“No. I always wished he would, because I wanted a mother. He wasn’t a very good father.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Ellis was curious but wouldn’t press, not when she didn’t want to share her own past. Best to keep the conversation lighter—if possible, since they’d already tread near melancholy. “Who taught you to read?”
“My nurse,” he replied. “She was the closest thing to a parent I had.”
“And is she still a part of your life?” Ellis hoped so.
Keele shook his head. “My father sent her away when I was eight. He thought I was too dependent on her.” He blew out a breath as he crossed his arms. “After that, I was assigned a valet and a tutor.”
“You had a valet at the age of eight?”
“A rather stodgy one too. But Lester possessed a kind heart that he hid from my father,” Keele said with a faint smile. “When I went away to Eton, my father dismissed him.”
Keele’s experience showed that Ellis was not the first person who had suffered at the hands of a cruel parent, nor would she be the last. In fact, Min had suffered too. Ellis suddenly felt selfish for turning away from her dearest friend. No, Min was her sister, both in emotion and in truth.
She was inching closer to overcoming the bitterness she’d felt at discovering her mother’s identity and the manner in which she’d learned it. She’d begun forging a solid path for herself and was starting to feel…safe. Her anger was finally dissipating. Only anger wasn’t entirely right. Ellis realized she felt a bit of jealousy too. Not for what Min had, but for what she was—legitimate.
The coach arrived at Wellesbourne House, which Ellis had visited on several occasions. It was one of the largest on Brook Street, if not the largest. White pilasters framed the brick doorway of the five-bayed terrace.
Keele scooted to the far side of the seat so she could easily depart the coach. “I’ll just wait here until you’re finished. Take your time.”
She cast him a slightly scolding glance. “Don’t stare at my backside when I leave.”
He arched a brow at her, his expression utterly wicked. “How will you know?”
Ellis stifled a smile as she climbed out of the coach. They ought not flirt, but she couldn’t deny his attention made her feel good. It made her feel…wanted.
The coachman was apparently already aware that Keele would not be accompanying her inside. She kept her face averted as she walked past him to the front door. She put her hand to her face, lightly covering the bottom half.
The butler, resplendent in his dark blue livery, regarded her expectantly. Hopefully, he would not recognize her from her prior visits as Ellis Dangerfield, companion to Lady Minerva.
“I am Mr. Ellis,” she said in her deepest, most authoritative tone. “For Miss Barclay.” She had moved her hand to speak and now turned her head slightly as the butler opened the door and invited her inside.
“Miss Barclay is awaiting you in the drawing room. If you’ll follow me.” He led her up the staircase, and Ellis recalled her other visits to see her friend Persephone, the Duchess of Wellesbourne, always in Min’s company. Fleetingly, Ellis wondered if those women were only her friends because of Min, but that seemed silly. She was seeing Pandora on her own without Min. Surely that meant Ellis was their friend.
Ellis stopped cold as the butler moved into the drawing room. What if Min was there? What if Pandora had tricked Ellis into coming so that Min could see her?
“Mr. Ellis?”
The sound of the butler saying her name drew Ellis to blink and move forward. He gestured for her to precede him, then followed her over the threshold. “Mr. Ellis has arrived,” he announced.
Pandora jumped up from a chair, smiling broadly. “Thank you, Ralston.”
He departed, and Ellis walked toward Pandora, who kept grinning. “You’re not wearing the beard.”
“I despise it,” Ellis said. “I find it difficult to eat with it on. However, I’ve decided I don’t think it’s wise for me to stay for dinner. You’d have to ask the footman to leave, and I don’t want to draw attention to myself or how I look.” It had been bad enough when Keele had figured out almost immediately that she was a woman, and now Margot knew as well. But Ellis wasn’t going to tell Pandora any of that.
“I understand,” Pandora said, though she appeared a bit disappointed. “I’m just glad you’re here. You’ll stay for a while?”
Ellis smiled. “I would like that.”
They moved to a settee and sat down, angling themselves so they faced one another.
“Are you thrilled to have your book published?” Ellis asked.
“I think I’m still in shock,” Pandora replied. “But yes. I wasn’t sure anyone would like it.”
“It’s brilliant,” Ellis said. “I’ve read it twice.”
