No one crossed our path as we went to the dressing room. “That was inconvenient,” Lady Leith said just loud enough for me to hear as we entered.
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to say,” I admitted, closing the door firmly. “Though I should have expected this to happen. I’m sorry I roused you in such an unconventional way.”
“You were right to do so.” Lady Leith sat down and covered her mouth to hide a yawn. “My husband’s practice of returning home to be lord and master without a concern for what I have done or decided, is tiring. How dare he question you without bringing it to me first!”
The previous night’s argument had not resolved any of her hurt feelings.
“I do wish we had discovered what the cipher said,” she admitted with a sigh. “Not knowing will prey on my mind, I’m afraid.”
“I completely understand,” I said, moving to check the water in the pitcher. It was cold. I would have to take that up with Fanny. “I’m sorry I did not keep it in a better hiding place. Somewhere Miss Hanson would not have been able to find it. Or I ought to have thought to make another copy.”
“It is not your fault. Who would have thought a locked door would not be sufficient.” Lady Leith shook her head. “How Hanson found a key to your door, I do not know. Mrs. Horner is good about keeping her keys on her.”
Out of habit, I went to the wardrobe. “What would you like to wear today?”
“What? Oh, the blue morning gown will suffice. There is nothing strenuous planned this morning, but we will be on the lawn later for games. I am hoping by the end of the party, the dowager house will be ready to be occupied. I refuse to have a sneak in the house.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her statement. “You forget that I was the sneak not so long ago.”
A reluctant smile came to her lips. “Yes, I suppose that’s true but you were not a sneak to cause trouble. Your purpose in poking around was to find answers. Hanson did so simply to cause trouble. There is a difference.”
“I’m sure she thought she was searching for answers.” I laid aside the dress. “In any event, we have evaded one situation, but I don’t think we are out of the woods yet. Nor are we closer to learning the truth.”
“Have you met Mr. Harper before? He seemed to be glaring at you with immense disapproval and suspicion.”
“He was my brother’s closest friend,” I said, remembering the summers when Mr. Harper had come home with Jonathan. “He has also accused me of being a spy for France. I would say he is not fond of me.”
Lady Leith tilted her head. “A friend of your brother and he hasn’t recognized you as Juliet Sinclair?”
“Eugenia Burnham was also a friend when I was a child and she did not know me. It would seem a person only sees what they expect to see.” Eugenia Burnham had also been distracted with the whirlwind of her season and so had no reason to look too closely at me.
Mr. Harper had been as close to me as any person could be and did not have distraction as an excuse for not recognizing me.
A maid brought in hot water, nearly dropping it when she saw we were there. Taking pity on her, I took the water and hurried her on her way. “Well, I suppose there is nothing else to be done now,” Lady Leith said with a sigh. “We are no closer to knowing the truth behind my husband’s actions.”
“I am sorry there is so much discord between you.”
“He ought not keep secrets from me or go around me under the pretence of ‘protecting me.’ In any event, I can only hope he will be polite to the rest of the guests and somehow we can manage not to let anyone know we have quarrelled.” She gave an unladylike snort. “The dowager would just love that.”
AS I WENT ABOUT MY duties that day, I kept expecting Mr. Harper to come out of the shadows to demand information from me. He had done so before, so why should this time be any different? Perhaps he was hesitant to annoy Lady Leith with such tactics? After all, she hadn’t been afraid to stand up to him earlier.
The maid eyed me out of the corner of her eye when she brought me my breakfast, but she said nothing. Mrs. Horner swept in a few minutes later and kept up a cheerful dialogue of all the things she had to oversee that day, which included the opening of the dowager house. Her non-stop chatter revealed the truth: the staff knew about the discord between the master and his wife.
That they did not try to talk to me about it was a mixed blessing. What did they know? How much had they discussed?
