In the hours that followed, Charles slowly lost color again, and whatever remained of his lunch found a home on my boots. The road was awfully uneven, and it made me dread the ride back to Oak Cottage at the end of the summer even more. Perhaps a tiny part of me dared to wish that it would stay bumpy forever, perhaps even become too bumpy to travel by.
“Is that it?” Peter asked from beside me, peering out the window with wide eyes.
I craned my neck to look over his shoulder. It was Kellaway Manor. I could see the house now, rising ahead of us beside the road. “Yes,” I answered with a wave of nerves. Why must I be covered in vomit? This was not the presentation I had wanted to make, but Charles needed help.
Dozens of windows covered the golden facade of the house, with lush green grass stretching wide in front of it. It had been ten years, but I still remembered the smell of flowers and sunshine and secrets. We had only stayed for a short time, and everything had been perfect.
Well, except for one thing, orperson, rather . . .
I didn’t remember how many children Mrs. Kellaway had, but in her letter, she had said that three of them would be away for most of the summer. That was a comfort, considering how dreadful I had found one of them to be.
The carriage slowed as it turned up the drive, coming to a gradual halt. Without waiting for assistance from the coachman, I pulled Charles into my arms, jumped down, and hurried across the neatly trimmed lawn. The wind blew my hair into my face, and my hands were occupied with Charles, so I struggled to see in front of me. When we approached the front doors, I placedCharles on his feet and pushed my hair away from my eyes, bringing the beauty of the house into full, unobscured view.
It was more sizeable than I remembered, but the color of the stone was the same. It reminded me of a loaf of golden brown bread, fresh from the oven. It stood large and grand among the flourishing gardens surrounding it. A small burst of excitement fluttered in my stomach as I recalled the day I had walked to this very door on my father’s arm. My nerves soon replaced it. I was a child then, and now I was supposed to be a lady.
What a disappointing impression I was about to make.
Not only that, but the task of turning my brothers into perfectly behaved children was following me more closely than my own shadow across the grass. Icouldn’tforget my task, no matter how distracting all the beautiful things at the estate were.
I walked up the front steps, taking a deep breath. My heart pounded. Before I could lose my nerve, I took hold of the brass knocker and hit it three times—much more forcefully than I intended—against the strike plate. I cringed at the echo the sound created.Relax,I commanded myself.These are Mama’s and Papa’s friends. They must be kind.
We waited in silence for several seconds. When I heard the turn of a lock, my heart threatened to burst through my chest. Not a second later, the door swung open at the hands of the butler. A furrow appeared in his brow as he spotted Charles moaning with discomfort beside me. A woman appeared quickly beside the butler, a confused look clouding her delicate features.
“Mrs. Kellaway?” I stammered. Her hair was a striking, thick auburn, not easily forgotten.
“Yes,” she answered, the concern on her face growing.
I froze. Why did she look so confused? “I must apologize for the unexpected visit, but our aunt just gave me your letter yesterday. She said she had written to accept your invitation,but…” I watched carefully for her reaction. Her brow lifted with shock as her gaze settled on Charles.
“Oh! And Charles became ill on the drive here,” I added, glancing again at her expression.
She gasped, bringing a hand to her lips. “Miss Downing? Good heavens, is it really you?”
I nodded, uncomfortable under her searching gaze. I was so very daft. I should have given our introductions first.
Her eyes clouded with moisture. “Please, come in! I will find my son to attend to Charles.”
Her son?
I shook myself of my confusion. “Thank you,” I said, feeling a heavy weight fall from my shoulders. Something about her genteel air seemed to make all my worry melt away.
“I didn’t think you would come! This is such a pleasant surprise, indeed.” Her smile grew as we stepped into the house. I noticed how her top lip nearly disappeared when she smiled, and her nose wrinkled on the bridge. She had a very friendly face, the details of which I had forgotten.
“I’m very sorry that it’s a surprise at all,” I said. “Our aunt insisted that we come today, and I fear she did not give you enough notice.”
Mrs. Kellaway gave a light laugh. “No notice at all, but that is quite all right. My housekeeper will see to the arrangements at once.”
So Aunt Ruth’s letter had not reached her. It wouldn’t have surprised me if she hadn’t even sent one.
As I glanced around the entry hall, I immediately felt myself shrink. The ceiling stretched up and up, ending in a dome. The floor was checkered, with a wide staircase to the left. Several footmen, maids, the butler, and the housekeeper discreetly stepped into position. They had obviously not been expecting guests.
I swallowed and gripped my skirts. The inside of Kellaway Manor seemed much larger and grander than I recalled. My eyes returned to Mrs. Kellaway. Her dismayed gaze was focused on my gown. Oh, yes. The vomit. My cheeks burned.
On the other hand, her presentation was flawless. Not a hair was out of place on her head, and her deep blue gown lacked even the smallest wrinkle. “Did you travel with a maid, my dear?”
My embarrassment deepened. “No, I did not. My aunt could not spare one.”
Mrs. Kellaway’s eyes widened before she corrected her expression. “That is quite all right. I will assign one of my maids to your care during your stay. For now, I will have your trunks brought in and send the housekeeper to prepare your rooms.” She gestured to the doorway at the left. “Have a seat in the drawing room. I shall return shortly.” She smiled again and disappeared around the corner.
