The dowager had looked like she’d wanted to stab her with a fork. Minnie had eaten only the soup, and Mother had talked in clipped tones.
Since Esther had been ordered to do whatever Minnie did, she’d eaten as little as Minnie, ignoring her roaring stomach. On top of that, Minnie had retired early and locked herself in her bedroom.
So here Esther was, in her bedroom, pacing and wondering if she could sneak into the kitchen and grab an oat biscuit just to make her stomach stop complaining.
She shifted her weight in front of the door. Blast it all. Behaving like Minnie wouldn’t change anything aside from her being hungry and bored. She inched the door open and checked the corridor. No one.
No sound came from downstairs. She slid out of the bedroom and gingerly closed the door. Along the corridor, she paused in front of Minnie’s door. No light limned it. She had to be asleep. Not even the dowager was asleep now.
Minnie followed a rigid routine made of deprivation and discipline. Esther wouldn’t be able to live as her friend did for long.
She went down the stairs quickly and headed towards the kitchen. If a servant was still up, she would cheekily ask for the biscuits.
A noise came from a lateral corridor. She turned around in time to catch a glimpse of a fluttering cloak. Who was going out at that time?
She followed the person and suppressed a gasp. Minnie slipped past the French window opening to the garden. She paused to close it a little before covering her head with a large hood and leaving.
By the time Esther crossed the room and looked out of the window, Minnie was heading to the fence bordering Alexander’s house.
A nocturnal assignation? With the duke?
Maybe the animosity between them was only a trick to hide…she had no idea what. In fact, that didn’t make any sense.
She wanted to know, and after all, Mother had told her to do whatever Minnie did. She rushed to the cloakroom to snatch the first cloak she found and chased Minnie.
Her obsession with cricket bore its fruit because, despite the delay, Esther nearly caught up with her friend who was barely past the fence. But instead of heading to Alexander’s house, Minnie took a lateral path towards the city.
Esther followed her at a distance but moved closer once they arrived at the busy centre, not to lose her. Like in London, people in Brighton didn’t go to bed early. There were groups of ladies and gentlemen promenading the high road, and the restaurants facing the sea were full.
Minnie ignored the crowded streets and took a side alley.
Esther followed her at a slow pace but sped up when a broad man approached her. Adventure was one thing, but getting robbed by a footpad was another. The man matched her speed, his heavy footsteps thundering behind her.
“Esther.”
She skidded to a halt at hearing Alexander’s voice. “Alexander?”
He pulled down the hood of his cloak and cast a worried glance at her. “What are you doing here alone?”
She didn’t know what to say. Minnie’s behaviour was suspicious, but she didn’t want to tell Alexander about Minnie’s nocturnal excursion.
“I’m not alone. I’m happy to see you. When did you arrive?” She glanced over her shoulder to see where Minnie was going.
“A couple of hours ago.” He narrowed his eyes, watching past her shoulder. “That’s Minnie. Don’t tell me you’re going with her.”
Why did he tense when Minnie was involved?
“Why, what if I am?”
He inched closer. “You should stay away from that club, especially if Minnie is with you. Let me escort you home.”
She was growing tired of people telling her what she should and shouldn’t do, and his tone was a little commanding, and she felt a little rebellious.
“I’m old enough to make my own decisions.” Although she had no idea where Minnie was going. But that was a problem for later.
“You are old enough to make bad decisions, too.”
Minnie didn’t seem like a lady who made bad decisions. Whatever she did, it worked, considering the queue of suitors at her door. She was likely going to a secret macramé club or a Russian poetry reading.
