“I am honored, sir, that you should find me worthy, and promise always to take care of your daughter, you have my word.” He ignored his racing pulse.
Charles’s sister exhaled a breath even as her father’s face relaxed, sank to the table, and with a crash, landed in his plate, a jagged snore erupting. She gently removed the plate from under his face and motioned to Cuthbert for help. The two of them each took an arm to drag him from the table into the next room, where they gently laid him upon his bed.
Wells, meanwhile, shook his head at the thought that this confused old man considered his daughter worthy of a duke’s son. And then he felt bad for deceiving the befuddled fellow, even if it had seemed best to lie in the moment rather than upset him more.
When Eleanor returned with Cuthbert she still looked pained. Wells decided to speak with her alone before they left.
“Miss Eleanor, would you do me the honor of a walk about the garden while we leave John to clean up?”
“Why . . .” She turned to Cuthbert in confusion, who merely nicked his head in accord. “Why, of course, my lord, allow me to fetch my shawl.”
“Yer Grace.” Cuthbert pulled him aside. “Be gentle with her, please. She’s not t’ blame for her old man’s daft words.”
“Of course she’s not to blame.” He frowned at his man. “What do you take me for, John?”
But Miss Eleanor had already returned to wait by the door, and Wells followed her out, leaving Cuthbert standing there with a worried expression plastered to his face.
“Thank you for being so gracious just now with my father, Lord Wellesley,” Miss Eleanor began. “He does not know whereof he speaks. I am so grateful my sister was not present to witness his . . .” She clearly could not bring herself to say it. “It would have embarrassed her greatly, I am sure.”
She looked at her feet as they walked, Wells accompanying her in a slow stroll about the house exterior, noting both the rot in the eaves and a gaping hole in the barn roof. He clasped his hands behind his back, as a gentleman would, and she walked careful of her step, with absolute propriety. He understood now why Cuthbert had called her a lady, for she truly was nothing like Charles.
“Miss Eleanor, it must be difficult for you, all alone here with your father, to care for him as you do. I admit I am sorry for having stolen your sister, as it were.” Wells grimaced a little as he said this.
“Oh no, my lord!” she effused. “We are extremely grateful for the position you’ve given Charles, truly. She is not like me, you see, and it has stifled her some, to be stuck here with the two of us.” She smiled at him, appearing to relax some. “She is much livelier than I, more . . . spirited. So I am glad she has something to occupy her, an entire household to manage, no less. It is surely challenging work, but Charles can do anything she sets her mind to, my lord. Why, without her I don’t know what we would have done when Mother . . .” She again looked down at her feet. “Forgive me, my lord, I do not mean to prattle on so.”
“Pray continue, miss. I could not agree more with your assessment of your sister’s abilities. I can only presume you miss her greatly.”
“Oh I do, sir. But Mr. Cuthbert’s visits help, for he is kind enough to bide a while when he comes. And when he delivers Charles’s letters it’s as if she visits me herself.”
The smile she beamed at him was so genuine, so radiant, he felt his heart warm to her. No wonder John was so enamored.
“Cuthbert is the best man I know, Miss Eleanor.” He surprised himself by the force of his words. “He is like a brother to me, for I have no siblings.”
“None, sir?” She looked shocked. “Then I am glad you have a friend in John.” She smiled again. “For to be without a friend in this world . . .” she trailed off. “It is indeed a sorry fate.”
“I am glad your sister has you, miss.” He smiled back. “She is lucky indeed.”
They lapsed into silence, but it was not an awkward one, and then Miss Eleanor wagered more.
“My lord, if I may be so bold as to ask you . . .”
He nodded.
“I know my sister can be outspoken, Lord Wellesley, and her letters have implied that you and she have been, well, in disagreement at times.”
He flashed his eyes at her.
“I do not mean to disparage you, sir, in saying this, truly. I meant only to ask if you might be patient with her, my lord, as she has not had it easy.” Eleanor dropped her gaze. “Were it not for Charles, Lord Wellesley, we’d never have survived our escape from London I am sure.”
“London?” He raised his brow. “You lived in London before coming here?”
“Why yes.” She frowned. “How else do you think my sister came to be so accomplished, my lord?”
“She said she was a native of Cumberland, miss.”
“And so she is, sir, so are we all.” She blinked at him. “But we spent winters in London, with my mother’s family, and only summers here.”
It suddenly made sense. “And when your mother passed, you no longer went back?”
