Resisting the urge to laugh, I shook my head. “I may as well wish for my brother’s murderer to present himself to me with his compliments.”
When I arrived back at the drawing room, there was a definite chill in the atmosphere. Lady Leith was seated at the pianoforte, her fingers striking the ivory keys harder than necessary. I couldn’t recognize the melody she played no doubt because the temp was incredibly fast.
“You there, hand me that list,” Lady Anne demanded, holding her hand out. She was seated on the opposite side of the room, the corners of her mouth turned down in obvious disapproval. “Do not keep me waiting any longer.”
Before I took a single step, I focused on my employer in as deliberate a manner as possible. After all, the dowager was not the one in charge at Clarendon. Whatever her position may have been, I was not about to bow to her wishes now.
“I will not repeat myself, Nelson!”
“Lady Leith?” I said quietly.
With a start, Lady Leith paused and turned. Her gaze flicked between me and her mother-in-law and her lips quirked with a slight smile. She gave a slight nod, and only then did I carry the list to Lady Anne, who hadn’t missed the exchange.
“I only hope you did not invite any of those encroaching mushrooms your uncle spent so much time with,” Lady Anne said, snatching the page from my hand. She brought up a delicate gold lorgnette and peered through it.
Lady Leith rose from the pianoforte with undue force. “I’m sure each family on my list is above any reproach.”
“Hmm.” The dowager’s lips turned downward as she studied the names. She let the list fall to her lap. “We absolutely must invite the Reynolds. Mary Reynolds is one of my dearest friends, and I know they are also acquainted with the Carters. We have the space here at Clarendon, and what would be the point if we do not fill every bedroom?”
“The Reynolds? I did not think they intended on doing much visiting this summer.”
“They would not refuse an invitation from me. Either you will write out an invite or I will do so myself.” There did not seem to be any hint of doubt that Lady Leith would obey her mother-in-law’s demand. “Am I not allowed one friend in this foolish venture?”
“I need nothing more, Nelson. Thank you,” Lady Leith said to me, giving no indication whether she would obey the dowager’s decree or not.
I gave a respectful curtsy and retreated from the room. As I pulled the door closed, I heard Lady Anne say, “Honestly, girl, why must you be so unreasonable? You ought to have dismissed that creature long ago. She is impudent and....”
Breathing out, I stepped away. I didn’t need to hear her opinion of me. To be honest, I’d expected the dowager to put up more a fight to get what she wanted. Inviting one more family was harmless enough, though there was always the possibility they would not get on with the other invited guests. What was she really planning?
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it.”
THOUGH I GAVE IT MY best effort, my volume of Shakespeare’s sonnets failed to hold my attention when I returned to it. My mind kept trying to devise ways Lady Leith and I would be able to outsmart the dowager. I was still without a solid plan when I was summoned to the dressing room once more.
Lady Leith’s expression was one of distraction and annoyance as she undressed for the night. “I suppose it could have been worse,” she said as I brushed out her long brown hair. “The Reynolds’ can be agreeable enough, though Mrs. Reynolds and her daughter could test the patience of any sensible person. We ought to have room if we put the Carter girls in a room together and then have the Williamson girls share another room.”
“I have the feeling the only objection the young ladies will have is that there are no young men as guests.”
“I suppose you’re right, but I am in no mood to play matchmaker,” Lady Leith said with a slight smile. “Although if I had planned it right, it would have eliminated the need for me to entertain everyone every minute of the day. I could have let them all go off to become better acquainted.”
“No, you would have had to watch them every minute of the day, and just think of how tedious that would have been!” I set down the brush and began to separate her hair into sections. “No doubt the dowager would blame you for any indiscretion the young ladies were unfortunate enough to allow.”
“As she will blame me for anything, I can well believe it.” Lady Leith glanced at my reflection in the mirror, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “I suppose I shall be glad to have avoided that particular complaint, then. We’ll play the usual games and have the neighbours over for a picnic.”
“Not to mention the neighbours joining you for dinner. Also, your guests will expect a ball to end the visit, which will be something to look forward to. The dowager could not object to it at all.”
The frown on my employer’s face deepened. “Did one of your previous employers host summer parties then? You seem so knowledgeable about the matter.”
Saying too much in an effort to be useful was my biggest failing. “You might say that,” I said vaguely, hoping it would be enough.
The summer before I went to London for the season, I’d gone with my mother to several house parties. Our hostesses had worked tirelessly to make sure everyone was occupied and that no couple was ever left alone. I had enjoyed watching the courting couples try to sneak out of sight of the chaperones, guessing which romance would last.
“Well, I’m sure it will be interesting, if nothing else,” Lady Leith said, rubbing her temple. “I hate to think what my husband will say if he comes in the middle of it all.”
I held back a sigh of relief that she had taken my words at face value. I tied off her braid with a narrow ribbon and kept my gaze so she wouldn’t see my gratification at the change of subject. “I promise I shall keep constant watch so that you can greet him first and then explain that it was his mother’s idea.”
