Elijah noticed the man Rue spoke of. He picked up his paste to be at Rue’s side once again.
"You mustn’t look for a fight. At the first sight of danger, I will place you over my shoulder and take you back to the carriage," Elijah said, looking around for anyone they passed more than once.
"Oh, please. Don’t insult me. I can walk perfectly fine to the carriage and horses. I don’t need to be treated like a damsel," Rue said, annoyed that he thought of her like the other ladies. "I was taught how to defend myself."
"I know that you were taught, but I must return you to your father without a scratch. I want to remain in the good graces of your father. Do not make it hard for me," Elijah pleaded.
Rue touched flower petals as she passed them and said, "My father already adores you. You don’t need to try so hard. He travels all the way here to see the duke and his family for a reason."
"Still, I wish to keep myself in good favour with him. Place a man’s daughter in danger and you must pray to see the light of day," said Elijah.
Rue chuckled. "That is true. I am happy to have a father so overprotective of me. Well, sometimes. There are moments when he would not let me out of his sight. I am of age to do as I please."
"I’ve heard the stories about the trouble you got yourself in. Like the time you went on an adventure and told no one about it," Elijah said, remembering the letters which told the story.
"I told my great-grandmother about it as well as my sisters. My mother travelled far, where she met my father and was applauded for it," said Rue.
"I remember that she was scolded at first since she ran off into enemy land, but she was later applauded because she ended the war. Were your intentions to end a war?" Elijah asked.
"They could have been. I didn’t get far before my mother tracked me down. Life needs to be filled with a little adventure," Rue said, wishing for something fun to come her way.
"It sounds like you do not intend to stay at the border," Elijah noticed.
"I will return home because it is where I feel most comfortable, but I wish to explore beyond the border. Perhaps I could end a war or save someone. I will not know until the adventure begins," Rue said, awaiting the start of it.
"Well, Lockwood is filled with many adventurous things to do. When the season ends, the estate will belong to me, and my parents shall move back to their home out of town. I can prepare a room for you if needed," Elijah offered.
Elijah heard someone clear their throat behind him, but he didn’t pay any attention to it.
"You won’t be worried about what the town thinks of an unwed young lady staring in your estate?" Rue teasingly asked.
"There wouldn’t be a problem with it if you were to be married by then. It seems one of your guards has something wedged in their throat," Elijah said, glancing at the guard disturbing their talk. "Is there no way to get rid of them?"
"I have been searching for ways to do so since we arrived. I know what you are doing, Elijah. I urge you to do better. Back at home, there are men ready to kill each other in a fierce battle to have my hand. A title doesn’t excite me," said Rue.
Rue saw what occurred between her and Elijah as merely part of their game. It would be a silly story to speak of with her sisters when she returned to them.
Rue continued to watch the man who followed where they walked. He did an awful job of hiding his weapon.
"I didn’t plan to use a title to excite you, Rue. I have my ways of getting a lady’s attention. As you said," Elijah said, drawing close to Rue. "I am a charmer."
Rue’s head whipped around when she felt Elijah’s breath tickle her ear.
Rue looked up at Elijah, finding him smiling like he had done something.
"You look beautiful when you blush," Elijah commented.
Rue touched her cheek. "It is not good to lie," she said, refusing to believe him.
"I did not lie. Your cheeks are flushed, and we both know the reason why. I shall be a gentleman and give you a moment to calm yourself," Elijah said, walking ahead of Rue.
Rue tapped her cheeks. "I am not one to blush over something so fall. You jest. Am I blushing?" She questioned her guards.
The guards shook their heads.
"They will lie to make you feel better. I think it is time for us to go," Elijah said, turning around.
On his way back, Elijah held Rue’s hand so she would be right beside him.
"Is it the man watching us?" Rue asked, looking over her shoulder.
"It is worse. Ladies are coming to crowd us. I don’t have any time for it. I shall take you for another ride," said Elijah.
The encounter with Selina was more than enough, so Elijah had to get Rue away from the ladies approaching before they ruined her thoughts about Lockwood.
Rue gave in to Elijah taking her away. She didn’t want to speak to any of his admirers, though she would love to see them cry.
Elijah led Rue back to his carriage, which she had been reluctant to get into when he arrived at her home.
Rue wanted to ride a horse so she could feel the wind in her hair as she rode faster than the carriage moved.
Elijah opened the door and helped Rue into the carriage first, and entered after.
Rue looked down at her hand, which was no longer held by Elijah. Now, she understood why the ladies cared that the men acted as gentlemen.
The carriage moved once the guards were seated on their horses.
While Elijah was distracted, telling a guard outside the carriage where to go, Rue took the moment to gaze at him.
’So that’s what all the stir is about. He is handsome,’ Rue thought.
Add in the wealth Elijah was bound to inherit, and it made sense why the ladies flocked to him.
Rue didn’t turn away when Elijah was done speaking with the guard and looked at her.
"Is there something you wish to say?" Elijah asked, noticing her interest.
"No, I was admiring your face," Rue confessed.
"Well, let me know if there is a side you enjoy most and I shall turn for you," Elijah offered.
"Rather than that, I wish for you to answer me honestly. Have you ever bedded a woman?" Rue inquired, causing Elijah to lose composure. "Or a man if you so desire."