All that was left was the escape route. Surely I could not leave during the day; my father would immediately follow me or send someone after me. Nightfall was my departure time, but going alone did not seem wise.
A knock on my door startled me, and then Patrice entered my room. My long-time friend and lady’s maid. The one person I had always counted on to take my side on everything. Would she come with me if I asked?
I sent her a conspiratorial smile. “Patrice, my dear friend.” I stood from my seat on the floor and sauntered over to her. I closed the door after she was fully inside.
She had frozen with her tray of food, staring at me with suspicion. “Yerfrien, Miss? I am yer lady’s maid.”
“Surely you do not think I see you as merely my maid. We were practically raised together.” I drew an arm around her shoulders andtook the tray with my other hand, setting it on my entry table. “You see, I am in need of a companion. A comrade, if you will. And there is no one more trustworthy or dependable than you.”
Her narrowed eyes bored into mine. “Mrs. Findlay said ye’d do something like this.”
I pulled back. “When did Melody warn you about me?” I widened my eyes. “She didn’t say this in front of Cameron, did she?”Curse Melody’s insightfulness.
Patrice let out a scoff. “Yer somethin’, Miss. No, she didnae say it in front of the young master. But dinnae think I will go along with yer schemes.”
I shrugged, walking to my armoire. “Then I will simply go without you.”
Patrice watched me begin packing, arms folded. I knew without looking that she’d come around. She was as predictable as I apparently was. I could only hope that Cameron and my father did not see through me so easily.
“’Tis dinner time, Miss,” Patrice said with impatience. “Aren’t ye going down?”
“Did you not bring me dinner?” I gestured to the tray.
“Because young master thought you’d want to be alone.”
“He was correct.” I’d nearly finished packing. With such a small bag, there were not many things that fit. I knew hardly anything about living on a ship, but surely one could do laundry on it.
“Now that I know yer not wallowing, ye should attend dinner.”
“I’d rather not. Perhaps that will let me get away easier.”
“Yer wrong about that.” She took the carpet bag from me.
I tried to grab it back, but she held it away, giving me no choice but to look into her face. Her expression had changed to resignation, a sure sign of acceptance from Patrice. “Going to dinner will prove that yernot going anywhere. Put on a show, make them all think yer resigned to Graham’s decision but that yer angry about it.”
I grinned. “Throw them off the scent.”
“Aye.” She placed the carpet bag inside the armoire. “Now get dressed and come down.”
I continued smiling at her as she left my room. I knew I could count on Patrice. She had never let me down before. My plan was coming together, and I felt more confident in it now that I had a companion.
When I entered the dining room, I had carefully schooled my expression to betray nothing of my plans. I sighed harshly, showing my anger. I frowned, showing my sadness. I barely ate, showing my listlessness. My father ignored my poor manners, as he had come to do when Melody moved into the castle. Most of his attention went into his daughter-in-law and her child—soon to be children. It didn’t offend me, as it may have other daughters. My father had always been harsh with me. Our temperaments clashed, both being stubborn in different ways.
“Now that you are in your final days, Melody, I do hope you are resting well.” My father cut his meat as he spoke.
“Mama takes naps in my nursery,” little Logan told everyone.
I smiled into my cup as I took a drink. Melody and Cameron laughed while my father gave a piece of his meat to his grandson as a reward for his honesty. He doted upon Logan more than any of us had expected.
“That is good to hear,” my father told him. He glanced at me again. His eyes betrayed his concern, and I was genuinely surprised to see it. “And you, Elspeth? Did you find rest today after our visitor?”
I had to fix my expression to one of tortured despair. “Yes, Papa. As well as I could. It is still…hard to swallow.”
“I never expected that of Graham, to be sure. It sounds like he has ruined his business. If I could help him, I would, but at this point, it seems hopeless. Even if I do like him, I would not wish poverty on my only daughter.”
His concern did touch me, but my stubborn heart beat roughly with disagreement. It was on the tip of my tongue to refute his words, but one glance at Patrice in the corner of the room set me back on my path to cover up my intentions.
“I will try to accept it.” I lowered my eyes and sighed heavily. I put my fork down with almost too much force. “Excuse me. I have no appetite, and I fear I am very poor company. I will return to my room to quell my disappointment.”