This time, the lady let out a light laugh and stood up. “What have I to worry about, then? Thank you, Nelson. Get some rest while you can. I have no doubt the next few weeks are going to be busy ones. Good night.”
“Good night, my lady,” I said as she went through the connecting door to her bedroom.
With a shake of my head, I began to set the room to rights. When I returned into my bed, tired from my work, I didn’t even give Shakespeare a glance.
Since I’d deciphered one note, I’d hoped to find the poem that was key to the other message. A headache had begun to pound in my temples, though, so I resolved to continue my search when I could focus.
I sank onto my bed and then fell onto my back. “What am I doing?” I asked, staring up at the ceiling.
The more I helped Lady Leith, the more I wished I could speak to her as myself, her equal. As I had realized earlier, it would be that much harder to take action if it did turn out that her husband had a part in selling information to France. Hurting her when she’d been so miserable would give me pause.
“She deserves to know the truth,” I whispered. “If I were in her shoes, I would want to know the truth however hurtful it might be.” After all, the truth about my brother’s death had been painful but knowing was better than ignorance.
But Lady Leith was not me, and she clearly adored on her absent husband.
With an effort, I sat and then stood up to get ready for bed. The sooner I thought of a way to get into Sir Horace’s office, the sooner I could make progress to know whether he was the man I sought.
And if he was...well, I would be left to follow the mindset that had plagued me for weeks. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
Chapter Five
Over the course of the next two days, I took every free moment to go down to the office. Every time, though, there was something that kept me from even touching the door. Once it was a maid, scurrying to get her work done. Another time it was the steward, staring at me with suspicion in his eyes.
If I had some idea of the routine he kept, it would be easie
r to get around him. Surely he must inspect the tenant farms or be required to go out to solve problems. What steward remained exclusively in an office?
At the same time, the dowager made her presence felt in every corner of the house. She had demands for activities and games for the house party. To appease her, footmen were sent to the attics every few hours on a search for equipment for said games. Equipment which then needed to be taken out to be dusted and cleaned.
Acceptances began to arrive soon after. It seemed an invitation to Clarendon was not one people would refuse, no matter how sudden it arrived. All bedrooms would be taken, and the neighbours who would join the party during the day had also sent word that they would be delighted to attend.
Mrs. Horner set the maids to cleaning every inch of the house. At any hour, I would come across someone hard at work in the hallway or carrying clean linen to a bedroom. This made it impossible to search out information in Sir Horace’s office, even when I knew Mr. Stone had been called out.
The dowager decided that the occasion demanded a new gown, while Lady Leith instructed me to simply make over several of the gowns already in her wardrobe. I expected I would be able to think while I sat with needle and thread in my hand, but such was not the case.
Lady Leith had said she would rely on my discretion to alter the gowns. There is a great difference between removing an abundance of lace and bows to being in charge of altering a gown’s appearance, thus my preoccupation.
In that time, I composed my thoughts enough to write back to Aunt Beth. I thanked her for warning me about Uncle Frederick’s return, made no mention of his plan to find me a husband among his circle of friends, and told her that Clarendon House reminded me of home. Neutral enough not to alarm her and close enough to the truth that I did not feel bad writing it.
My half day arrived, and as soon as Lady Leith dismissed me, I went straight to the hallway containing Sir Horace’s office. No one was in sight as I approached the door. I held my breath and my heart beat faster as I reached my hand for the doorknob.
It refused to budge.
“Odd,” I said with a frown. Why was the door locked? Didn’t the steward go in and out every day? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to leave the door unlocked? Was something important kept inside?
Frustrated that I had made no progress, I slipped down the back staircase and then went out into the sun. A summer breeze lightly brushed my face and I breathed in the scent of grass and blooming flowers.
With nothing and no one to stop me, I set out for the hedge maze. At least there was a puzzle I could look into that didn’t have some importance attached to it.
I let my fingers trail along the branches of the thick bushes as I walked around it. It had obviously been there for some time as the hedge was over my head. Once someone entered, they would not be able to look over the bushes to the centre as a way to cheat the maze. There was no gardener in sight, so I couldn’t ask whether there was a map of the maze or not. While I could have entered and found my way by trial and error, I decided to prowl around the outside to get an idea of how big it was.
I’d been walking for at least ten minutes when I saw a tall, slender man. It took a moment for me to recognize young Mr. Leith. He wore no jacket over his white shirt sleeves, and it didn’t appear that he had a cravat tied around his neck. There was a sketchbook in his hand, hinting at his Sunday afternoon’s occupation.
He glanced in my direction and his lips spread into a wide grin. Coming to a halt, he faced me and offered an exaggerated bow.
Naturally, I imitated him and sank into a deep curtsy, one fit for royalty. When I lifted my gaze, Mr. Leith had tucked his sketchbook under his arm and clapped his hands together. He appeared so happy, I wondered how often he was mocked or bullied because he was unable to hear.
“Mr. Leith,” I said, moving forward. I held my hand out as though we were old friends. “I am delighted to see you today.”
Mr. Leith’s head tilted as he clasped my hand with his. For the briefest moment, his forehead creased with a puzzled frown. Of course. He didn’t understand me and reading lips was a talent that took years to master.
