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“Very good. I will take mine in the morning room.”
“I will let Cook know you would like your usual.” Davis walked away but not before giving her a worried look.
She sat down and glanced outside. The sun shone brightly, which generally would lighten her mood, but not today. Nothing seemed right today. She hadn’t seen her sisters in days. Her mother harped on her to attend a ball tonight when Emma had no desire to dance or speak with anyone.
Perhaps a walk in the park would help lighten her mood.
“Here you are, miss.” Their footman Samuel placed a plate with a strawberry pastry in front of her. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
He retrieved the coffee for her and then moved to the hall.
Emma inhaled the coffee and sighed, remembering the coffee Simon brought to Worth Hall. Now even co
ffee was ruined for her. She placed the cup back on the saucer. Would she ever feel like herself again?
She bit into the pastry and waited for the lovely sweetness to tempt her to eat more. Just like the previous five days, it tasted like sand. Dropping it back to her plate, she scraped back her chair.
“Davis, can you ask a footman to accompany me to the park?” she asked from the threshold of the dining room.
“There is no need since a walk is what I came here for,” Louisa said from the front hall.
“I’m a little surprised to see you today,” Emma commented with a hint of scorn. “It’s been five days.”
“And yes, it has been five days since you left my house with only a letter to explain your reason for leaving.”
Emma sighed. “Did you come here to scold me?”
“Not at all. It’s quite a beautiful day, and I thought we both might need a walk. We should be off now.” Louisa held out her arm.
“Very well,” she said as she held her sister’s arm. “But I will not speak of him.”
“I have no wish to talk of Simon.” They walked down the exterior steps.
“How is your family?”
Louisa smiled. “George finally broke a bottom tooth. He’d been absolutely miserable for the past four days, and then suddenly, there was this little ridge in his mouth. He looks so adorable.”
“I can’t wait to see him.”
“You and Mamma should come to dinner tomorrow night.” Before Emma could object, Louisa added, “Simon will not be there.”
“Are you certain? He does make it a habit to show up in the middle of dinner.”
“I will make sure Harry tells him not to stop by.”
“Very well, then I will come over tomorrow night,” Emma conceded. “Tessa too? I haven’t seen her in ages.”
“Excellent idea. Mamma, too,” Louisa added. “How did she react when you arrived home?”
Emma shrugged and grimaced. “The usual. She saw no need for me to be at your home for such an extended period. And yet, not once did she stop by to make sure I was well.”
Louisa pressed her lips together as if holding back a curse. “I’m sorry, Emma. She is rather preoccupied with Lord Hammond.”
“To the point of neglecting her daughters.”
“Unfortunately, that is true.” Louisa patted her arm as they entered the park.
