I hated lying to her, but she was too kind, and I knew she would worry if she knew just how awful it was. I lied only partially once again. “It is sufficient. We have what we need.”
She studied my face for a long moment. “Please know that you and your brothers are welcome to stay here as long as you would like.”
I wanted to stay forever. This place was beautiful and Mrs. Kellaway’s kindness was as reassuring as it was unfamiliar. For the first time in years, I felt calm. Safe. But my ears captured a slight hint of obligation in Mrs. Kellaway’s voice.“I don’t want to be a burden,” I said in a quiet voice.
She shook her head. “You could never be. I have been hoping that you would come! Iwantedyou to come. Will you be staying at least the remainder of the summer?”
I nodded with a smile. “If that is all right. I don’t wish to trespass on your hospitality.”
“You could not trespass even if you wanted to, my dear. It is a very large house. There is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy.”
“Besides your son, will I meet any other members of your family?” I asked. Hopefully the rest of the family was more like Mrs. Kellaway and less like Owen.
“At the moment, my parents are keeping me company here. They are in town today, but you will meet them this evening. My husband is away with my eldest son Edmund, my daughter Alice is visiting a friend at a nearby estate. My youngest, Simon,is studying at Oxford. My entire family, besides Simon, will be returning in a fortnight or so.”
Oh. I hadn’t realized they were returning so soon. “You must promise to tell me if we make your home overcrowded,” I said. “I know we accepted your invitation later than planned.”
Mrs. Kellaway laughed. “There are more than twenty rooms. It will not be too crowded.”
My brows lifted.Twenty?
“While you are here, you and your brothers should enjoy the house and the grounds. You will love it here. Please, don’t hesitate to ask me—or Owen—for anything you need.”
I thanked her with a genuine smile. But I had no intention of asking Owen for anything.
“I have assigned Lizzie to be your maid during your stay,” she said, throwing a glance in Lizzie’s direction.
My head spun at the thought of having my own maid. It was proper, and if I was going to spend the summer living in this elegant, perfect house, I ought to make an attempt at being elegant myself, no matter how difficult it proved to be.
I threw a thankful smile in Lizzie’s direction just as a scream split the air from the main floor. I jumped. Mrs. Kellaway leaped to her feet.
“What was that?” I asked, my voice panicked. Images of my brothers working mischief led by Owen flooded my mind.
“I don’t know.” She cast me a worried glance. She hurried from the room and I followed, praying that Peter and Charles didn’t have anything to do with it.
We raced through the corridor and down the stairs. The shrieking continued—it was the voice of a woman. I cringed as the sound of mischievous giggling traveled into earshot. “That’s my brothers.”
Mrs. Kellaway frowned. “I told them to stay in their room.”
That certainly didn’t mean they would listen. I raced ahead of Mrs. Kellaway and followed in the direction of the sounds. I rounded a corner and found that the giggles were coming from what appeared to be the kitchen.
I heard a particularly loud, wicked giggle followed by a horrified screech.Oh, my. Even I hadn’t known Charles was capable of soundingthatdevious.
I burst through the door, hoping that my interference would tame whatever mischievous rant my brothers were in. As soon as I stepped into the room, I stopped, perplexed, staring at the scene before me. A petite woman—I assumed she was the cook—stood backed into a corner. Peter and Charles stood in front of her, each holding a steaming hot pan.
“We want food!” Peter pleaded. “We don’t want to wait for dinner.”
The cook tried to move, but my brothers held the hot pans closer.
I ran through the door, apologizing frantically to the woman. My brothers turned around in surprise. I snatched the pans from their hands, returning them to the stove with the other pots. “What on earth are you doing?” I snapped. My voice shook with panic.
Peter looked down at his feet. “We’re hungry.”
“That does not give you reason to torment this woman!” I lowered my voice only slightly. “If you act this way while you are here, you know how Aunt Ruth will punish you. Do you understand? Apologize to her. Now!” I turned to set the pans down and saw Mrs. Kellaway and Owen standing in the doorway. My face burned with mortification. I had hoped they wouldn’t witness such horrific behavior at all, especially not on our first day.
“I am very sorry,” I said. “I can usually prevent this sort of behavior. I-I should not have left them unattended.” I glancedat the cook who was clutching her chest and leaning against the wall. I turned to Peter and Charles. “Go on. Apologize.”
Charles bunched his sleeves into his hands and followed Peter to the corner. Peter’s cheeks were ruddy as he hung his head. I found it amazing how quickly they could transform from devious to shameful.
