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Children were innocent. They should be given a chance to have a childhood and grow up appropriately, not thrust into crime and suffer loss so early in their life. Then again, loss didn’t get any better as you got older. Eleanor knew that from personal experience.
“What’s wrong, Eleanor?” Marion asked. She laid a hand over her friend’s. “Is this marriage agreement bothering you? Captain Reynolds’ opinion over the orphanage?”
“A little bit.” Eleanor shrugged. “It’s nothing, really.”
“I’d believe that if I hadn’t just seen you sew yourself to your flower design.”
Eleanor wanted to tell Marion. They didn’t keep anything from each other. But Eleanor remembered what Nathan had told her. These people were stealing children and weren’t above harming those who could be a threat. Marion helped occasionally with Eleanor at the orphanage, but she was not as dedicated as Eleanor. It was best to keep it to herself for now, until Eleanor really knew what was going on.
Putting herself in danger was one thing. Asking her friend to do it herself was something else, and Eleanor wasn’t prepared to do that. She turned her hand over and clasped Marion’s.
“Once I’ve got it all sorted in my head, I’ll let you know.”
“Please.” Marion pursed her lips. “Because I want to know if there’s anything I can do, and I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”
“I know, Marion. You’re a really good friend.” Eleanor meant it. She really did. “And I promise you that I will talk to you about it once I’ve made sense of it.”
Once I know that you’re not going to become a target as well. The less you know, the better.
“Good.” Marion squeezed Eleanor’s hands before withdrawing. “I don’t like being useless.”
Eleanor smiled. “One thing I would never call you is useless, Marion.”
She got a tongue stuck out at her in reply, which simply had Eleanor laughing. The mood lightened a little. Marion had the ability to make everything feel better. She was a shining spark, much like her mother. The mood was often lifted simply by Marion being in the room. Eleanor was glad that she had a friend in Marion Laurie. Her mother would be proud of her.
The door opened, and Parsons entered. He bowed at Eleanor.
“Forgive me for bothering you, Lady Eleanor, but there’s a Lady Chapman at the front door.” He held up the calling card. “She wishes to speak to you immediately.”
Eleanor sat up. Lorraine Chapman wanted to talk to her? That was something that just did not happen. Lady Chapman made it clear that she considered Eleanor inferior and a fool. They wouldn’t associate with each other unless it was something they couldn’t avoid.
So why was she here? There were far too many questions that needed answering for Eleanor to send the woman away. She nodded.
“Send her in, Parsons, but stay close by in case I shout for you. I don’t expect Lady Chapman is going to stay too long.”
“Very good, my Lady.” Parsons bowed again and left the room.
Marion frowned and put aside her sewing. “What on earth does she want?”
“I have no idea.” Eleanor put her sewing on the cushion beside her and rose to her feet, brushing down her skirts. “Hopefully, it won’t take long. I’ve got to help Cook with the lunch.”
Maybe she could use that as an excuse to get rid of the woman quickly. As a guest, Lady Chapman didn’t have a right to stay if the hostess didn’t want her to. There was some advantage of being the one with some of the power for the time being.
The door opened a moment later and Lady Chapman swept in. She was looking very cool and serene in her dress of pale yellow, her hair curled and perfectly done up on her head, but her expression was anything but serene. If anything, she looked like she was barely holding back her fury.
What did she have to be furious about? Eleanor hadn’t said anything to her since the woman brought her donations at least a week ago. What was going on? Fixing a pleasant smile on her mouth, Eleanor approached the other woman.
“Lady Chapman, good morning. Forgive me if this meeting is brief, as I have a lot to do today.”
“I won’t keep you long.” Lady Chapman sniffed. She was tapping something that looked like a cane on the floor. It looked far too ornate to be a regular cane. What did she even need a cane for? “I just wanted to tell you to break off your engagement to the Earl of Brixton.”
Eleanor was still trying to figure out what Lady Chapman was doing with such a cane, so it took a few moments for the words to sink in. She blinked and stared. Lady Chapman sniffed and lifted her chin. She hadn’t imagined the words. The woman really expected Eleanor to say that she would break off the engagement immediately because she was told to.
Except how did she know about their arrangement? Eleanor hadn’t said a word to anyone other than Marion, and Nathan hadn’t proposed so it couldn’t be classed as an engagement.
“We’re merely courting, my Lady. We’re not engaged.”
“But you will be,” Lady Chapman practically snarled. “And I want you to walk away from him.”
