Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
I accepted the flowers, passed them to Emma without so much as sniffing them, thanked him, and left the room. This time, after Mama saw him out, she came after me, and as I looked at her, I saw the despair and helplessness I know she feels. Guilt. It was emblazoned upon her face. And her words, once you make a deal with Lymington, you do not renege on it, rang loud in my ears. He bought my parents wealth and recognition, and they paid with happiness. Not just mine, but all of ours. Frank is subdued, Clara is avoiding us all, and Papa is in his study drinking himself into an early grave.
Now is the third time for Frederick to call upon me, and, unfortunately, it appears that his father isn’t leaving room for me to avoid him this time.
‘Eliza would love nothing more than to promenade with you,’ Lymington says as Dalton helps Papa into his jacket and hands him his hat. ‘I’m sure Mrs Melrose will accompany you while Mr Melrose and I discuss business at Gladstone’s.’
‘I’m afraid not,’ Mother pipes up as she breezes past. ‘I have been invited to Lady Tillsbury’s luncheon.’
I smile at Mother’s aloofness, but while her attempt is admirable, and undoubtedly driven by guilt, she cannot save me.
‘Do any of the women in your life know their place, Melrose?’ Lymington mutters.
‘I will chaperone my sister,’ Frank says, and before I know it, I am in my room with Emma helping me get ready. As I place myself in front of the mirror and fix my bonnet, Emma goes to the draperies and pulls them open before leaving my room to help Mother. I wander over and look down onto the square but pull back on a skip of my heart when I see him on the edge of the gardens, as still as an ice sculpture, looking up at my bedroom window. His expression is fierce. My swallow is lumpy.
‘Eliza,’ Frank calls.
‘Coming,’ I whisper, preparing myself to leave the safety of our house for the first time in weeks. I pat down my dress, exhale, and walk on. Clara is waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Frank. ‘Oh, how lovely,’ I say, descending the stairs. ‘All the Melrose children together for a walk in the park to celebrate my demise.’
Clara looks mighty inconvenienced. ‘All of our demises, actually, sister.’
‘Oh, is the stable boy no more?’
‘Ask our brother.’ She barges him as she passes, and I cock my head in question to Frank.
‘I suppose this means there will be no stain upon your lips in the near future?’
‘You suppose right,’ he says, sweeping a hand out in gesture for me to walk on. ‘I couldn’t have you in the depths of misery alone now, could I?’ He takes the steps behind me.
‘So what now? You carry on being a rake?’ I come to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the steps and Frank bumps into me, jolting me forward. My eyes narrow as Lady Dare breezes across the cobbles in a vivid blue silk dress, her eyes set firmly on my handsome brother.
‘Maybe,’ he muses, pulling my stare to him. I find his attention on the adventuress Lady Dare, and my heart sinks. I saw how he looked at Lizzy Fallow. It is not how he looks at Lady Dare. I do not like this.
‘How lovely you look, Miss Melrose.’ Frederick appears, smiling awkwardly and sheepishly.
I smile, pull on my gloves and march through Clara and Frank. ‘Thank you, Frederick. As do you.’ I notice he is not pointing out my lack of formalities towards him, and I conclude he would simply like to make this whole hideous process as easy as possible. I thank him for that. I let my eyes fall to the same spot where I saw the Duke from my window. Regretfully, he is gone. I should have liked him to see me relatively composed.
We walk, Frederick and I leading, Frank and Clara following, towards the park. I look back, checking Frank and Clara are not close enough to hear me before I speak. ‘Where is Colleen, Frederick?’ I ask.
He, too, looks back, nervous, but he settles when he sees we are safe from prying ears. ‘In Cornwall, Miss Melrose.’ He smiles fondly. ‘I expect she has some smudges on her face from ploughing the fields with her father today.’
‘Find her and run away to Scotland.’ If Frederick leaves, surely I cannot be held to the deal?
He throws a stunned look at me but quickly reins it in. ‘I’m not sure I understand, Eliza.’
‘Oh, you do, Frederick. And I am certain more than I am certain of many things that you have considered it on more than one occasion.’ As the golden gates to the park appear in the distance, the sound of charging hooves approaches, the ground vibrating under my feet. It’s a familiar sound, one I remember from the countryside, and far too reckless to be any of the gentlemen of the ton taking their morning rides.