The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 77: Guards at the door (1)

"Must you stare?" Scarlet asked, trying her best to ignore how Ian watched her. She was only drinking tea yet he was acting as though she was putting on a play.

"The view is quite lovely so I cannot turn away. Is it good?" Ian questioned.

"It is my second cup so you know that it is good. Though, I think it isn’t as good as what I had on my last visit. You truly are having a terrible day," Scarlet said, putting the cup down. "It won’t be good for you if you lose your talent."

"Will you stop seeing me?" Ian replied.

"Perhaps," Scarlet honestly answered. "Tea is one of the things that I like about you."

"And the other things?" Ian inquired.

"Those are my secrets," Scarlet responded, a small smile showing on her lips as Ian didn’t enjoy her withholding her answer. "Did you not taste the tea when you made it?"

"I never taste it when I am making it. I cannot stand the taste of it which is why I do not understand why you enjoy it so much," said Ian.

"It started as an excuse to clear my mind away from someone troubling me. Then I came to like sitting alone, just drinking tea. It is calming," Scarlet said, sharing something she hadn’t told anyone.

"Then I will do my best to make the next pot better. I can’t have you looking to go somewhere else for tea. I would offer you a pot to take home to drink when you want tea but I would prefer that you call me to your estate to make it. I’ll come to you whenever you call," Ian offered.

"I don’t want to take you from your work and plans of revenge," Scarlet declined the offer.

"Hmm. If you need, I can do much more for you than pour tea-"

"Ian," Scarlet warned as she didn’t need to hear what was going on inside of his head.

"What? Do you not want me to keep you company? What is it that makes you look so flush?" Ian teased, enjoying how irritated she was. "You have a dirty mind, Scarlet. Quite a wonderful surprise."

"We both know what you are doing. Give up on trying to seduce me and focus on what you will do about Layla," said Scarlet.

"Well, how could I possibly think about that woman when you are telling me not to seduce you, Scarlet? That is all that I can think of now. It wasn’t on my mind earlier, but I will offer that if you are that kind of lonely, I am more than willing to offer my body. You won’t regret it," Ian said, spreading his arms on the long couch to give Scarlet the view she liked.

Scarlet stared at Ian unamused. "If that is what you wish to do, there are plenty of places in town for you to go give your body away."

"This offer is only for you, Scarlet. I am not one to offer my body to just anyone. You won’t like to admit it, but your eyes wander to my chest. I am your partner so you are free to touch whenever you want. I won’t use that to touch you. So, come when you’re ready," Ian offered.

Scarlet tapped her fingers on her leg. He was quite annoying with what he was offering her. "Ian, I will make you sleep for a long time if you do not end up offering your body to me. I do not need it."

"Why is that? Is it because you’ve become quite familiar with your fingers? Oh dear," Ian said, panicking as Scarlet stood up. He covered his mouth with his right hand. "Silly me. That wasn’t the right thing to say to a lady."

"I am close to ending you," Scarlet warned.

"My apologies," Ian apologised, but his words were worth it as he got to witness Scarlet being flustered. It was a sight he could not forget. "At least do me a favour that if you are having indecent dreams, I am the man in it. Ah ha." ƒrēewebnovel.com

Scarlet went around the small table to get to Ian. This was it. This was the day he was going to be strangled to death. ƒrēewebnovel.com

While Scarlet was focused on getting her hands on his neck, Ian was excited to have her near to be able to hold her. She had fallen right into his trap.

Scarlet stopped just before she could touch Ian, suspicious as to why he was smiling when he was knocking on the doors of death. He was enjoying this, wasn’t he? "You fool," she muttered.

"Are you speaking of me or you?" Ian asked.

"Both," Scarlet replied. "Have you enjoyed the reaction?"

"Yes. I like seeing you as you are now. Not thinking about your relatives or your work. Just focused on me," Ian said, moving to the right to make space for Scarlet. "Sit here with me."

"After what you have offered me, I don’t think that is a good idea," Scarlet replied, hesitant to sit near him.

"Indugle me, Scarlet. What do you think would happen if you sat beside me? I was only teasing you with what I offered before. I would not try something with you when you are not in the mood for it. So please, sit," Ian said.

"You must find other ways to tease me or better yet, don’t do it. I will end up strangling you one day," Scarlet warned then sat beside Ian. "You went far off from thinking about what you will do about Layla. You-"

Scarlet stopped as there was a knock on the door.

Ian wanted to ignore it as it couldn’t be anyone more important than Scarlet. He wasn’t expecting someone today so whoever it was could go back to where they came from.

Scarlet looked at the door and then to Ian sitting comfortably. "Will you not answer it?"

"I am entertaining you right now. They can come again or please me by not returning. Now, where were we? You were speaking of what you liked about me," said Ian.

"You’ve gone far back from where we stopped. You should get the door," Scarlet said after a second knock.

This time, the knocking was much louder and gave off the feeling that the person on the other side of the door was angry.

Ian closed his eyes for a moment, trying not to give in to his thoughts to get rid of the idiot disturbing his time with Scarlet. She would take any opportunity to leave so who was the fool offering it to her?

Before getting up to answer the door, Ian poured more tea for Scarlet to get her to stay a little longer. She wouldn’t be able to resist drinking the tea so that it wouldn’t go to waste. After handing her the cup, Ian finally stood to go to the door.

Ian opened the door and found an unexpected visitor. "Well, this is a lovely surprise. I didn’t know town guards liked to drink at this time."

"We’re not here to drink. We need to ask you a few questions about Robert Marshall," Glenn said, his gaze going to Scarlet inside the room. What was she doing here?

Ian moved to block Glenn’s view of Scarlet. "Avert your eyes, guard. I’m afraid I don’t see why I need to be questioned about a man I do not know."

"You met him at a recent party. He has gone missing and we were told you had a little argument with him then."