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CHAPTER8
Two days later
Bella gazed about her room, assuring herself Mary had packed everything she wished to take on her trip to London. Thrilled about getting new dresses from their London modiste, she had been less than enthusiastic about leaving since her courtship with Slade had begun. His attentions had been a complete surprise.Mama says love comes about when you least expect it,she thought.Perhaps my mother has the right of it,she mused.
For Bella, life suddenly seemed surreal. Her first Season had been a disappointment to her parents. They had said nothing,but she knew. In her defense, no one she had met had even come close to Slade Mason—the young man who had captured her heart all those years ago at the creek. He was her brother’s friend, and while he had never noticed her, Bella had noticed him. She refused to accept a lesser person.And now, the man of my dreams is courting me!It was a boon that Mama wanted to go to London at the same time Slade was traveling there. Hopefully, they would see each other at least once.
Bella closed her eyes and hugged her arms about herself wistfully. Her thoughts traveled back to the afternoon when she and her friend Diana had wickedly watched her brother, Percy, and his friend swim in the creek. The boys were never quiet and had quickly attracted their attention, swinging from a rope Percy had hung from one of the larger trees. The boys were jumping off the limb with the rope and falling into the center of the water. She and Diana had watched from a safe distance.
When it grew quiet, she and Diana snuck closer and saw the boys splashing around in the water—while their clothes lay in a huge pile beneath the tree. The prank had been something the two young girls could not resist. Not only had they tied the boys’ clothes together.They had peeped!A familiar shiver of excitement coursed through her. The image of his tan back, waist-level in the water had stayed with her. When Slade and Percy turned toward them, the two girls had taken cover deeper in the wooded area, holding their giggles until they were a safe distance away.
The image of Slade’s tanned back with water running down his head had emblazoned on Bella’s brain.No man could hold a candle to Slade Mason.
“Milady, are we ready?” Her maid’s voice came from next to her.
“Mary! You frightened me,” Bella laughed. “I was daydreaming.”
“Ye have much to dream about,” Mary replied. “The young man courting ye has always held your heart.
“You,” Bella corrected softly. “Please, Mary. It is important to me you speak properly.”
“Why, milady?Thisis my station in life,” Mary argued.
Bella hated arguing with Mary, always afraid that her mother would walk in on them. Mama would not approve and getting her cooperation to help Mary would be harder. “You donotknow that is true,” Bella replied firmly. She had always wanted Mary to have the same opportunities she had, even as she realized the impossibility of it, but perhaps Mary was right. She was only looking at things from her point of view, as a member of a privileged society. Mary saw things through the eyes of a servant.
“We have this disagreement too often. I yield to you, Mary,” Bella whispered. “Perhaps I am wrong and being selfish. I only want to help you. Although, I understand your reasons for wanting . . . needing to blend in with the other servants.”
“Thank you, milady,” Mary said, emphasizing her efforts to speak correctly. “I will try to speak properly when we are together. I only mean to blend with the servants—not antagonize you.”
“I think I understand, Mary,” Bella admitted, wearing a smile of chagrin.
“I will meet you downstairs, Lady Bella,” the maid said, smiling at her mistress before leaving the room.
“I am hopeless with maintainingsocial distance,” Bella said to herself on a sigh, as Mary closed her door. Bella had always wondered whether Mary had been stolen as a child and wondered if her parents would mind if she spent her pin money having it investigated. It might be too long ago, but Bella had dreamed once of seeing Mary with two people that could have been her parents. She had never forgotten the memory. She would speak to her mother when they were alone. If something like that had happened to her friend, she would want to do everything she could to right that wrong and reunite them.What are you doing, Bella? You’ve allowed your dreams to mottle your reality.Mary may be right about maintaining social distance from her, she reminded herself. Surely her friend would recall her parents.Unless she was too young to remember, a small voice in her head reminded her.
Seeing the small brown wrapped packages from her excursion to the bookstore on the bottom shelf of her bedside table, she snatched them up on impulse, intent on stuffing them into her valise. She hurried from the room, hoping to find her mother waiting downstairs in the parlor, ready to leave.
It would take two days to get to London if they took their time and stopped for the night. Bella was eager to leave and hoped her mother was ready. A trip to the modiste’s always excited her. Mentally, she found herself thinking of dress colors. She longed to ask Mama to use some bolder blues and purples, arguably holiday colors, even if not the typical red and green. Now that her first Season had ended, perhaps her mother would consider it. Purple was one of the few colors that gave life to her violet eyes. Mama herself often commented on that. Pastels washed her out, and she hated debutante white. Bella felt alive and wanted vibrancy. New dresses always encouraged her mood.
“Good morning, Mama,” she said cheerfully.
“Are you bringing gifts?” her mother said, smiling and looking at the small packages.
Bella realized she had inadvertently grabbed Mary’s gift and the book she had purchased for herself. “Not exactly. I purchased a couple of books and thought they would be splendid company on the ride to London. Is Papa coming?”
“Yes, dear. And Percy is coming, as well,” Mama added warmly. “Your brother has business in London and said he would ride along.”
“Wonderful! We can all do holiday shopping!” Bella said cheerfully. She looked out the window and noticed her father’s and brother’s horses were already tied up near the carriage. She wished they could celebrate the entire holiday in London. They had never done that before. It could be fun. It would be even more fun if she got to see Slade!
Twenty minutes later, the family’s small caravan moved toward London.
* * *
Slade rode in silence, with Latham by his side. They had been on the road for a day already. His mother and sister were behind them in the carriage. He and Latham were a short distance ahead. Once Mother was told that Graham would be in London, that was all the impetus she needed. They were approaching the area where his father’s carriage had wrecked almost a fortnight ago. He dreaded passing the spot. The turn should be less than a mile ahead. He could see the road beginning at the turn.
Slade thought about stopping, but with Graham involved in the accident, he was certain the area had been picked apart for clues. Besides, it would only make the trip worse, and he was determined to keep his mood lighter, despite the weather and the tedium of the travel ahead of him. The weather was grim—cold and wet. While it was not raining, the skies threatened. The crisp, sunny days they had been having seemed over. He glanced over at Latham, who was riding in silence, too. They often rode great distances without having to speak, comforted by the other. It was as if they both knew what the other was thinking. He used to tease Latham that they were brothers from different mothers. About an hour into the ride, Slade slowed his horse. “Did you hear that?” Slade said, handing the reins to Latham. “It was in the bushes,” he whispered.
“It could have been a rabbit or squirrel foraging for food,” offered Latham.