How was I supposed to communicate with him? Did he know how to write and read?
As if he had the same idea, Mr. Leith pulled his hand from mine and brought his sketchbook out. He used his charcoal to write something and then he held the book up for me. It is a lovely day, Miss Nelson.
Wait. How did he know my name? Lady Leith had only said I was her maid when I was first introduced to him. Had one of the servants told him?
The charcoal pencil wobbled in front of me as Mr. Leith encouraged me to take it from him. It was something my brother would have done when he was impatient with my slowness. Forcing away the rush of sadness, I accepted the pencil, though I was uncertain what I would say in response.
It is, Mr. Leith. I have been contemplating how I could solve the maze.
His lips spread in a grin as he read my words. And yet you have not stepped through the entrance, he wrote in answer. His brown eyes had a twinkle of amusement in them. Sometimes one must press forward to solve a problem.
How true that was! Though he offered the pencil to me once more, the snap of a twig behind me made me spin around. Miss Webber, the woman who looked after Mr. Leith’s needs, walked towards me. There was a pinched expression on her face.
“Oh, Nelson,” she said, disapproval in her voice. “I am surprised to find Mr. Leith with you.”
“His path and mine intersected here,” I said, resisting the urge to scowl at her. Her words implied this was a planned meeting, and nothing could be further from the truth. “He and I were admiring the fine day.”
The furrow in her brow deepened. “Are you mocking me? That is not possible.”
“Indeed it is. Mr. Leith and I have been communicating with his sketchpad,” I said, puzzled about why she took offence. Realizing how rude it was to have my back to Mr. Leith when he could not know what I was saying, I turned so that he was on my right and Miss Webber on my left. The young man glanced between us. “Did you require him for something?”
“I find your tone impertinent, Nelson,” Miss Webber said, ignoring my question. Nelson? Our roles made us equals, so there should have been a polite ‘Miss’. “Do you expect to improve your lot in life by attaching yourself to Mr. Simon?”
It took all of my self-control not to laugh out loud. That was her suspicion? “Nothing could be further from the truth, Miss Webber, I do assure you,” I said with a smile.
“Your amusement is unseemly. I just caught you lingering with him unchaperoned as though you wished to be caught out! It is obvious what your intentions are, so there is no need for such prevarication.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I’d heard many ridiculous things since I became a maid, and this could well be the most unbelievable. “Your imagination runs wild, but we are being rude. Mr. Leith has been left in the dark about this conversation. Allow me to enlighten him so he may share in this entertaining idea.”
“Enough!” Miss Webber exclaimed, her tone rising with her anger. “I shall report this to the dowager, mark my words. You will be gone by morning!”
Again, someone who saw the dowager as the highest authority on the estate. “I shall inform Lady Leith and abide by her decision.”
She drew herself up, her eyes narrowed in a glare. “You think that naive girl will save you?”
“Webby?” Mr. Leith spoke up, his voice that strange mixture of high pitched and off-key that I’d heard in my youth. “What is wrong?”
With a shake of her head, Miss Webber moved around me and approached the man. She gestured for him to follow her. “Come along, Simon.” Her fingers wrapped around his thin bicep, and she tugged. “It’s time for tea.”
For a brief moment, Mr. Leith resisted her urgings, a stubborn set to his mouth. He jerked out of her grasp and faced me to offer one last bow. It lacked the merriment he’d shown earlier. “Good day, Miss
Nelson.”
Sad to be unable to continue our conversation, I bobbed a curtsy. “Good day, Mr. Leith.” I watched him walk away from the maze. Miss Webber glanced over her shoulder once to, I assume, ensure I was not following them.
Breathing out a sigh, I continued on my exploration of the outer edge of the maze. What had been said to Miss Webber for her to take such a dislike of me? I did not expect to be universally liked, such would have been a foolish idea, but both she and Mr. Stone were suspicious of me for seemingly no reason.
Or was the reason that I was Lady Leith’s employee and out of their control?
“Well, I suppose I should be glad she does not live in the house,” I said aloud. “Between her and Miss Hansen I would be faced with more than I could handle.”
LADY LEITH APPEARED distracted when she came into the dressing room. I helped her into a lovely blue evening gown, waiting for her to initiate a conversation. It was only once she was seated and I had begun to arrange her hair that she spoke.
“The dowager is under the impression that you wish to entrap my brother, Simon, in marriage.”
Good heavens, Miss Webber hadn’t wasted any time in causing mischief! “Is that so? Did the dowager mention who had told her such a story?” I asked, choosing my words with care. How much had the story been twisted?
For a brief moment, Lady Leith’s forehead creased with a frown. “Not that I recall. Does that have some bearing on the situation?”
“I believe it does. You see, I spent my free time on a walk this afternoon,” I explained as I kept my eyes on the woman’s hair. “When I reached the maze, I encountered Mr. Leith, who I believe had been sketching there. We exchanged pleasantries, but our conversation went no further than that due to Miss Webber’s arrival.”
Clarendon Estate (The Sinclair Society Series, #3) Page 4