Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
She stared at me for a little bit longer before she took my hands. “I want to go.”
“Then we shall go.” I grinned and stood. “Thank you for preparing her, Mrs. Watson. I shall take over from here.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Emeline, have you been to town?” I asked as Eleanor opened the door for us. I was hoping to get her to speak more, but she shook her head.
“Neither have I. It shall be good fun. But you must stay close to me at all times, all right?”
She nodded, holding on tight to my hand, which made me glad.
It took us only a few minutes before we were outside, where I could see the baskets already packed on a hay cart.
“Where is the carriage?” Evander asked as he stepped out behind us.
“We shall not need it, as we are walking,” I replied.
“Walking?” he repeated. “Why on earth would you wish to do that?”
“It is not far, nor is it a bad day. I am very used to walking, and it would be a bit much to travel such a short distance with the horses and carriage, do you not think?” I replied. He tilted his head, staring at me. “What?”
“Your Grace, your hat.” Eleanor handed the purple hat to me.
“Thank you,” I said and turned back to Evander. “Are you not coming?”
He exhaled deeply but said nothing, coming down the stairs to stand alongside us. He glanced at Emeline, placing his hand on her head, offering her a smile. “Are you well?” he asked.
Emeline grinned, nodding. “Yes, Papa.”
“Well then, if the ladies are not complaining, I surely cannot. Let us walk.” He nodded, and spoke to the hands helping to drive the wagon. “Go ahead of us, so you do not need to worry about keeping pace.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
I glanced down at Emeline, who beamed at her father happily. When she looked at me, she smiled from ear to ear for the first time.
Yes, this was a good day.
24
Evander
They all lined up to see her as though she were the queen herself, and Aphrodite, who was generally known for being quiet and aloof, was all conversation, speaking to each of them, not at all bothered by appearance or stench, not even allowing it to faze her. Her demeanor seemed to be contagious for even little Emeline—who, to my knowledge, was a quiet and simple child. She now sat with the wagon, happily handing Aphrodite as many of the baskets as she could.
“We did not think you were truly coming, Your Grace.” The scruffy red-haired man named Mr. Stevenson chuckled.
“You did not take me for my word?” Aphrodite asked as she passed him a basket. “I am quite wounded, Mr. Stevenson.”
His eyes widened, and he took off his hat. “Forgive me, Your Grace. I just meant we hadn’t seen any family from the house out and about in…in years.”
“Years?” Aphrodite repeated, shocked. “Surely, it cannot be that long?”
“No, Your Grace, really. The last time we saw any duchess or sort was about twenty-one years ago,” an older woman said, rocking a small child in her arms. “I know because my son, Jimmy, was about the same age as the young miss, and this is his son, my grandson.”
“Oh,” Aphrodite said, and her eyes shifted to me.
The look in them felt as though she were yelling at me. I said nothing, for I honestly could not remember. Had it truly been that long?
“I don’t recall seeing the duke since then, either,” the same woman said, smiling at me. “Do you remember my Jimmy? When Lady Luella brought you to town with her, you’d play near the stones with him.”
I did not recall knowing a Jimmy, but she seemed so hopeful that I could not bring myself to speak that truth. “Ah yes, Jimmy, how is he?”
Her smile fell, and she just stared at me. “He passed, been four months.”
Dear God. “I—”
“Our condolences,” Aphrodite said, touching the woman’s shoulder before cooing at the child in her arms. “Such a loss and to have such a gift left behind as well. Was he named after him?”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The woman showed her the child. “Poor thing, losing his papa working in one of the mines, and then he lost his mama bringing him into this world. He is so young, but I’m going to make sure he grows well enough.”
“I trust you will.” Aphrodite placed her hand on his head. “Should you need anything, please write to me at the house. If it’s an emergency, come to the door.”
Now I looked to her, eyes wide. Was she mad? We could not just have them come to our home like that. But she was looking at the crowd not me.
“Thank…”—the woman stopped, sucking in the air, and looked as though she wished to cry—“you, Your Grace. You are quite kind. I thought we would never get another like Lady Luella again.”