Page 56 of Aurelia

The following afternoon Aurelia had just put on her bonnet and pelisse and was headed out for a walk when Lady Celsa appeared at her door.

“Did you need something?” Aurelia asked, pulling on her gloves.

“Do you want to go for a ride?”

Aurelia had avoided asking the girl to go riding today because she wanted to ponder Miss Clifford’s situation and see if she could come up with any other solutions for the woman and her sisters. She had sent off the letter to her friend in London just that morning, but there had to be more she could do—some other way to help, she just needed to put her mind to it.

“I would rather take a walk today, my lady,” she said.

“I will join you.”

Aurelia opened her mouth to say she’d rather walk alone, but then noticed the girl’s hopeful smile and said, “Yes, I would like that.”

“So,” Lady Celsa said, falling into step beside her. “Where are we going?”

“Your Uncle Arthur told me there was a lovely pond tucked away near the—”

“—abbey ruins,” Celsa finished for her. “I can take you there. It is almost hot enough today that we can go bathing.”

“I have no intention of bathing, but I will relax on the shore if you wish to do so.”

“It is not exceptionable, even my father goes,” Celsa protested, and then suddenly scowled. “Although he takes Guustin with him and not me.”

Aurelia knew that Guustin Walker was the earl’s illegitimate son. Not only had Miss Hatchet mentioned him, but Lady Celsa brought his name up with some regularity even though she claimed that she could not abide the man.

“Does your Uncle Arthur go?” Aurelia asked, more to distract the girl from her brooding than because she was interested.

Celsa laughed. “Uncle Arthur go swimming? He never does anything that isn’t proper.”

“I thought you just said that bathing was unexceptionable?”

“Yes, for most people, but not for uncle.”

“You seem very close to him,” Aurelia said.

“He is the only family I have. Other than my father, of course.” Her eyes dared Aurelia to mention her half-brother Guustin—or any of the earl’s other illegitimate children.

When it became clear that Aurelia would not take the bait, Lady Celsa said, “Tell me more about your sisters and brother.”

“Please,” Aurelia said.

The girl rolled her eyes. “Tell me more about them please.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I’ll wager you are the boss of them all—using that governess tone you like to employ.”

Aurelia lifted one eyebrow.

“What? Is that wrong? You do like to tell people how to behave and what is proper.”

“I can’t imagine why you’d want to walk with such an objectionable know-it-all.”

“Now you are angry. I didn’t mean to be rude. Please tell me about your sisters. Do you have a favorite?”

“No.”

“Oh, Miss Burton, what a bouncer!”