“I don’t know what to do,” Mrs. Horner lamented, getting my attention. “I need someone to deliver a basket of food. With her ladyship occupied with her guests and my own girls overloaded with work, there is no one for me to send.”
A chance to get out of the house? “I would be more than happy to take the basket for you. I’ve met Mr. Leith. He seems to be a charming young man and I am sorry his affliction keeps him so secluded.”
“Would you? Oh, thank you, Miss Nelson,” Mrs. Horner said with relief. “I know you have your own duties to see to.”
“I’m certain Lady Leith would understand. In fact, she may even envy me for being able to take the basket when she is not able to do it herself,” I said lightly. “She does enjoy her walks and visits with him.”
Mrs. Horner nodded, her expression sympathetic. “The poor dear. She does what she can but there’s some who do not like being replaced.”
She could only be referring to the dowager. We exchanged knowing looks and left the matter at that. Mrs. Horner said she would have the basket ready for me at two o’clock, which would give me time to complete the most important tasks of the day.
The thought of leaving the house and the increase in tension was an incentive for me to go about my work quickly. My half day had been stressful and not the least bit relaxing, so I was looking forward to a peaceful walk.
I heard distant laughter when I stepped outside. The party was playing games on the lawn and from the sound of it, they were enjoying themselves. Hopefully, Lady Leith was amused and distracted by the games as well.
It was a fine day to be out of doors. The sun was bright in the clear blue sky, and a gentle breeze provided some relief from the heat. Bees buzzed around the flowers and birds sang their songs from the tree branches.
How I’d loved days like this at my childhood home!
Before too long, the cottage was in front of me. Mr. Leith was seated on the grass, his sketchpad in his lap. He seemed to be examining a blade of grass. When he caught sight of me, though, he dropped the grass and stood up.
Just as before, Mr. Leith made an elaborate bow and then looked up at me with an expectant expression. Though he must have been no more than a year or so younger than I, there was a youthfulness about him that was endearing.
Making a deep curtsy, I smiled at him. Beyond him, I saw the curtain in one of the windows shift. Miss Webber was watching, and would no doubt be along soon to send me on my way. I closed the distance between myself and the young gentleman.
“What are you drawing?” I asked, gesturing to his sketchpad.
Bending down, Mr. Leith picked up the item, which he then held out to me. Curious to see what he wanted to show me, I set down the basket to take it from him. As he watched, I began to flip through the pages.
He really was a skilled artist, much better than I had ever been and I’d had the benefit of a master’s instruction! Had anyone ever tutored Mr. Leith? He’d caught birds in flight, a daisy in a field, even a few of Lady Leith. Glancing up, I smiled again and nodded to show my approval. His chest puffed up with pride as he grinned.
I turned to the last two pages he had been working on. The scene was of ladies playing a game of lawn bowling, and if I had to guess, from the imperfect lines, he’d been spying on the party. Of course he would look on from afar.
Then, my gaze shifted to the adjoining page. My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the sketch.
Henry Bladen’s profile was captured in perfect detail.
Chapter Thirteen
No
. No, it couldn’t be. But there was no mistaking what was in front of me. How could he be here? Why was he here? It was bad enough that Oswyn Harper had come, but now I would have to avoid someone else from discovering me?
A tap on my shoulder startled me enough to make me inhale. I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped breathing. Lifting my gaze, I found Mr. Leith staring at me with a concerned frown. He made a sign with his right hand and then pointed at the page.
“I know him,” I managed to say. “He is here?”
For a moment, Mr. Leith just stared at me. Then, he pointed at the pictures and then gestured in the direction of Clarendon House. Of course he had seen Mr. Bladen there. Where else would Mr. Leith have seen the gentleman?
“Miss Nelson.” Miss Webber walked towards us, a polite but frosty smile on her lips. The miss sounded forced as though she didn’t want to give me the courtesy. “What are you doing here? I would have expected you to be hard at work for Lady Leith as everyone proclaims you to be.”
