When the meal concluded, she politely excused herself and walked outside to stroll in the garden.
She was free and from this day forward, whatever she decided would be of her own choosing.
While the knowledge was liberating, what did she do now?
Blythe settled on a bench and watched butterflies and bees fly from one flower to the next as birds took flight from trees or swooped to gather seeds from the ground.
When was the last time she sat and enjoyed something so simple and beautiful?
Except, this was not how she should spend the rest of her days. Eventually she would need to leave.
Blythe abruptly stood. She did not want to think of that now. Instead, she returned inside to where some of the guests had gathered in the parlor. Women were stitching and the men were reading newssheets.
Blythe wandered to a row of bookshelves and read the titles. Most were in Dutch, some in French and a few in English. She withdrew an English novel, a title she had not heard of, and retired to her chamber where she intended to read all day.
Except, once settled, she had difficulty concentrating. As much as she may wish to pretend all was well, the reality was that she still relied on Orlando because he had taken the room in his name for this wife. If she were truly going to be free, she could not be indebted to anyone.
Setting the book aside, Blythe retrieved the jewels that she had hidden after she arrived at the inn yesterday.
She had some funds, but they were few and until she had more, she would not spend any.
Blythe then studied each piece of jewelry and decided on her emotional attachment and importance of each. They were not the most expensive pieces she owned. Those were in England. Her father had insisted that they remain with him until she returned. Likely because of his poor opinion of John.
The gold chain with the sapphire would never be sold. It had been a gift from her grandmother who had passed only a few months back.
There were a pair of pearl earbobs, a coral choker, hair combs with emeralds and another with diamonds, three bracelets of gold, and four brooches, one with a stunning amethyst. These were the pieces that she had selected when she packed to follow the drum. Each was simple, but Blythe was never given the opportunity to wear even a single item until she hid them in her clothing yesterday.
Nor were any of them of sentimental value, other than the sapphire of course, so it would not be a hardship to sell them, which is what she intended to do.
But how, and to whom?
Did she dare ask Orlando?
That really was her only choice since she was too afraid to risk going further into Brussels, and she would need the money to get home.
Home!
She wasn’t ready and she might never be.
Blythe put the jewelry away for safe keeping and picked up the book again. She may not know what she would do tomorrow, but she did have a means for funds and that was really all she needed right now.
Orlando washed in his tent when his work was complete then made his way to the inn. There would be days that he would not be able to visit Blythe but given he had just settled her, the owners may wonder if he completely disappeared immediately.
He was also anxious to see how Blythe was getting on.
When he knocked on her chamber door, it was opened only a crack as if she feared who was on the other side, then opened it further when she realized that it was him.
“I did not expect to see you.”
“Ever?” he asked.
Her cheeks blossomed to a lovely rose. “Well, eventually, I suppose.”
“If you would rather that I left, I could make an excuse.”
“No,” she rushed to answer. “I…it is…I am glad you are here.”
He really hoped that she wasn’t just telling him that to make him feel better.
