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“I shall endeavor to teach him, My Lady,” Elizabeth said respectfully then motioned toward the shelves. “May I?”
“By all means.” The Dowager waved a hand dismissively. Elizabeth moved to the shelves and set her cane down against the wooden frame of the bookshelf before she got down on her knees, tilting her head to look into the dark space where Brutus was hiding.
“Brutus?” she called softly. “I have missed you.” He whined in response but did not come out. She held her hand forward. “Do you not want to come home?” He licked her fingers, tentatively at first, then he began to come forward. Elizabeth smiled. “I have many treats waiting for you if you come out.”
He emerged completely then, and she scooped him up into her arms, relieved to have him with her again. It had only been two days, but it felt as though they had been apart for much longer.
“My grandson was right. He does listen to you.” The Dowager almost sounded impressed.
“Thank you for allowing him to stay in your home, My Lady,” Elizabeth said with a smile, stroking Brutus’ head. Her father came to help her up, and she handed Brutus to him.
The Dowager inclined her head. “He shall be missed.” Elizabeth doubted Rhys would miss Brutus after what he had done to his clothes, but his expression was soft when she looked at him. She thought she saw a small smile, too.
They bid the Dowager good night and left. Rhys would not be returning with them, and in the front hall, Elizabeth said, “I will repay you what Brutus ruined.”
He shook his head, “Please, do not. I understand and will not hold this against Brutus.”
Something softened inside her, and she smiled. “Thank you.”
“Have a good night, Lady Elizabeth, Lord Winston.”
“You, as well,” her father replied and guided her out of the house.
Elizabeth was happy to have Brutus with her again, but her emotions were still where they had been since she left the fight house. She needed to tell her sister what she had done. It was the only way she could make amends.
* * *
“You won the wager you placed yesterday. I went to Old Ford this morning to collect it.” Stella held out some bank notes to Elizabeth. “A hundred and fifteen guineas.”
Elizabeth smiled at her winnings. “Thank you, Stella. I do not know what I would do without you.”
“You would be very lost.” Stella sighed in an affected manner and shook her head.
Elizabeth took some of the bank notes, wrote a short letter, and attached them. “Take these to the Foundling Hospital when you have time.” Then she gave Stella the rest. “And these are yours.”
“It is too much, Elizabeth,” Stella protested. “I did place and win a wager myself.”
“I know, but I want you to have this. I would never have accomplished all that I have without you.”
Stella accepted the money with a shy smile. “You may always depend on me, and not because you occasionally give me gifts like this.”
“I know,” Elizabeth chuckled.
“Now, we should return our attention to your correspondence. There is a letter from—” The knock that suddenly sounded at the door had both Elizabeth and Stella scrambling to put away the papers and correspondences that were atop her desk.
When she was certain that everything that should not be seen was safely away, she called, “Come in!”
Irene entered the room with a bright smile. “Lord Mayton has called.” When Elizabeth did not react, she added, “He asked for you.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth’s insides tightened. “Did he tell you why he wishes to see me?”
“Do you not know, Elizabeth?” Irene laughed. “He wishes to court you.”
“Me?” Elizabeth found that difficult to believe even though Mayton had in their last encounter indicated that he might be interested in courting her.
“But of course!” Irene came to pull her out of her chair. “Do not be silly, dear sister. Now come. We must not keep a gentleman waiting.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth murmured then smiled. Perhaps this was what she required, for another man to court her, so she could forget Rhys.
“Oh, and we have received two invitations from Lord Guildford,” Irene said as Elizabeth rose. She did not need a cane to walk today because her foot felt completely fine.
“Two invitations?” she echoed.
“Yes,” Irene confirmed. “One to dinner tonight and the other to spend a few days at his country seat.” Elizabeth’s breath caught, and she paused their procession to the door.
“Exciting, is it not?” Irene asked.
Days in the same house with Rhys?That was positively alarming, but all Elizabeth could do at that instant was give her sister a nod.
