“I know,” Reid admitted. “Tenants have been apprising me of the estate’s condition. I apologize for my negligence. I should have done something to help,” he said, continuing to beat himself up for walking away, reluctant to be a lord.
“Your old man never would have allowed it,” Warren said. “He was too stubborn and proud to change his ways and would never listen to others. No one blames you, my lord. We know you’ve always cared.” The man was sincere in not blaming Reid, which he was not entirely sure he deserved. “I’ll tell you, though,” the barkeep continued, “Lady Elise has been a blessing. Ever since she moved in, she’s been offering her services to anyone who needs them, and she shares her garden’s yield with the community. She’s been a great help in keeping the young ones healthy.”
“Yes, I’ve not known her long, but it seems she’s made herself right at home here.” Reid looked over to the other side of the pub where the Lady Elise was lovingly cleaning the foot of a young boy and examining a wound on his heel, both smiling as she soothed his concerned mother.
It was clear that the people here trusted and looked up to her. But the longer Reid watched, he noticed how the villagers treated her with politeness rather than familiarity, leaving a space between them. Due to her standing as a lady and her wealth, as much as they respected her and even viewed her as a friend, she was set apart, not seen as one of their own.
Reid realized for the first time how truly alone she must feel without Nora and Jed. From what he had witnessed in the short time he’d known her; the couple had seemed like a surrogate family to Lady Elise. His heart ached for her. If she was no longer accepted in thetonand was not truly a part of the community in Dorset, then she did not really belong anywhere.She belongs with me,Reid thought, unbidden.
Reid spoke with many of the villagers as they came by the pub that day, and he told Warren to supply drinks for anyone who visited. He heard from countless farmers that what they needed most was improved housing and access to affordable food. And seeing how appreciative they were of Lady Elise’s produce, he decided to talk with Fairleigh about a potential solution.
Helping Lady Elise to clean up and gathering empty boxes, they made their way out of the pub. “You were wonderful today,” Reid told her. “Do you always see so many people?”
“Yes, it was a fairly standard group today. The vegetables went quickly, I’m glad they will be put to good use. Nora and I couldn’t preserve everyth—" She trailed off, a look of extreme sadness crossing her face as she realized she would never again jar any goods with her friend. She turned away from him, presumably so he wouldn’t see her cry again, and he finished loading the last of the items before they went to pay their respects to the friends she had lost at the church.
CHAPTER12
Rubbing her temples, Elise fought off a headache that seemed determined to emerge no matter how she tried to stave it off. It was hardly a surprise one had formed given how difficult the past few days had been. Struggling through her grief had only been made harder by inhabiting a home where, with one noticeable exception, she was not wanted. While Lord Weston had been true to his word, immediately writing to the siblings who were looking for work, Elise knew she was still days away from their arrival, allowing her to return to the dower house.
In the meantime, she had been working with the tenants to prepare the service for Nora and Jed. While the work was an honor to provide for the couple, it also allowed her to avoid preparations at Cliff House where guests were arriving later that day. Lord Weston’s older sister, Lady Heather, came early from London to assist the dowager countess with the details. She was a kind woman, yet she did not know how to act around Elise while she remained there.
Lady Heather was genuinely saddened by Elise’s loss, but due to her ruined status, she did not feel it proper for her to mingle with the other guests. Flustered by not wanting to be rude to her, Lady Heather held an extremely uncomfortable conversation with Elise where she seemed to contradict herself with every other statement.
“Of course, you are welcome to stay here at Cliff House while you find new staff,” Lady Heather said in all sincerity. “But with guests expected, it really might be best if you did not move about the estate too freely.” Wringing her hands, she added, “Please do make yourself at home. We want you to be comfortable—just keep to the lesser-used rooms of the house while our guests are occupying the drawing room.” In attempting to stay warm towards Elise and not offend while still adhering to proper decorum, the poor woman had practically tied herself in knots. Elise assured her that she was still grieving and had no wish to mingle with the guests.
She had a sneaking suspicion that the dowager countess and her daughter were eager to redirect Lord Weston’s attention off of her, and rather fixed more firmly on some of the guests they were hoping he’d view as prospects for the next Countess of Weston. The earl had been exceedingly polite and attentive to her in the days leading up to the service for Nora and Jed. He even took her to the church to view the burial site and speak with the vicar about arrangements to lay them to rest.
The funeral had been yesterday, and Elise moved through the day in a haze. While she knew generally what had taken place and people she had seen, none of her recollections from the service were sharp. Recalling events from the day before felt like she had observed everything from underwater; she knew what she was seeing, but it all appeared slightly distorted and muted. She wouldn’t have made it through the day without Weston beside her. He had been a comforting presence, ever at her side, silently guiding her to where she needed to go. Once everything was over and she had witnessed her beloved friends being lowered into the ground, she finally broke down as the carriage door closed and they rode back to Cliff House. Weston said nothing, only placing a comforting hand on her back and letting her cry. It had been exactly what she needed.
Now sequestered away in her room for the duration of her stay at Cliff House, Elise watched out the window as the first guests arrived. Stifling a laugh that was half gasp, she saw none other than Lady Priscilla step down from the first carriage to arrive. Lady Wrexham followed her out, standing tall with a haughty look on her face, believing herself to be above everyone else around her.
Of course, Elise thought, it would be the very people who had been determined to punish and see her out of London whom she would encounter the first time engaging with thetonsince arriving in Dorset. Her resolve to avoid the guests at all costs was reinforced at their entrance as she did not wish to encounter any drama while she remained at Cliff House. In her exhausted and reduced emotional state, she was honestly not sure if she would be able to handle an encounter with them. No, she would do everything she could to remain out of sight and out of mind.
* * *
Elise managed to pass the first day of the gathering undetected, for which she could only assume the dowager countess and Lady Heather were exceptionally grateful. It figured then, that as she made her way quietly towards the library on the second morning of the party, she would run into the last person she wished to see.
“My goodness,” Lady Priscilla exclaimed. “Elise, is that you?”
Elise bowed her head while silently cursing her bad luck. “Lady Priscilla,” she greeted.
“Where on earth have you been hiding yourself? And what are you doing here? Are you joining the remembrance?” Elise had forgotten that this gathering was being held under the guise of a remembrance for the late earl, rather than the matchmaking scheme it really was.
“No, I’m not a member of the group,” Elise said as diplomatically as possible, “I’m afraid I don’t run in such circles anymore.” She felt a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she was more than happy outside the confines of polite society, while on the other, she resenting being pulled away from her family. How was it possible to look at Lady Priscilla and feel at once both grateful and furious?
Lady Pricilla had the decency to slightly flush as she looked down. Was it possible she felt some guilt for what had befallen Elise over the years? Stranger things had happened, though it would be quite the change in character. “It’s good to see you regardless,” the lady said. “You simply disappeared for a while.”
“Yes, I moved to the Dorset Coast almost three years ago. I’ve been staying at a property on the edge of the Weston estate,” Elise shared.
“Whatever are you doing at Cliff House then?” Priscilla persisted. Before Elise could answer, Lady Heather rounded the corner and started at the sight of them together. Regaining her composure, she glided toward them with a practiced calmness on her face.
“Lady Elise, I’m surprised to see you about,” she said with a pointed glance in her direction.
“I was just heading to the library for a new book when I unexpectedly ran into Lady Priscilla. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Well, if you’re staying here, why don’t you join us?” Lady Priscilla interjected, turning toward Lady Heather.
“Lady Elise has tragically lost her servants in an accident and is only staying with us until she can secure new help,” Lady Heather explained. “Her stay is quite unexpected, and she does not mean to impose on the gathering.”
