Nothing appeared out of place. Either the lady had not entered as she had thought, or the house had secrets.
Giving the room one last search, Elizabeth’s lips thinned as she again found nothing amiss.
“Another day then, Lady Charmane, and we will have our talk,” Elizabeth muttered as she exited the empty space, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. Stilling, she looked over her shoulder, the room as empty as she expected.
Why are we here?she frowned as she continued on her way.And why all this secrecy?
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Staffordshire, England – 1812 – Day 8
A book beside her, a warm, tall cup of chocolate in hand, and the puffiest blanket known to man, these were all Elizabeth required. Well, those and the roaring fire and the glow of candles as she nestled in her bed, lips curling as her thoughts took an agreeable turn.
Mr. Darcy… how he had managed to find a way into her thoughts seemed beyond comprehension. Often they were in company, yes, but even after they parted ways, there he was, fixed in her head and heart like a star in the sky. His voice, his face, even that tiny mark over his right brow; each she was far too accustomed to. Far too fond of. Why, just three days ago, when they had been close to one another as they rode along, she often found her gaze drawn by him rather than the view they had been in search of.
Breath slow and steady as she soaked in the warmth of the cup in her hand, Elizabeth stared downward.
If only that odious baron had not been along. They might have enjoyed conversing with her sisters instead of sitting in that awkward silence.Frowning, Elizabeth pulled the blanket upward.Poor Mary… imagine, forced to sit beside Lord Ramsgate!
He was up to something. He had to be. Ever since that morning when he had pushed his way into joining them, he had been attentive to them all… too attentive, and to Mary especially. That fact alone made no sense, for they had fought at every turn. No, there was no reason for his attentions. In everything, Mary had given Lord Ramsgate the opposite of encouragement, and in response he had argued with her all the more–until three days past, of course.
Taking a sip of her chocolate, Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed.
Lady Charmane had to have spoken to him before he came out that day; before he had begun his strange change to the character he portrayed. He had said that Lady Charmane had only then made known their plans. But what else could she have said to shift his character so? Unless, of course, he discovered something between the night before and that morning, and only found the outing to be a convenient beginning to his plan? Whatever that plan happened to be? And whatever it was he knew or thought he knew, that made their company of worth?
“If only it might make sense,” she sighed, the fingers rubbing her temple stilling as her gaze moved toward the door, the sight of her sister peeking in welcome. “Come in Mary… oh, and Jane, I did not see you there. Please, come in. I could use someone to talk to, for I doubt I shall be able to keep my mind on my book.”
“Shakespearean poems?” Jane questioned incredulously. “I thought you hated Shakespeare; at least, you never enjoyed it when we had to study his works.”
“Reading because you want to rather than because you have to always makes any title far more agreeable,” she laughed, her sisters each finding a comfortable place in her bed.
“Did I hear you talking to yourself?” Mary asked as she sunk deeper into the place between her sisters.
Nodding, Elizabeth frowned. “It is Lord Ramsgate. And Lady Charmane for that matter. His actions I admit puzzle me exceedingly; he is self-important and not fond of untitled gentry, so why does he suddenly favour us?” Nose twitching, she added angrily, “As for Lady Charmane, she is even worse. Every time I have tried to seek out her company, she has managed to be too busy, or supper is ready, or some other excuse has been fashioned. Have either of you done better?”
Shaking their heads, Mary and Jane echoed her own aggravations.
“I have taken to avoiding rooms whenever possible should I see Lord Ramsgate inside,” Mary admitted. “It is the full opposite to Lady Charmane; I feel as if she has taken to avoiding me. Indeed, I saw her enter the library once, but by the time I entered she had vanished from sight!”
“Hiding behind the curtains or some such seems odd, even for an eccentric such as she,” Jane remarked as she pulled the covers higher. “But I agree, she is only ever in a room with me when there is a large group. A pity the same could not be true for you, Mary, regarding Lord Ramsgate.”
“A pity indeed,” Mary chuckled haplessly. “Though… as far as our host is concerned, she has not taken to hiding behind curtains. I searched the room thoroughly–even going so far as to look behind curtains and furniture–and she was nowhere to be seen.”
Brows pulling inward, Elizabeth wet her lips as she set her cup down to better face her sisters. “Only last night I saw Lady Charmane in the hall and followed her. I could have sworn she made her way into her study, but when I followed, she was nowhere to be seen. At the time I thought perhaps I had simply been mistaken–well, that or something truly strange was going on–yet with your encounter, Mary, I must have been right.”
“Secret hideaways perhaps? Or servants’ passages?” Jane suggested, the questions left hanging in the air as the sisters considered the great lady’s motives.
Staring toward the fire, Elizabeth shook her head. “Why would she hide from us? The existence of passageways or whatever has allowed her to play this trick is one thing, but she has no reason to hide from us.”
“No reason that we know of,” Mary said simply.
“Could it be as you say, Elizabeth, a trick? She is eccentric,” Jane suggested.
“Perhaps the three of us ought to corner her,” Elizabeth proposed as she leaned toward her sisters. “One of us is easy enough to avoid, but if the three of us seek her out we may find the answers we want. Even if she does not know about Mamma's relations, Mamma supposedly wanted us to know this Lady Charmane… and I for one need to honour that wish.”
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Staffordshire, England – 1812 – Day 9