“Good day, Miss Webber,” I said, forcing a smile of my own. Closing the sketch pad, I handed it back to Mr. Leith. I leaned down to pick up the basket. “Mrs. Horner sent this for you and Mr. Leith.”
“And a lady’s maid was the only person available to deliver it?” Miss Webber stepped forward and took the basket from me. “I would have thought this would be beneath someone of your position. Or were you simply anxious to see Master Simon?”
There was definite hostility in her tone. I had enough to worry about without having to be concerned about her suspicions and who she would tell them to.
“I am always glad to see Mr. Leith. He is an agreeable companion for anyone. As for why I was asked to deliver the basket, you know the house is busy with the party,” I said, keeping my own tone even. “Mr. Leith was just showing me his sketches of the guests playing on the lawn.”
“A likely story. Master Simon has not been near the big house in several months,” Miss Webber said with a sniff. “Surely what he has shown you was from his own imagination.”
For being a protective guardian, she clearly did not keep a close eye on her charge.
“Well, I suppose we must agree to disagree on that, and I will bid you good day, Miss Webber,” I said as cheerfully as I could. Turning, I met Mr. Leith’s gaze and offered him a nod. “Good day, Mr. Leith.”
As I hurried away from the lonely cottage, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Mr. Leith. He was an intelligent young man, with a charming sense of humour. It was a shame he was kept isolated with only a suspicious woman to keep him company. He should have friends and conversation, even if they were done on paper.
No, I was being unfair. Miss Webber surely meant well. She had to be fond of Mr. Leith, in her own way. How could she not be after caring for him for so many years? She couldn’t be completely heartless.
Shaking my head, I quickened my steps. None of that had any bearing on the new threat in my life. If Mr. Henry Bladen was a guest in the house, more than ever, I would have to keep out of sight. He knew me as myself, Juliet Sinclair, and I couldn’t have him revealing my deception.
He must have been the second gentleman that had arrived with Sir Horace, but why? I knew I couldn’t possibly have known all Mr. Bladen’s friends, but it seemed strange they would have known each other. What business had brought them together? How long had they known each other?
This time, the sound of laughter and talking made me uneasy. Even though the servant’s entrance was out of sight from where the guests were at play, they sounded too close for my comfort. The very thought of being seen made me slip inside as quickly as I could, no thought to lingering in the fine weather.
How was I going to explain this new challenge to Celia?
“YES, MR. BLADEN ARRIVED with my husband,” the lady said with a hint of censure as she sat in front of the mirror. “I’ve never met him before, and I don’t believe Horace has ever mentioned him, even in passing. Why do you ask?”
“Because I do know him,” I said, keeping my eyes on her hair. I’d learned so much about dressing hair and took pride in what I was able to achieve. No one would find fault in my friend’s appearance. “In fact, five years ago, I expected to marry him.”
With a gasp, Celia twisted to look me in the face. “Honestly?”
“After my parents died—well, killed—he vanished from my life without a word,” I continued. If she was to know the truth, I was determined she would know all the sorry details. “For two years, I hoped he would return and have a reasonable explanation for why he stayed away. I wondered if he wanted to respect the fact that I was mourning my family.”
“And he never sent a single word?”
There was genuine outrage in her voice. “No,” I said, remembering the crushing grief when I accepted he wasn’t coming back for me. “Once I cried about it, I was furious. Angry that he’d fled when I needed him most. Angry that he hadn’t thought I was worth an explanation for why he left.”
“You had every right to be angry! His behaviour was unacceptable. I have a mind to take him to task for his cruel treatment. No man should be allowed to get away with such callousness!”
“Please do not. I think I did that well enough myself in Bath, and he might wonder how you know me when I have been secluded these past few years..”
“Have you seen him that recently then?”
Funny to think if I hadn’t become a lady’s maid for the Burnhams, I wouldn’t have crossed paths with Mr. Bladen again. “I encountered him for the first time since my brother’s death earlier this year. I’d been sent on an errand for the Bunrhams and there he was. Buying ribbons for his sister.”
