Ellen sat up, abruptly, her eyes flashing. “I will never be a mushroom again.” Her head swayed, her momentary anger gone.
“What time is it?” Reese asked, putting an arm around the girl to keep her upright. “Do you get dizzy if you go too long without eating?”
“Yes,” Ellen breathed.
“Here, lie down then.” Reese stood and helped the girl to stretch out on the chairs. “I’ll get some food.”
“You cannot go dressed like that.” Ellen pointed at Reese’s figure.
“Right.” She looked to Lulu, who was approaching with a small bottle.
“This will revive her enough for you to help her dress. I will return with some refreshments.”
“Her ladyship needs something with sugar in it,” Reese said. “And some cheese too, for the protein.”
Lulu nodded and hurried from the room. Reese took the vial to Ellen.
“Let me help you sit up enough to sip this. It’s one of Aunt Nellie’s tonics, and it will have you feeling fine in no time.”
“I do feel much better,” Ellen said after a couple of small sips.
“Finish it, and then we need to get dressed. Lulu will have some food for you soon.”
Once Ellen had swallowed the contents, it wasn’t difficult for them to get their dresses buttoned up again.
“If you like exercising,” Reese said, closing the hook at the top of Ellen’s gown, “you might want to see about getting some clothes made for it. I can sketch you some possible designs that shouldn’t be too shocking if you only wear them inside the house.”
“I would like that.”
Someone rapped on the door, and Reese hurried to open it. Lulu entered with a tray, followed by a couple of footmen who carried a small table. One of the Kellworth maids spread a cloth on it, and Lulu set down the tray.
“Thank you.” Ellen sat on a chair and picked up a strawberry. “You may go now.”
Reese slipped the bottle back to the maid and whispered, “Aunt Nellie to the rescue again.”
“Indeed,” Lulu said, her tone disapproving.
“I will accept no censure from you,” Ellen told the maid when the others had gone. “Miss Clarisse is teaching me things I wish to know.”
“That is what I am afraid of, my lady. Miss comes from a place with very different ideas of what is appropriate for a lady of quality. Aunt Nellie asked me to accompany her to keep an eye on her. I fear I have not been successful.”
“Do not fear,” Ellen said. “I have a firm understanding of decorum and will not forget myself.”
“Unlike me?” Reese asked and sat down.
“Yes,” Ellen and Lulu said together. Ellen giggled.
Lulu curtsied but sent Reese a warning look before taking her seat in the corner again.
“I think if she didn’t trust you,” Reese said, “that I would be whisked back to Aunt Nellie’s.”
“I imagine she would. Aunt Nellie’s servants can be quite an intimidating lot, I must say.”
“Too right. Now tell me,” Reese said, “did you get woozy from what I was telling you or because you needed food?”
“I was shocked by your suggestion, but I believe it was the lack of food.”
“That’s called low blood sugar, by the way.” Reese took a sip of her tea. “You should be eating something every two-to-three hours, including a protein, like nuts or cheese.”
