Though her advisors and staff gave her the benefit of their knowledge and experience, all trod carefully around her and would never argue too strongly against her decisions. And, if she was honest with herself, she’d not faced a choice like the one that challenged her now. She wished she had someone with whom she could discuss the whole matter of Sir Iain and his offer. Someone not her employee. Not her sister. Someone...
Clare watched out the window as the children ran about the yard next to the school without actually seeing any of them. She tucked away a reminder to ask Mr. Chalmers if he’d discovered anything about the missing children and then went back to staring.
One of the three days he’d given her to visit him to speak of his offer had passed. She wanted to say her ankle had pained her and prevented her from walking much, but part of her wanted to see him again. Though she’d not changed her decision about his offer, she was curious about it.
And him.
Another reason for her to avoid him.
“Lady Clare?” She turned away from the window as Mrs. Baird approached. Philomena kept the children who lived here housed, fed and well. And she tried to keep them safe when they did not. “Mrs. Hunter has arrived and asked to speak to you.”
“She is here?” Clare glanced down the hallway and found it empty.
“William has shown her to the small parlor.”
“Did she say what this is about?” Clare asked.
She headed towards the parlor opposite of the office that was a less formal and more comfortable place to greet guests. She’d not spoken to Samantha since the day after her return from Inverness. That was not unusual in itself for, between Clare’s commitments here and overseeing other business matters, there were times when the two women lived in the same household without seeing each other. It must be important if Samantha sought her out.
Clare almost stopped at the realization that Sam might be the very person she needed most right now. Mrs. Baird was close on her heels, so Clare moved along and entered the parlor to find it... empty. The chattering of the children outside the window drew her attention and that was where she spied Samantha.
Outside.
Speaking with Mr. MacLaurin.
Laughing with Mr. MacLaurin.
Clare heard Mrs. Baird’s indrawn breath at the same moment she did the same. The encounter they were witnessing was not just a casual or accidental one for the two were clearly comfortable as they stood laughing together.
“Samantha and Peter?” she whispered even while not expecting a response.
“I do not ken how I missed it all this time,” Mrs. Baird said. “I am usually better at seeing these things.” A regretful tone filled her words.
“You are?” Clare faced the school’s housekeeper. This was not a particularly good place for the blooming of romantic relationships.
“My family considers me quite a matchmaker, Lady Clare. I have had many successes at introducing couples, but I am doubting my own abilities having missed this one.” Mrs. Baird nodded at the two as they leaned their heads closer, exchanging some sort of private conversation.
Samantha had lost her much older husband several years before moving in with Clare. Though worn down from being her husband’s caretaker for the last years of his life, she’d bloomed once she was widowed. With a reasonable fortune, she did not depend on Clare or anyone for her living. She contributed generously to Clare’s special projects, this school included, as well as belonging to several societies for educational and artistic studies.
Now, watching as she and Mr. MacLaurin spoke, oblivious to even the boisterous play of the children kicking a ball around them, Clare could see that this had been happening without her noticing for some time. In her own attempts to ignore what she missed the most in life, she’d missed this happening even within her own household.
“Well, well.”
So caught up in their thoughts, neither noticed that the couple had stopped talking to each other and were staring in their direction. Clare quickly turned away and Mrs. Baird stepped away just as quickly. Making her way to one of the high-back chairs, she sat and smoothed her gown and ever-present apron over her lap, waiting for Samantha’s arrival... and comments. Mrs. Baird retreated from the parlor, passing Samantha in the doorway and calling the maid for tea.
A blush filled Samantha’s cheeks as she entered and sat across from Clare. Between that and the glint in her eyes, she appeared younger than her more than one-score-and-ten years.
Which was some years old than Mr. MacLaurin.
“I did not mean to keep you waiting, Clare. But I remembered something to tell... Mr. MacLaurin and thought to do it while I waited.”
The excuse seemed polite enough and reasonable enough. The two had been introduced before and had even worked together on several events held here at the school. But the blush deepened and Samantha glanced away as she spoke, belying her casual words.
“I had no idea.” Clare spoke honestly. When Samantha met her gaze, she could see her friend struggling with the decision whether to continue the ruse or admit the truth.
“He is quite appealing,” she said. A smile flitted across her face, and it tugged at Clare’s heart. To find joy after such unhappiness was a good thing.
“Mrs. Hunter! He is younger than you.”