“For his sister? I have two male cousins who love me as dearly as I love them and there are no circumstances where they would ever make such an errand,” Lady Leith said, raising her eyebrow. “Did he at least do the honourable thing and acknowledge you?”
“Yes, and then he visited my great-aunt’s house to see me. He’s also sent letters to me through my aunt’s maid. He swears he kept away because my uncle insisted he do so. He has asked me to forgive him.”
Lady Leith gave a derisive sniff. “Even if that were true—he was compelled to keep his distance because of your family—he could have left you a note to explain instead of leaving you to wonder for so long. The gall of him to make such advances. Did he think your own affections were unchanged by time and distance?”
“He certainly seemed to think so. When I met him once again in Bath, I told him I did not desire his attention.” And how my anger had come as a shock to him! “I told him to leave me alone.”
“I take it he has no notion about your current position or name.”
I shook my head. “Only my aunt knows Juliet Sinclair is currently playing at being a lady’s maid named Julie Nelson.” I paused before I added, “No. There was another man, in Bath, who worked it out and tried to blackmail into doing what he wished.”
“Conrad Ingram.” If anything, the disdain in Lady Leith’s voice increased to outright hatred. “I met him once, though I won’t say it was an honour or a pleasure. I don’t think there was a single person who mourned him when he had that unfortunate accident.”
Personally, I had my own suspicions about his ‘accident’. Now that I thought about it, there had been an alarming number of accidents that were not accidents. “Did Sir Horace or Mr. Harper say why Mr. Bladen is with them?”
“My husband hasn’t said a word about what took him away or why he’s back,” Lady Leith said, turning to face her mirror. “Imagine that. Another ‘H’ in the house. What does that make? Four now?”
Surprised, I paused. “Sir Horace. Sir Henry. Mr. Harper. Mr. Henry Bladen,” I said, listing the names off. “Good heavens, you’re right. They all knew my brother in some way.”
“You say this Mr. Bladen remained away from you because of your uncle. Why did your uncle deem him so unworthy? Might he be the ‘H’ you have been searching for?”
“I don’t know,
” I said, hesitating. I’d asked my uncle that question but had not received an answer. My stomach twisted before I added, “Would a man who had murdered an entire family wish to marry the surviving member?”
“It is far-fetched, but I thought it worth mentioning. His behaviour, as you have described it, is far from gentlemanly, so it would not be a surprise if he were involved in something nefarious.”
Henry Bladen? A traitor? Was it possible?
“I don’t believe he was near Bath when Jonathan was killed,” I said slowly. But doubts were swirling around my mind as I tried to remember. “But it has been five years. I may be mistaken on that point.”
“He was close to your family, perhaps close enough to be referred to be the first letter of his Christian name?”
Had the answer been in front of me all this time? No, how could it?
“I would think Mr. Harper the likelier choice, since he was one of my brother’s closest friends,” I managed to say, trying to organize my thoughts. “But now that you mention it, Mr. Bladen has dogged my steps almost as closely as Mr. Harper has. They are always where I do not expect to find them.”
“One way or another, I shall learn why my husband is associating with them both,” Lady Leith declared as she stood up. “There must be a reason he chose to bring them both here. And I promise I shall ensure you are not sent anywhere near my guests. You are safe here.”
She left the room to go down for dinner. I knew she meant well, but I did not feel safe. The idea of being trapped in the servants quarters was not one I relished, but as there was no other solution to how I could remain out of sight, I resigned myself to it..
AS I MADE MY WAY FROM the dressing room to my room, I came face to face with Miss Hanson. She gave a start when she saw me, her eyes widening. “You,” was all she said as she came to a halt. What little colour was in her cheeks drained away.
Clarendon Estate (The Sinclair Society Series, #3) Page 11