Couples twirled and laughed amongst the crowd that night. He’d asked twenty ladies to dance, but every card was full. Then a brown-haired woman with rosy lips and loose curls wearing a stunning periwinkle dress walked through the open doors. She’d looked like she was searching for someone, but to no avail. He’d walked right up to her, having not even been introduced.
Might I have the next set with you?he’d asked, praying she would not question their lack of acquaintance. She agreed and took his arm, and he’d never felt so perfectly alive. After their first dance, and another, followed by a drink in a cozy corner in the room, Father was smitten. They stole away to an upper balcony where they’d thought themselves quite alone, and he’d kissed her there against the railing.
But they hadn’t looked down, and a large party cooling off from the heat of the ballroom bore witness to the scandal. Father was trapped, and Mother was ruined entirely. They’d had no choice but to marry quickly and quietly.
Father’s estate was situated far from London in a little town in the country, and Mother had to choose to find her happiness there.
Had they found love, like Father so adamantly insisted they had? Or was their love story one-sided? Lord Gray told an entirely different story of Mother’s intentions that night. And I supposed I would never know for sure.
Chapter Nine
I quickly ate my eggs and toast the next morning, hoping to slip from the breakfast room unseen. The ladies planned to gather in the drawing room, but I had no intention of joining them, nor of making myself available for Peter’s afternoon call any earlier than necessary. If I abandoned the party and hid myself well enough, he’d never find me, and I could return just in time for a late afternoon walk. Something quick, easy, and that would hopefully keep me free of further embarrassment. We’d not specified that our afternoons need be planned, and even if Peter searched for me early, how could I be to blame for his poor hide-and-seek skills? It was a foolproof plan.
Snatching my bonnet and satchel, I slipped through the entryway and out the front door.
My feet carried me outside beneath the clouds to a mighty oak tree about a half-mile east of the estate. Carefully, I maneuvered around its massive roots that broke free of the earth and surfaced like tentacles.
At last in the comfort of the tree’s shade, I sat upon the mossy earth with my back at the trunk, facing away from the house. I could not be more hidden unless I scaled the tree to a higher level. If only I could have reached a limb.
Here was the solitude I craved. When was the last time I’d sat alone with nature as my only companion? I pulled out my sketchbook and pencils, looking around for a subject to draw. I hadn’t the skill to draw anything too complex, but I could manage a flower. I chose the bushy yellow weeds that grew along the earthy floor.
After a few pages of sketching, and several attempts to draw a likeness of the birds that perched on the tree’s lower branches, my hands grew tired. Securing my book in my satchel, I leaned back against the rough bark. The sun streamed through the leaves, warming my face. I closed my eyes to fully appreciate the moment.
I’d almost dozed off when a rustling sound pulled me to my senses.
“What are you doing all the way out here? Not trying to hide away from me, are you?” Peter’s voice spoke in tandem with his footsteps.
Drat. There would be no thwarting Peter today. The man had a sixth sense for finding me. I opened my eyes and grumbled, smoothing my hair.
“Now why would I do that, when I oweyoumy afternoon?” Sarcasm was heavy in my voice.
Peter’s eyes were smiling and playful. He held out his hand, which I ignored with a sigh, balancing myself against the tree trunk as I stood.
“Where are you taking me today?”
Peter offered me his arm. “It is a surprise. They’ve just been moved to a nearby field. We could walk there, if you like.” He could not contain his smile, shifting his weight like an eager child awaiting permission.
Curiosity edged its way into my mind. “They?” Who had he invited to join us? Did he intend on humiliating me in front of the entire company this time?
“Come, you will see. And I think you will find yourself very happy.” Gently, he tucked my arm into his, as though impatient for me to make up my mind.
Hesitantly, I followed him through the line of trees, back out into the clearing. “You’re taking me along the west side of the estate? Were we not here just two days ago?”
“We were, but you’ll find a different scene at the top of the hill today.” Peter said mysteriously.
I narrowed my gaze at him, but that did not deter Peter. Conversation was his strong suit.
“What is that for?” He gestured to my satchel.
“It carries my things,” I said flatly in an effort to dissuade him.
“What sort of things?”
The man could not take a hint. “A sketchbook. Nothing of importance,” I said, focusing on my steps.
But of course Peter insisted I show him my drawings, and I had little resolve to deny him. What Peter Wood wanted, Peter Wood always seemed to get. Despite my lack of skill, he praised my efforts, sharing stories about painters he’d met on the streets of Paris. I listened attentively, fascinated by his experience and the lives of the scholars there.
How I envied him. What a privilege it was to observe such culture, to have tutors and opportunities to master talents. Life could be so different. But I would not complain about my circumstances. Without Lord Gray, things might have been much worse. At least Clara and I had a house and a bed and food. Those were the things I worried after now.
