Ellie merely rubbed her elbow where she'd hit the wall and muttered all sorts of unflattering things about her husband.

“Claire,” Charles said again, “I understand that you were the one who first discovered the fire.”

“Indeed. It began not ten minutes after you and your new wife exited the kitchen.”

Ellie narrowed her eyes. Was that a slight note of derision she'd heard in Claire's voice as she said the word “wife”? She knew that girl didn't like her!

“Do you have any idea what caused it?” Charles asked.

Claire looked surprised that he'd even asked. “Why, I…well…” She looked meaningfully over at Ellie.

“Just say it, Claire,” Ellie ground out. “You think I set the fire.”

“I do not think you did it on purpose,” Claire replied, placing her hand over her heart.

“We know that Ellie would never do such a thing,” Charles said.

“Accidents happen to everyone,” Claire murmured, casting a pitying look toward Ellie.

Ellie wanted to strangle her. She didn't particularly like being condescended to by a chit of fourteen years.

“I am certain you thought you knew what you were doing,” Claire continued.

At that point Ellie realized she had a choice to make. She could leave the room and take a bath, or stay and kill Claire. With great reluctance, she decided to bathe. She turned to Charles, affected her best shrinking violet posture, and said, “If you'll excuse me, I believe I will retire to my chamber. I'm feeling terribly faint.”

Charles eyed her suspiciously and said under his breath, “You've never fainted a day in your life.”

“How would you know?” Ellie returned in an equally low voice. “You didn't even know I existed until last week.”

“It feels like forever.”

Ellie stuck her nose in the air and whispered sharply, “I concur.” Then she straightened her spine and swept from the room, hoping that her grand exit wasn't too terribly marred by the fact that she was covered with soot, limping slightly, and wearing a dress that was now torn in three places.

Chapter 9

Ellie nursed her wounds for the rest of the day, pleading fatigue when a maid came to her room to fetch her for the evening meal. She knew she'd appear the worst sort of coward, but the truth was that she was so blasted angry with Charles and his entire family that she didn't trust herself to sit with them for an entire meal.

Sulking in one's room was rather boring, however, so she sneaked downstairs and grabbed the latest copy of the newspaper to go over the financial pages. She checked her investments, as was her habit, but then she realized that she no longer knew the status of her savings. Had Charles transferred her accounts yet, as he had promised? Probably not, Ellie thought, trying to be patient. They had only been married for one day. She'd have to remind him, though. She'd read a favorable report on a new cotton mill in Derbyshire, and she was eager to invest a portion of her funds.