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Chapter Eleven
Isaac’s words rested on Louisa’sheart overthe next week and half. Since Miss Follet’s unannounced arrival, letters from the lady had come each day. Louisa knew that Isaac read them, but she had not seen him reply even once. Perhaps the lady would take the hint and leave him alone—butthen, even with no reply, the lettersfrom her kept coming.
I suppose she does not take subtle hints well.
Duke Westwood was out to London again and Louisa was back on her way to visit Ameliabecause something was not sitting right her about what Miss Follet was doing. Isaac had told her that the lady did not do anything without a reason, and Louisa believed him.
If Miss Follet still had feelings for Isaac, why had she let him wade throughtwo longyears of pain and grief alone? And it was not her breaking her his heart that had aggrieved Isaac; the man had lost his parents too. She walked swiftly while keeping an eye on the sky; there were a flittering of dark rain clouds passing by and if it did rain, she would get trapped at the Winston Estate.
Perhaps Amelia would know more about the Lady.She arrived at the estate’s service road and drew closer to the back porch where her dear friend was waiting. Amelia stood with a lovely smile on her faceand embraced Louisa as she stepped on the veranda.
“Were you rushing to beat the rain?”Amelia asked pointedly. “Your petticoats are all dirty.”
Hiking up a section of her dress. Louisa spotted the splatters of dirt on her skirts, but then dropped them and shrugged. “Dirt will wash out. I am deeply troubled, Amelia. I—” she plunked herself onto the other side of the bench and began to twist her hands on her lap,“—do not know what to do.”
“Is it about His Grace?” Amelia asked.
“Partially,” Louisa said. “But is more about Miss Follet—she came to the house unexpectedly last week. I was not privy to their conversation, but Isaac told me after that she was angling to have him restart his courtship with her. But he told me he has no intention of being with her.”
Amelia delicately frowned. “I don’t understand, where is the problem there?”
Flattening her lipsa little, Louisa added,“He also told me that she does not do anything without a reason, and that her reasons are for either status-gaining or money. And if she does marry Isaac, she will have both, but I am concerned; if she comes from the family you told she heralds from, doesn’t she have both already? And why now? Why two years after she broke his heart?”
With widened eyes, Amelia nodded, “I see what you mean. That is concerning.”
“Have you heard anything about her, Amelia?” Louisa asked.
“I’m sorry, Louisa.” Amelie shook her head with sorrow marked on her face. “I have not heard anything. But then again, I do not think people of their stature would tell their secrets of losing money oracclaim to many others. For the members of the peerage their image in society is more precious than the rarest jewel. They would protect it with all they have—that is if theyarein trouble.”
The unsettled feeling inside her chest felt like a heavy lead ball that did not seem to be moving or breaking apart anytime soon. She struggled with the many questions running thorough her headbut could not find a solution to any of them.
“All I feel is that something is not right,” Louisa sighed. “But I have no way of proving if I am right or wrong.”
Amelia nudged Louisa with her shoulder. “Is that all that bothering you?”
Looking away so Amelia could not see the flash of embarrassment on her face, she averted her eyes ever more.“Don’t think to poorly of me, Amelia, but—but I sawMiss Follet. She is…” Her words trailed off and hung her head as the wordsescaped her.
“Oh, dear,” Amelia sighed. “I know; I have heard rumors about her, how she is the ton’s diamond of the first water. How men swoon after her and how she rejects them. It seems to me she’s seeking the best Lord to marry, but from what I do hear, she has rejected them all. Even a Marquess.”
A cool breeze fluttered over their face, and Louisa frowned. “So, why would she come back to Isaac when she has more Lordsto pick and choose from?”
“I think we do both know the most probable reason for that,” Amelia said, her tone heavy as he bit back a grimace.
“She still loves him…” Louisa whispered while her heart seemed to hiccup. “She rejected thosemen and is now coming back because she still loves him. He says that he feels nothing for her but how long with that last? She is writing to him daily and who knows, Amelia. Perhaps she will write something that will resurrect his feelings for her and I—I’ll be left out in the cold.”
After wrapping her arm around Louisa, Amelia embraced her tightly.“I’m sorry, dear.”
Dropping a hand over her friend’s, Louisa refrained from rocking herself in desolation. She knew that she should not have allowed herself to believe that somehow, she and Isaac could be happy. She was a maid after all and he, a Duke.
“Louisa, please don’t startdrawing yourself a Cheltham Tragedy just yet,” Amelia advised. “You—we— don’t know what is truly happening with the Lady and His Grace. I know itlooks bad; it truly does. But has His Grace ever given you a reason to doubt his words?”
“I do not know him that well,” Louisa admitted. “We’ve spoken on a lot of things, to be sure, but never so much to light upon atopic where a deep—” she paused, then laughed. “—what am I saying? That’swrong. That’s totally wrong, Amelia. Wehavespokenin depth about our past hurts and grievances and not once haveI felt that he was lying to me.Not once.”
Hugging her tightly, Amelia said, “There you go, dear. Think on the lighter sides of things. Now you best be going home, Louisa, it seems that there is rain on the horizon. Between now and next week, I will see what I can find about Miss Follet.”
Talking an apprehensive look to the darkening sky, Louisa nodded. “I agree. Thanks for talking some sense into me, Amelia. I cannot be more grateful that you are my friend.”
Amelia grinned.“Don’t worry, you will be doing the same for me one day.”
