Against Her Rules by Victoria Barbour Page B

sunlight teeming into the room.
After the greyness of the past couple of days, it was a welcome sight. It put
everything into a new light, literally and metaphorically.
      He’d
had a long night of thinking, not only about Elsie but about his past
relationships with women. It really had impacted the way he’d thought about
Elsie from the instant he’d met her. He’d assumed she’d want him. He’d assumed
she was sending him down to this cottage for their own pleasure. And he’d just
carried on with innuendo after innuendo thinking she was on the same page.
      It
had been so long since he’d met a woman that wasn’t ready to jump into bed with
him without any regard for anything that he’d stopped thinking about what it
might mean. Sex had become an activity as common to him as drinking coffee. For
him, there was no barrier between wanting something, and getting it. Like an
itch, you scratched it. But if you scratched too often, you could get a nasty
wound. That’s what he was. A big, open sore that had been scratched too often.
That was a disgusting thought. And so it should be. No wonder Elsie had run
from him.
      There
was only one thing to do. He had to leave her alone. She didn’t deserve to be
reminded of what an idiot he was. He pulled on a sweater and headed to the inn.
He’d have breakfast, and then find another place to stay. There were plenty of
sea birds all along the coast. Daphne had only been trying to find him a nice
place to stay because he’d demanded it. He’d become spoiled by his own success
and image.
      He
was relieved to find the dining room full of guests. It made it easier for him
to ignore Elsie should she come in, and for her to ignore him, as she should.
      “Good
morning, Mr. Scott,” said one of the servers. She was an older woman but still
strikingly beautiful. He didn’t recall seeing her before.
      “Good
morning.”
      “Breakfast
this morning is baked beans, bologna, hashbrown potatoes, eggs, toast. A hearty
feast. But if you’d like something special ordered, we can do that as well.”
      “No
thanks, that sounds wonderful.”
      “Well
now, what are your plans for the day, since we’ve been blessed with all this
sunshine?’ She poured his coffee.
      The
more he looked at her, the more he realized that she had to be Elsie’s mother.
They had the same eyes and hair colour. This is what Elsie would be like as she
grew older. Gracefully beautiful. Kind. With smiling eyes. He was willing to
bet Elsie’s father had never treated this woman as some object to be used for his
own pleasures without any thought to her concerns.
      “Well,
perhaps you could help. I’m thinking of relocating.”
      She
laid the coffee pot on the table with force. “You aren’t enjoying your stay
here? If it’s your accommodations, we can move you to another room.”
      “Oh
no. That’s not the case. I just think I should move on.”
      “Hmmm.
Well, that’s your choice. I can recommend a few places but none nearby.”
      “That
would be greatly appreciated. Location doesn’t matter, as long as I’m still
near the coast.”
      “Certainly.”
Her entire demeanour had changed, more aloof now. Definitely had to be Elsie’s
mother. “It’s likely for the best.”
      “Pardon?”
Why was his leaving for the best?
      “Well,
my daughter—I’m Noreen Walsh by the way—is headstrong. She’s challenging on the
best of days. Worth it, I’d say. But I’m biased. But you really have to be up
for a challenge if you’re going to deal with her. I can see why you’d be best
getting on your way,” she said and walked away.
      He
looked around, wondering if anyone had overheard the exchange. Had the woman
just called him a coward? Or at least insinuated he wasn’t man enough for
Elsie? These Walsh women were all crazy. He would be far better off getting
away from here. Imagine spending the rest of his life with Elsie. Sure she’d
still be beautiful. But as touchy