The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 114: Surprise visit (1)

Silence fell upon the room and to get rid of it, Ian asked, "Are you thinking of whether to do it or not?"

Scarlet pushed Ian up and sat up. "Don’t be ridiculous. That is your problem. Please clean up after yourself."

"It was not a problem I caused by myself, Scarlet. This doesn’t just happen so casually so you have a part to play in it. Do you want to stay and watch-"

Scarlet quickly stood up. She didn’t need to see how he was going to get rid of his problem. "I am going down to get ready for dinner," she said.

"Your loss," Ian added as Scarlet walked away.

Scarlet opened the door and quickly closed it before Ian could make her another offer to stay with him. She leaned on the door, not believing what occurred between her and Ian.

His touch still lingered and the feeling of the kiss had not gone away. She had to be crazy for going along with his test and letting him put her in such a position.

"I need to rest after dinner," Scarlet decided. She was working too much and not getting much sleep was making her do strange things. "As soon as dinner ends- Why should he stay for dinner?"

Scarlet had no reason to let him sit for dinner with her and Alana. He was just making a short visit so when he was done inside he should depart. No one told him to buy a home that might be haunted.

If she allowed him to stay, Ian would try to suggest that he spend the night here. It wouldn’t surprise her if one of these days, Ian would ruin the wheel of his carriage so he could stay.

Scarlet slowly moved away from the door. Staying here only reminded her of what Ian was doing inside of her office. Though she shouldn’t be surprised, Scarlet couldn’t believe Ian would be so bold to suggest that she use her mouth to help him.

Scarlet covered her face for a moment. "Does he not know shame?"

She also had to question why she was allowing him to take care of his erection instead of just sending him out of her estate. It wasn’t her problem to worry about others seeing the state he was in. Scarlet thought of offering him a hat to help hide it as he made his way out.

Ian being here would just have been one big constant reminder that they kissed again so he had to go. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Scarlet turned around to return to her office but then she stopped as she remembered what she could walk in on. "I should just go downstairs," she decided.

When Scarlet reached the stairs, she almost tripped thanks to the sight of who stood at the front door.

"Scarlet dear," Samara called to her daughter. "Careful on the stairs. Leonard, you should put away your coat."

Scarlet wished the rails were a little closer to be able to hold onto so she could balance herself. Her parent’s unexpected visits were normally welcomed as she missed them, but tonight was not a good time.

Why did they need to come the one night Ian was here?

Scarlet felt like a child in her parent’s home rather than a woman in her estate. She wished to avoid questioning and getting any hopes up for her mother as she might think her relationship with Ian was serious.

Then there was her father who wouldn’t be welcoming because he was still upset with her marriage.

"Why aren’t you coming to greet us? Did we come at a bad time?" Samara asked, walking up the stairs to meet Scarlet. "We were talking about how long it has been since we saw you and thought it would be wonderful to come over for dinner. I was going to call but then thought a surprise would be nice."

"It certainly is a surprise," Scarlet muttered. Scarlet glanced at the direction she came from. There was no sight of Ian yet.

Samara was curious about what Scarlet was searching for. "Looking for Sunny?"

"No. I think that I forgot something in my office," said Scarlet. She could get Ian to stay there while she had dinner but it would be rude to keep him waiting there for over an hour.

Scarlet touched her forehead, feeling foolish for trying to hide Ian like a little girl hiding her crush. Trying to sneak Ian out of the estate would make her feel even more foolish and she couldn’t send off her parents after the ride they took to come see her.

"Scarlet, is there something troubling you? Are you ill?" Samara questioned, touching Scarlet’s forehead with the back of her right hand.

"I have told you to take more breaks. You’re going to work yourself to being sick again," Leonard said, hoping that wasn’t the case again.

He tried not to get involved in how Scarlet ran the businesses since he handed them over to her, but he worried that she was not taking care of herself.

"I am fine. As you know, Alana is here but there is also another guest," Scarlet said.

"Someone we know? Oh," Samara quickly understood. No wonder Scarlet was a bit fidgety.

Samara looked at her husband who didn’t care how many guests there were. "I suppose your table will be full. Your father and I are just leaving. Come, Leonard."

Leonard didn’t move. "What are you two trying to hide from me? Who is this guest that you don’t want me to see? Is Jack here?" freēwēbnovel.com

"Of course not father. He would not make it through the gates," Scarlet replied, a little upset her father thought she would welcome Jack back onto the estate. "It is Ian Kingsley and you don’t need to leave."

Samara thought otherwise. It was so early in Scarlet’s relationship with Ian from what she heard so now was not the time to have him questioned by Leonard. As much as Samara wanted to question Ian to make sure a second mistake wasn’t being made, she didn’t want to run him off.

Samara was going to continue to trust Scarlet’s judgement.

Knowing that a man interested in his daughter was here gave Leonard all the more reason to stay.

"We are staying for dinner," Leonard said as he wanted to get well-acquainted with Ian.

Samara nervously laughed. She greatly regretted coming here as a surprise. "Forgive me, Scarlet."

"It is fine," Scarlet replied. She also made unexpected visits to her parents so she would not be upset when they did it. "Please excuse me for a moment."

"Off to warn him?" Leonard asked, knowing it was the only thing she could be in a rush to do. "Tell him to be a man and not try to run away."

’He wouldn’t leave if I begged him to,’ Scarlet thought.

Dinner was going to be quite interesting tonight. Would it be bad if she left while all of them remained here?

Scarlet returned to the office and knocked on the door to let Ian know of her presence. She didn’t get a response and Scarlet wouldn’t dare open the door wide to startle herself and Ian.

Scarlet took a chance and opened the door slightly just enough that her finger could fit between the opened space. "Ian-"

"Scarlet."

Scarlet froze, taken aback by her name and the sound of his voice.