She crept to the bottom of the staircase and then, led by curiosity, turned to look at the pair.
Silently, she watched as Lord Birnwood and a lady she did not recognize went out the front door and disappeared from view.
Lavinia let out a loud sigh.
Why must gentlemen and ladies behave in such a fashion? Could that couple not have had their tryst in London and left this week to my parents?
Agitated as she was, Lavinia stepped further down to the hall, then stopped when she heard footsteps.
The clip-clop of boot heels made the blood run cold in her veins.
Who else could be sneaking around at this time of night?Is it Charles?
She knew well enough that her brother rarely slept well. Since infancy, he had been plagued with awful nightmares and would often wake up and wander the grounds.
I cannot let Charles find me out here! He will ask questions I do not wish to answer, and will know that I was fibbing about feeling sick.
Lavinia vacillated over what to do next. She could always return to her chambers, but then her stomach would keep aching with hunger until she could break her fast with the others the following morning. But if she went ahead and darted to the kitchen, there was a chance she would be caught out of bed.
Hmm…
She had just decided that the cost of being caught out of bed was too great when her stomach rumbled loudly.
Well, that decision was taken right out of my hands.
She spun around and started toward the kitchen when she ran smack into Lord Windham. His slight form rocked when they collided. He grabbed her forearms to steady himself, and they stood locked there for a long moment.
“Miss Fitzroy…” His eyes went so wide that even in the darkness, she could see how startled he was at finding her here. “What… what are you doing out of bed?”
Lavinia was slightly affronted. “This is my house, My Lord,” she huffed. “I am permitted to wander around whenever I feel the need.”
“Yes…” He hastily dropped her arms and backed away. “Of course. I should never have questioned you.” He bowed his head. “Please forgive me.”
Lavinia nodded, mollified by his apology. “Thank you, My Lord. But now, if you will excuse me, I will just?—”
“But where are you going?” Lord Windham asked.
He lifted a hand and clapped it over his mouth a second too late.
When Lavinia snorted, he peeled his fingers from his lips and whispered, “I know I have no right to ask, but I simply could not stop myself. Where are you going? Might I be of service in some way?”
Lavinia considered his offer.
He could go to the kitchen with me. That would not cause any problem.
But then she thought of what would happen if her brother found her in the kitchen with his friend.
We would be married by morning.
It was an exaggeration, of course, but Lavinia could see how the sequence of events would play out in their entirety. Charles would find them snacking on cheese and fruit, and then hewould insist that Lord Windham ask for her hand. The faint-hearted Lord Windham would obey the command, and as soon as the banns were read, he would make her his wife.
No, thank you.
“No, My Lord,” Lavinia said as she nodded at the nearest door. She knew it led to a guest room that was intentionally left unoccupied this weekend.
Three weeks ago, a bit of wallpaper in the corner of the room had started peeling, and her parents refused to let anyone stay there. They swore that their peers would ridicule them if they knew that Crawford Hall was falling into a state of disrepair and, therefore, had told her and Charles more than a half dozen times to keep that door closed.
“I only slipped downstairs for a moment. I need to collect a book I left in this room, you see, and…” She let her words trail away on the night breeze that was filtering through the halls. It did not seem necessary to say more.
