Page 30 of The Lady No One Noticed

“Yes, Mother, I know that you and Father only want the best for me. Of course, I am taking it seriously,” Ian answered, trying his best to make his mother regain faith in him.

“I am glad about that, Ian. We truly love you and just want to see you happily settled. We couldn’t stay quiet as you walked on to the path of self-destruction,” His mother said, her eyes glossing over with unshed tears.

“I know that Mother, thank you for always being there for me,” Ian replied with a smile, touching his mother’s face lovingly. “Now I need to rush mother, I have a picnic planned with Lady Esther.”

“Wait, wait! You can’t go meet a young Lady looking like that. It is evident that you have spent the night drinking. What kind of impression would this give her?” His mother said, stopping him from leaving.

She took him by the hand and walked back inside the dining room before forcing him to sit on a chair.

“Please get me a concoction of raw egg and garlic,” Grace ordered a footman. Ian made a face at his mother’s request knowing full well that she would force him to gulp down the entire thing. She had done this countless times before, and Ian knew it was an excellent remedy for a hangover, albeit a nasty one.

“Is that really necessary, Mother?” Ian asked plaintively.

“Yes, absolutely! You are well aware that there is no better cure for treating a hangover than that,” his mother replied, and Ian knew she was right.

The footman brought the concoction in a glass and handed it to Grace, who mixed it perfectly before giving it to Ian.

“I know it tastes bad, but you have no other choice, son,” she said, and Ian gulped down the entire glass in one go. As the mixture went inside his body, he felt his mind grow clearer and the haziness fading.

His mother must have noticed because she suddenly asked, “Feeling better?”

Ian nodded, standing up and drinking a glass of water. He walked towards the massive mirror placed over the sideboard and surveyed his reflection. He straightened out his clothes and hair before turning around to leave. He was starting to look and feel like his old self and was sure that his hangover would be much improved by the time he picked up Lady Esther.

“Wish me luck, Mother,” he said with a cheeky smile, and Grace laughed loudly.

“As if my son needs luck to woo a lady. I am sure she is already in love with you,” she replied and Ian paused. He did not wish for Esther to be in love with him, but the situation was beyond his control.

He bid his mother farewell and walked out of the dining room feeling much better than he had earlier. Now that he was formally courting Esther, their meetings would be more interesting and meaningful. He couldn’t wait to be in her company again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Esther paced about the room, unable to sit still. The fact that Ian would be calling on her to take her for a picnic was enough to make her heart rate race at an abnormally high pace. She had spent way more time than usual dressing and was still not satisfied with how she looked.

“Ruth, I must change immediately. This dress is a disaster; what was I even thinking?” Esther exclaimed.

“My Lady, this dress is one of the finest you own. The color looks exquisite on your skin, and you have never looked more beautiful. Lord Gilbert will be besotted the moment he lays eyes on you.” Ruth tried her best to comfort Esther just as she had been doing for the past fifteen minutes.

Esther paid no heed to Ruth’s words, still wrapped in the anxiety that was gripping her. Since she and Ian were officially courting now, she must make a good impression on him. She wanted him to be attracted to her, so he would wish to continue this courtship rather than lose interest in her. This match with Ian made all her wishes come true, and she couldn’t afford for it to fail. She went to stand in front of the looking glass, once again surveying her reflection from head to toe.

“I suppose this color does look acceptable on me,” Esther agreed with a sigh, feeling a surge of confidence shoot through her blood. She slightly thumbed the bracelet she was wearing and noticed how the beads caught the light. She couldn’t help but smile at the small sparkles that danced in front of her, making her forget her worries momentarily.

“Well, you look calmer now. You look even more beautiful when your face is smiling,” Ruth chimed in with a small laugh, and Esther turned to look at her.

“Thank you Ruth, I appreciate that,” Esther replied.

“I’ll go check if Lord Gilbert has arrived; it is about time,” Ruth said with a smile and walked towards the door of Esther’s bed chamber. Once she was gone, Esther turned to look at herself again, smiling ear to ear. She was extremely excited to spend more time with Ian. They had already been seen together at the Egyptian Hall yesterday and this picnic would show everyone that Ian was indeed courting her seriously.

But can he really be trusted?

A sharp sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. She knew that it was Astrid’s words that had conjured the thought. It was true that he had had a rakish reputation prior to meeting her. It was true that everyone in London knew about his countless affairs, but should Esther judge him over the past?

Every human deserved a second chance, and even rogues and rakes could change and fall in love, if she even dared think that word. Ian had reformed, he was no longer the same person. Esther could feel it in her heart. She comforted herself with those thoughts, holding firmly to her faith. It was the only way to keep her accelerating heartbeat steady. She knew she couldn’t allow such baseless fears to ruin her day.

Her attention turned towards the door as Ruth entered the bed chamber, trying to make as little noise as possible. Esther looked at her with questioning eyebrows.

“Well?” Esther asked, when Ruth remained adamantly silent, simply staring at her with a small smile dancing on her young face.

“Lord Gilbert just arrived, My Lady,” Ruth answered formally, and Esther couldn’t help but feel a rush of butterflies in her stomach. If his mere name was capable of instilling such a strong sense of delight in her, Esther couldn’t imagine what his actual presence would do to her.