“Why?” I asked.
“Because facing the mirror will ruin the surprise.”
“Oh.” I nodded and turned my chair, and she immediately set to work again. I cringed as she untangled an exceptionally large knot.
“You will love Mr. and Mrs. Everard,” she said in a giddy voice.
“Mr. and Mrs. Everard?”
“They’re Mrs. Kellaway’s parents. She informed you of their arrival, yes? They’re expected to be here very soon.”
“Oh, yes, she told me.” At least there would be other guests staying here as well—perhaps then my brothers and I could avoid being the center of attention.
My heart sank as I realized that Lizzie washereand not supervising my brothers where I had left her earlier. Who was watching them now? I whipped my head around, cringing as the movement caused my hair to snag in the hairbrush. “Lizzie, do you know where my brothers have gone?”
She continued calmly brushing my hair. “They wished to go out and explore the grounds. Is that all right?”
My heart fell. “Is someone with them?”
“Yes . . . yes, I think so.”
I relaxed only slightly. “Perhaps I should go see.”
“No, no, miss! I am almost finished. I will have your hair arranged in ten minutes.”
Almost finished? She had barely started. Lizzie gave me a wide, reassuring smile and set to work pulling strands up and pinning them, her movements faster than before. I wrung my hands together, glacing repeatedly at the clock. Pins scraped across my scalp.
“There.” Lizzie stepped back to admire the result. “You look lovely. There will be no need to pinch your cheeks. They are red enough already.”
She didn’t mean it as an insult, but I couldn’t help but scowl.
“On second thought, I will cover some of the sunburn.” She applied a thin layer of cream to my face followed by a puff of powder. I coughed.
When she finished, she clapped her hands together. “Perfect. No one will even notice the gown.”
I stood and turned toward the mirror. My hair was pulled up loosely, with intricate twists and braids. My face was no longer bright scarlet, but appeared to be in a constant pink blush. Now I needed only to act as elegant as I felt. Surely I could unearth my manners from the days that my parents regularly exposed me to society.
“Thank you, Lizzie,” I said with a smile.
She excused herself with a curtsy, leaving me alone in my bedchamber. I drew a deep breath, wiping my palms on my skirts. I needed to find Peter and Charles.
I reached the bottom of the staircase and hurried to the window. My gaze swept over the grounds behind the house. The neatly trimmed grass stretched far and wide, framed with lush gardens and topiary. I could see the stables and a conservatory of some sort, but Peter and Charles were nowhere in sight.
I walked to the golden archway and took a tentative step toward the open drawing room door. A mixture of relief and dismay dropped through my stomach. Peter and Charles were standing beside an elderly man and woman. Mrs. Kellaway sat beside them, and Owen lounged on the sofa in the corner of the room.
I lingered where I stood, silently observing from the corridor.
Owen’s eyes flickered up to meet mine. He had caught me.
I slipped through the door, feeling suddenly timid and overwhelmed. I touched a hand to one of the delicate twists in my hair. Owen’s gaze traced over me as stepped forward. He seemed to have been the only one to notice my entrance. I shifted uncomfortably. What was he staring at? He must have been surprised to see me in a clean gown with neat hair. He would likely tease me about it later.
Mrs. Kellaway stood and rushed toward me. “Annette, welcome!” She admired my hair. “Was this Lizzie’s doing?”
“Yes,” I said with a soft smile. I wasn’t one to delight in having extra attention on myself, so when I noticed that all eyes in the room were on me, I felt a cursed blush burn slowly up my cheeks.
“I must introduce you to my parents.” Mrs. Kellaway waved me forward. She gestured to the stout old woman who sat with perfect posture on the recamier. “This is my mother, Mrs. Harriett Everard. Mother, meet Miss Annette Downing.”
“What a pleasure, Miss Downing.” Mrs. Everard’s hazel eyes widened as she spoke, bringing greater emphasis to each of her words. “I have already met your brothers, and I find them excessively adorable.”
