Chapter Five
Openingher eyes, Milly placed a hand beside her but could not feel the soft head of Daisy, nor could she hear the gentle snores the little dog made. Two months they had been together, and Milly had grown fond of the animal.
Looking around the room, she knew it was morning even though the curtains were pulled to shut out the light. She felt rested after only a few hours’ sleep. For the first time in a long while, she had slept deeply and dreamlessly, despite whose house she slumbered in. Pulling back the covers, she walked across the carpet and drew the curtains open.
The house was on a rise, and below them swept a valley and pasture for many miles. Beneath her window was a series of paths with hedges, and she saw a ribbon of water that wound its way for many miles.
“Once, I would have been mistress here.” Her words formed a small circle on the glass as she pressed her face to it. It would have been a magical place to live, her life pampered and her every wish granted. Would she have had a child by now? The thought made her sad. Milly had always wanted children. Being the only child of the Marquess of Lawrence had been lonely, and she’d vowed to one day have a family of her own.That family should have been with Joseph.
Her eyes followed the flurries of snow falling, as thoughts filtered through her head. Leaning on the windowsill, she studied everything her eye could see. It was a beautiful, unending vista. She saw plumes of smoke in the distance, and on closer inspection detected several small cottages. That was surely the village of Stonleigh, her destination. From there she would get transportation to Spindle. With one last look, she turned away. It was time to leave now.
She was not entirely sure she wanted to ever again be the person she had once been. Some aspects she would enjoy; the steady supply of food, sleep, and warmth, but she would no longer enjoy being idle, or spending her days doing what proper ladies aught—well, according to her father anyway. Of course, her one true regret would always be leaving Joseph. She’d loved him, as he had loved her. But to play the part of empty-headed Lady Millicent for the remainder of her life no longer held any appeal.
Their love, she had come to realize, had not been real, but a fairy tale. A love that could not have endured, because she had held back part of herself to be the woman he had wanted.
Of course, none of that mattered anymore. Her sole focus now was to avoid Joseph, and get to the Wimplestows, because surely in the light of day he would recognize her?
The butler, Bailey, had shown her to this room last night. He had not questioned her right to be here, or the reasons for it, just left and then returned with food and washing water minutes later. Lord Ellsworth had said only he was awake, yet she doubted he had heated her water, or prepared the tray that had held a delicious wedge of cake and pot of tea, plus a small bowl of stew that Milly had given to Daisy. Servants, Milly had come to realize, had it hard, working from sunup to sundown with very little recompense.
Walking around the room, she let her hands trail down satin curtains, and over delicate, polished furniture. It was a room fit for any lady, and once she would have taken such a room for granted. Buttery cream walls softened the room. Bolder colors were picked out in the pillows and floor coverings. The rug that lay over the foot of the bed was thick and plush. Like the house it sat in, this room was a study of elegance and grace. Would her room have looked like this?
“Stop it,” she muttered, going to the washbasin. “This is not your life, nor ever will it be again.”
She washed, then tied the two padded pieces of material about her waist. They made her hips look bigger and acted as part of her disguise. Milly then stuffed her chemise to make her bosom look larger. Pulling on a dress, she looked in the mirror, and ran her hands down the cream skirts, trying to smooth the worst of the wrinkles. This was the best of her three dresses and it was showing signs of wear and tear around the seams and cuffs. Once it had been grand, a dress to stroll through Hyde Park in, or ride in a carriage, but no longer. She had lost so much weight, that even with the padding it hung on her. The blue-ribboned neckline was wrinkled and faded, and the bow looking worse for wear. Poking out a foot, she looked at the scuffed and worn toes of her boots. At least they kept her feet warm and dry.
Milly brushed her hair, then plaited it and twisted the entire length up on top of her head. She’d dyed it an ugly brown when she left London, and had continued to do so. Opening her mouth, she pushed two small rolls of cotton under her cheekbones. These padded her cheeks, and she’d been wearing them so long she had grown used to talking with them. She could sip tea and eat small mouthfuls of food, but she rarely ate anything too substantial when in company. She then pulled on her cloak and lace cap, and lastly her bonnet. Looking in the mirror, she knew no one would recognize her as the Lady Millicent who had once walked in society. Not even the man who had wanted her as his wife. Reassured, she slipped on her glasses, before picking up her bag. With a final look around the beautiful room, she then walked out and closed the door behind her.
“May I be of assistance, Miss Higglesworth?”
Milly looked at the tall, uniformed man who was cleaning the mirror down the end of the long hallway she was currently walking.
“Could you tell me the time, please?”
“Nine o’clock.”
Good Lord, she had never slept that late... well, not for many years, at least.
“I would like to find my dog, and then if you would, please furnish me with directions to the nearest village where I may procure transportation to the village of Spindle.”
“His lordship has requested that you join him in his study, Miss Higglesworth. If you will follow me, I shall take you directly to him.”
“There really is no need—”
“Colin,” the footman inserted.
“Colin,” Milly added. “I wish to find my dog and be on my way.”
“I believe Mugwort is with Lord Ellsworth in his study, Miss Higglesworth.”
“Daisy,” Milly said between clenched teeth. “Her name is Daisy, not Mugwort.”
Colin didn’t answer, just made his way slowly down the hallway with Milly at his heels. Milly had been in grand houses before, those of her parents’ friends, but this one was surely the most beautiful. She could almost imagine walking these halls with the earl at her side.
Stop it!
The carpets muted her footsteps, and she studied each painting they passed. The walls were duck-egg blue, with three gold stripes running down the center, and the ceiling darker blue with gilt edging. She saw rosewood furniture with intricately curved legs upon which sat delicate sculptures and gold-leafed candlesticks. Everywhere she looked, she saw beauty as befitted the Earl of Ellsworth’s home.
“I am sure a great deal of work goes into making this house beautiful. The staff are to be commended, Colin,” Milly said, wondering if Joseph had even noticed. She knew once, she would not have.
