The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 24: Special relationship (3)

"Mother."

Samara turned away from Leonard after hearing her missing daughter’s voice. "Scarlet, I feared you would never return after your dance. What is this I am hearing about something between you and Jack?"

"That’s ridiculous," Scarlet replied, but then realised her mother might have heard about Beth’s fall. "That was a failed attempt to create drama on her part. I am leaving shortly. I will find my way home."

"What? What will you do when all the carriages here are taken? Are you borrowing one from the palace?" Samara questioned, placing her hand on Scarlet’s shoulder. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened for you to be concerned, mother. Truly. I am leaving with someone so I want to inform you and father who it is should I go missing," said Scarlet.

Scarlet doubted Ian wanted to hurt her, but she was going to be safe by telling her parents she was with him. Should he kill her before her parents reach her, Leonard would kill Ian and burn down his business.

"With who- Oh!" Samara gasped, covering her mouth. "Is it the handsome man you danced with?"

"It is," Scarlet answered. "His business is located-"

"Scarlet," Nolan interrupted the conversation. He had been searching for her since her dance ended. Nolan regretted not convincing her to stay away from dancing as he heard of what Beth did. "Are you alright? I heard about the incident. "

Scarlet turned to Nolan. "Is there a bigger incident I am not aware of? All I did was dance and go for fresh air. Shouldn’t you take this time to go around the ball and enjoy yourself?"

Nolan stayed quiet as he thought it should have been obvious he was still here for her. He couldn’t say it as it would cross the line Scarlet drew between them.

"It is nothing. Go tell your father where you are going," Samara said, nudging Scarlet away. It was sudden, but Scarlet leaving with a man was exciting. Samara was yet to know what exactly the relationship was but by tomorrow night her sources would tell her everything about the man.

Scarlet was better off leaving with the man than being in the same room as Jack and these nosy people. Samara trusted Scarlet’s judgement that she wasn’t leaving with a terrible man. It was the first time Samara had ever witnessed Scarlet do something like this so there had to be something between her and the mystery man.

"Do you see him?" Samara asked Nolan as she looked around for the man Scarlet danced with. "That sneaky girl sent off already."

Nolan joined Samara in looking around for someone. "Who are you speaking of, Mrs. Collins?"

"The man Scarlet danced with," Samara answered. She had forgotten her plans to have Nolan stand close to Scarlet and missed how disappointed he was.

"Do you know him? I have never seen him around the town. She must be careful now when there is so much attention on her. Many are looking to use her," said Nolan.

Where did this man suddenly come up from? Why now when Scarlet was soon to be divorced?

"Oh, Nolan. We both know that Scarlet wouldn’t be near someone she thinks is trying to use her. That girl has a sense for that kind of thing. Well, it was a bit damaged when she picked Jack years ago. Hopefully, it is back to working," said Samara.

Samara hoped Scarlet wouldn’t make the same mistake again. She couldn’t say Scarlet had ignored signs when it came to Jack as he was delightful initially. She could only wish that this new man wasn’t putting on a show.

Nolan watched as Scarlet spoke to her father. He envied that she had chosen this stranger to run off with instead of him when he was ready to be more than her lawyer. Even if she just wanted a man to hold her close, he would put his feelings to the side and let her use him as much as she wanted. As long he was the man she turned to. freeweɓnøvel.com

Nolan enjoyed that Leonard didn’t look pleased to hear that Scarlet was leaving with a man Leonard might also not know. Nolan had no place to tell Scarlet to stay so he hoped Leonard would be the one to do it.

There was a pain in his chest when he witnessed Scarlet kiss her father and move back to her mother to give her goodbyes.

"I will call you in the morning," Scarlet said to Samara then kissed her cheek. "Enjoy the night, Nolan."

Having nothing more to say, Scarlet made her way toward the doors to leave. She had sent Ian ahead so no one inside would spot them leaving together. There would be plenty of scandals to come from tonight and this did not need to be one of them.

Before she made her way out, Scarlet looked in the king’s direction. She had not greeted him, but she would make up for it another day. It was a treat to not have to listen to his marriage problems and him trying to learn more about her divorce than he needed to.

Scarlet soon made it out of the palace doors where there were still guests coming inside. She ignored their curious gazes questioning why she was outside when the ball was far from over and searched for the black carriage Ian spoke of.

Her attention was brought to a black automobile coming from where all the carriages were lining up,

Scarlet carefully made her way down the stairs toward where it came to park and to her surprise, it was Ian. "Did you need to hide that this was what you came in?"

Before she could reach to open the door, Ian opened his door to get out. He now wore a hat to cover his face from the guest outside as he went around to Scarlet’s side to open the door for her.

"Nothing wrong with a little surprise. We must be quick as the people behind you appear as if they want to join us," Ian said, feeling the burning gazes of those around them.

Scarlet made haste to get inside and watched as Ian closed the door. It was something he didn’t need to do as there was a servant to open the doors but the action showed him to be a gentleman.

Scarlet was once again curious about Ian’s wealth as many would prefer a simple carriage as it took less money to repair or use. He wasn’t on good terms with his stepmother to be getting money from his family so just how successful as a businessman was Ian?

"You are a man with many surprises," Scarlet commented when he got back inside.

"Right now, I feel like a man running away with the queen in secret," said Ian. "You’re not lashing out at me for calling you a queen?"

"You’ve finally got it right so I will let you off the hook tonight," Scarlet said, looking out the window at the nosy guests slowly going out of her view as Ian drove off. "You promised me a night of fun. I hope you don’t disappoint."