept drifting back to the shop in the Old Nichol and subsequently Benedict Huntley, who could have been plotting something terrible right this minute.

And yet I was still stuck here with these stuffy people, and my grandmother. If I do say so myself, the visit appeared to go quite well until Lord Hartford asked for a tour of the grounds. As a result, Grandmother thought it best we all come along, Alan Hartford joining me at the back of the group.

"You are a very charming lady, Miss Haywood," he said, his blue-grey eyes darting over to me. "Impeccable manners. And quite fetching to look at too."

"Thank you, milord," I answered, although treating this man with any respect, after he had ignored me throughout the entire time we took tea, was proving difficult. 

He licked his lips in that ugly way of his before speaking again. "Mother tells me it is the mark of a good wife."

"Does she?" I felt a hot flare of irritation. He was proving himself to be quite the presumptuous type. Not to mention impolite.

"Although perhaps something might be done about your temper," he said suddenly. "I will not stand for sparks shooting from your hands every time you believe yourself insulted."

Blast it. Grandmother had often warned me about controlling my Elemental abilities, and at present my efforts were appearing to be failing. As hot-headed as your father, she'd said, and although it only added fuel to the fire whenever she brought my father into it, I'd already told myself I would not end up like him.

"I am an Elemental, milord, and a new one at that. You cannot expect me to suppress my abilities whenever it pleases you," I said, keeping my voice even. What I really wanted was to give this arrogant, insolent boy a sore verbal beating.

"Be that as it may, Miss Haywood, you are also a lady. I should think you have more self-control than that." He drew himself up and looked down his long thin nose at me. The nerve of him, honestly.

"Whether or not I control myself should hardly be your first concern, milord," I fired back, stopping in my tracks. "And if your reputation is more important than your relationship with me, then you might as well forget we ever spoke. Put that in your pipe and smoke it."

With that, I spun on my heel and marched off, leaving him behind. I didn't care that I'd turned my back on a potential suitor, or even that I'd made myself look a fool in front of his family. Naturals of his variety deserved each other, not Elementals. That much I knew for certain.

||

I couldn't face the wrath of my grandmother afterward. Instead I stayed cloistered in my room, listening for any footfalls from the corridor. Let her be angry with me. As soon as she cooled off, she would understand my reasoning, when I explained myself. That was the hope, at least.

A knock roused me from my thoughts, followed by a voice. "My lady? Miss Emma?"

I sighed. "Yes? What is it?"

"I have supper for you." Lowell's deep voice betrayed nothing.

I didn't feel like eating or doing anything else. I just wanted to be alone. "I'm not hungry."

"The Dowager says you must eat."

"I don't want to."

"Milady, you must not act like a child. I could stand here all night, but we both know that is not right."