There was a moment of slightly awkward silence, but Lord Featherfinch punctured it by waving a hand dismissively. “Think nothing of it. We haven’t had this exciting an Earls Trip since the year we accidentally—”
Archie cleared his throat censoriously, but he did it with a smile. His good humor had returned.
“Indeed,” Lord Marsden said. “Featherfinch, are you forgetting the most important rule of Earls Trip?”
There were rules for these trips? How curious.
“Yes, yes.” More dismissive waves from Lord Featherfinch. “My point, ladies, is merely that your travails have lent an air of excitement to our holiday that I, for one, have found positively invigorating. Now, what does everyone say to a walk through the haunted woods?”
Olive was perking up at the prospect of a jaunt, but Archie intervened. “I’ve told the Misses Morgan that they are to stay out of our way as a condition of their continued residence here. This is anEarlsTrip, after all, and I am disinclined to upend our traditions more than they already have been.”
“But only two of you are earls,” Olive said, and Clementine shot her a look. “Why do you call it ‘Earls Trip’?”
“Yes, I am a mere viscount,” Lord Featherfinch said. “I suppose ‘Earls Trip’ had a ring to it—I believe the name arose after Marsden inherited. We probably thought two out of three was sufficient to inspire the name.”
“And, Olive, Lord Featherfinch is heir to an earl.”
“Alas,” Lord Featherfinch said, which struck Clementine as curious.
“The relevant point,” Archie said, “is that this is agentlemen’strip.” He turned to the gentlemen in question. “Soweshall go investigate the woods, which are almost certainly not haunted. Let me just fetch my fowling piece first.”
Clementine wanted to object to the prospect of Archie’s hunting, but felt she hadn’t the right. Happily, her cause was taken up by Archie’s friends, who began vociferously objecting to the notion. More was said about rules.
“Well,” Archie said as the lot of them bickered their way back inside, “I can hardly thinkthatapplies anymore. Imagine how differently things might have gone had I not had the weapon at the posting inn yesterday.”
Left alone, Clementine and Olive stared at each other. Clementine found herself entirely without speech.
“I say, Olive.” Archie popped his head back out. “If you’re going to the neighboring estate to inquire about a cook, you can’t go alone. Wait until we’re back, and one of us shall accompany you.” He paused, at attention, as if bracing for objection. Normally, Clementine would have issued one on Olive’s behalf. There could be no harm in walking through the countryside to the next house. But as with the hunting, she was feeling uncharacteristically chastened and without the moral standing to defy Archie’s wishes.
“It’s not a far walk,” Olive said. “I’ll take Clementine with me.”
“I can’t allow it. Clearly, your reputations are safe in this house, but we’ve no idea who resides nearby. What if someone recognizes you?”
“I hardly think that likely,” Olive countered, and Clementine had to smile. She hadn’t been able to muster the will to stand up to Archie, but it turned out she hadn’t had to because Olive was.
“Yes,” Archie said, “but we have so far averted disaster, and against great odds. Suddenly the unchaperoned Morgan sisters are going to show up at—”
“I shall take Mrs. MacPuddle with me,” Olive said. “I was planning to anyway. I can hardly knock on a stranger’s door and demand to be lent a servant. She will provide an introduction. We will call through the servants’ entrance and almost certainly not even encounter the family. If an explanation is required, I shall tell a version of the truth: I am visiting Quintrell Castle with my family”—she gestured to Clementine—“there was a bit of a mix-up regarding staffing, and we are in need of a cook.”
Archie opened his mouth, but Clementine interceded. “Better to err on the side of caution and wait for the gentlemen to return, Olive.” She couldn’t believe she was saying it. Neither could Archie, apparently. His eyebrows—both of them—flewup.
Olive acquiesced, but huffily. “All right.” She performed a put-upon sigh. “But even if we can secure a cook later, when one of you gentlemen can make yourself available to escort me, it will almost certainly be too late for her to remove from here and prepare dinner for tonight, so perhaps we may also venture into the nearest village to purchase something more edible than these biscuits?” She nodded at the unfinished plate.
“A fine idea,” Archie said. He paused as if unsure about taking his leave.
“After today’s outing to procure food—and a person to prepare our meals going forward—you shan’t see us again the rest of your holiday,” Clementine said.
Archie nodded stiffly and departed.
Olive looked as if she were going to say something. Clementine was suddenly so tired of talking. Of people. Ofindoors. “I’m going on my own walk.”
“But Archie said—”
“Not to go to the neighbors’ house, and not to go to the village. I shall keep close to the house.”
Olive nodded. Clementine supposed, as she rose from the table, that she ought to ask Olive to join her. But she didn’t want to. In Clementine’s younger years, she had roamed the countryside with Archie without it feeling any different from when she was alone. But with anyone else, the company felt . . . too human. Like a mark of civilization inserting itself between her and the world. It was akin to wearing stays. Even if one managed to avoid being made overtly uncomfortable by them, one always knew they were there.
That was true even of her sister. Perhaps especially of her sister, who had often tried, as younger siblings were wont to do, to follow along after Clementine.
