Kendal narrowed his eyes and studied him, then nodded. “Thank ye,” he said. “I appreciate yer consideration.”
They headed to the door, but Kendal stopped short. He tilted his head to the side and said, “Is that Lord Finley?”
The marquess had just exited the library and was heading toward them. Kingston sighed. He wished he did not have to interact with him at all but as long as he wanted to stay at Easton Abbey he had no choice. The man was Lady Easton’s brother and a welcome guest. He gritted his teeth and confirmed Kendal’s question. “Yes, it is.”
“What the bloody hell is he doing here?” Kendal asked in a hushed tone.
“He’s a guest, of course,” he said quickly. “I will explain later.”
Finley reached them and smiled. “Your Grace,” he greeted. “Lord Kendal.”
“Finley,” Kendal said. “Ye’re the last person I expected to see here.”
“Well,” the marquess began. “I wished to visit my sister. It has been some time since I last seen her.”
Kendal gaped at him. “Yer sister?”
“Yes,” Finely said in a jovial tone. “Lady Easton.”
Kendal continued to stare at him in shock. Kingston would have to guide him away from Finley so he could answer the questions Kendal was likely to have. “If you will pardon us,” Kingston began, “Kendal and I were about to go riding.”
He did not wait for Finley to respond. He grabbed Kendal’s arm and led him down the hall. Once they were outside Kendal rounded on him. “Please tell me that fool did no’ bring Oakley with him.”
“He has more sense than that,” Kingston replied. The muscles in his cheek twitched. “He doesn’t wish to cause his sister any strife. He will not bring his good friend here knowing that I am here. I doubt he would bring him even if I was not currently in residence. Since Easton and I are so close, it would be… uncomfortable for Oakley.”
Kendal sighed. “Still, it has tae be difficult.”
“It’s fine.” Kingston’s gaze darkened slightly as he nodded. “Besides, it’s not Finley I have an issue with,” he muttered, turning his gaze back toward the door, already dreading what lay beyond it. “It’s Oakley.” With that, they made their way to the stables, the cool breeze offering a fleeting moment of reprieve from the tension that had settled deep in Kingston’s chest. He only hoped he could keep his emotions in check, for everyone’s sake—including his own.
Sunlight filtered softly through the trees, casting long shadows on the path as Jaclyn strode briskly through the garden, her skirts swishing with each step. The day had promised to be a pleasant one, one she hoped would provide some peace and distraction from the unending frustration of sharing a bedchamber with Melisande.
She had not wanted to share a room with that girl but one did not disagree with Mrs. Havenwood’s decisions. Not if she hoped to have a reasonably pleasant stay while she attended the school. Melisande was driving her mad and testing her patience though. Some might consider Jaclyn to be a hellion, but those individuals had never met Lady Melisande Burton either. Everything that Melisande did only served to heighten Jaclyn's irritation with the girl and the situation she must endure. Melisande was a spoiled brat who had gotten far too used to getting her own way, and Jaclyn was growing weary of her antics.
As she walked toward through the garden, Jaclyn noticed Ella sitting on a nearby bench with a book open before her. She was a calm presence that contrasted sharply with the storm known as Melisande. She had begun to grow close with Ella. She was a sweet-tempered girl with a wicked streak that came out when Jaclyn least expected it. Jaclyn found Ella’s normally composed nature a relief from the chaos that surrounded them with all of Melisande’s drama.
She walked over to Ella and sat beside her. It took Ella a moment to notice her because she was so engrossed in her book. Slowly, she turned toward her, the book still open, and her eyes a little dazed. She blinked a few times, then said, “Jaclyn?”
“Yes,” Jaclyn replied with a little humor in her tone. “The book must be quite good.”
Ella grinned and that wicked nature of hers came to the surface. She said in a hushed tone, “It’s a gothic novel. I so adore them. Would you like to read it after I am finished?”
Jaclyn considered it. “Perhaps.” She wouldn’t mind a little escape from her own life, and a book always offered a good respite. “It’s such a beautiful day, don’t you think? I thought, if you’re interested, you might with to go for a walk with me. Like we did when you first arrived.” Jaclyn was feeling a little restless.
“That would be lovely,” Ella agreed.
"We could take a basket with us and have a little picnic." Jaclyn said a little hopefully. She wanted to avoid Melisande for as long as possible. They had the afternoon to do as they pleased, their lessons for the day completed.
Ella smiled, the invitation clearly a welcome one. "A picnic sounds lovely. A break from everything would do us both some good."
But before Jaclyn could say another word, a noise drew their attention from behind them. They both turned toward the sound and groaned. Melisande flounced before them with an impish grin on her face. That did not bode well for them. "It does sound lovely. I’m coming, too," Melisande announced, as brash and resolute as ever. Her arms were folded over her chest and she wore a mischievous gleam in her eyes. How long had Melisande been behind the listening to their conversation?
Jaclyn’s smile tightened as she gritted her teeth. "You’re welcome to join us, Melisande,” she offered reluctantly though she would have preferred to be rude and tell her to remain behind.
Melisande tossed her head, a dramatic flair in her every movement. "Excellent, where shall we go then?"
“There is a lovely meadow not too far from the woods,” she offered. Not that long ago Charlotte, Georgina, and Jaclyn had had a picnic there. “It’s peaceful and a nice place to rest.” And it would have been a nice respite from Melisande…
Melisande wrinkled her nose. “That sounds boring. We should go to the pond instead.”
