Page 28 of The Baroness of Sin
The Lord had stopped taking meals, settling to eat bits here and there from whatever was left out in the kitchen or larder at odd hours. In fact, he would rarely leave his office at times when there was anyone else around. Vickers was the only reason the rest of the attendants didn’t think he was sleeping in there, the valet insisting that the master barely slept at all.
What was worse was that no one knew what had caused their lord such dismay. Well, no one but two people close to the lord. Miss Blake knew because she had been in the Lord’s personage when he had read the letter given to him. Amanda Williams knew for a completely different reason; one which she had been contemplating the best way to act upon for several days.
A few days ago, Amanda had been playing in the garden when she saw Martha climbing into a carriage and leaving Mayfair. She didn’t pay it much mind. Why would Martha be leaving? She and Papa were in love, and people don’t just leave people that they are in love with. Surely Martha would come back.
Amanda continued to play in the garden for a long time after this, until it began to rain heavy cold droplets from the sky, coming faster and faster so Amanda was forced to run into the manor to avoid becoming sodden.
When she arrived inside, she was about to find her governess so Miss Blake could help her find something to do. Before she had a chance though, she noticed something had become stuck to the bottom of her shoe. When she bent down to remove and inspect the thin, damp slip of paper, she found it to be a letter.
She looked it over for a moment, and her eyes widened in surprise. She very carefully tried to remove the excess water from the letter so that the ink would not run and tucked it into her sleeve. There the letter had stayed, while she watched her father grow more and more upset.
Amanda didn’t really know what to do. She knew important letters didn’t belong outside, and she didn’t know how this one ended up in the garden. Had her Papa left it there? Was the letter why he was upset?
What was worse, she knew that anyone she asked might get her into trouble. Miss Blake was already suspicious, and the little girl’s governess had never been one to allow for secrets.
She simply wanted to speak to her Papa alone, but no matter what Miss Blake always insisted on being there.
“You father is a very important and very busy Lord. Not everyone has time to entertain little girls, Lady Amanda.” That is what she would say, and she would always say it in the same teacher voice that Amanda hated.
So, Amanda decided that she had held onto the note long enough. She would speak to her Papa on her own terms, no matter what it took. He was being very silly, and he had a lot to explain to her, and she wasn’t going to be ushered away by anyone until she got the answers she wanted.
Her old trick had been to slip out of bed after Miss Blake had retired for the evening, but after her most recent excursion, they had taken to locking her door and windows to make sure she stayed put. Amanda had been cooking up a new method of absconding, though.
On days when her instructor was tutoring Amanda, Miss Blake was rarely in attendance, but when Amanda was practicing on her own, she often noticed Miss Blake would hide her face in a book or pamphlet, to obscure the fact that she would fall asleep.
Amanda knew if she stopped playing suddenly that it would rouse Miss Blake enough to alert her. She had been, over the last few lessons, testing something. As long as she played softly, then Miss Blake would stay sleeping no matter what.
Her father, as luck would have it, recently procured a wonderful little device known as a metronome in order to better her learning. It was incredibly helpful, but also quite mesmerizing all on its own. Amanda figured out that once it was wound, the little weight on the pendulum kept it moving steadily.
A week after Martha had departed from Mayfair, Amanda had the perfect opportunity. Miss Blake had positioned herself in a plush chair behind a pamphlet. After Amanda had seen Miss Blake’s breathing became steady and rhythmic, indicating that she had begun to doze, Amanda slid the metronome over and positioned it on a convenient side table. She watched with a momentary worry that the weight would not be enough to stroke the key but smiled as it brought the low C down with a gentle thrum.
Amanda walked softly, each step of her slippered foot careful to tread on this or that floorboard. She was sure that she didn’t have much time before Miss Blake awoke as the repetition of the note playing would only pass for practice for so long. Amanda also had to be careful to avoid any of the other people in the house.
This required her to move from the conservatory, through several hallways, up the main staircase, and through several more hallways without being seen in a lively household. The good news was Amanda was very small, and, while being the lady of the house would draw attention, there were many places in the ornate manse to hide. The only time she was almost spotted was when a maid unexpectedly turned a corner on the opposing staircase. Thankfully, the banisters were as large as Amanda was small, and she was able to just tuck herself behind one.
Her Papa was always in his study, and that was the child’s destination. She had made it this far with surprising ease, and she had let an uneasy, if well earned, pride swell in her chest as she stood in front of the sturdy door. This was her only moment of hesitation, and it was because she was unsure if she should knock. She didn’t want to invade her Papa’s office, as it was his, and that was important, but she also believed knocking would undermine the secrecy she had invested so much into.
She decided to push the door open. She was sure this minor transgression would be forgiven. This was important, and her Papa needed her.
Chapter Twenty-One
James wasn’t sure if he heard the door creak, or if he imagined it. The usually clean-cut Lord of Barristen hadn't shaved or changed his clothes in several days, and he was sure to be a sight. That thought did not force its way to the forefront of James' mind, blocked out by his deep sadness and his urge to be left alone. When he turned, he was ready to usher away whoever had entered his office without knocking with a stern word or three.
Instead, he was left speechless. He was shocked to see his daughter. While she certainly had a mischievous streak, she had never wandered into any place he had expressly forbidden, his study being the foremost on that list.
The look on her face also worried him. She didn’t look like she was trespassing into the forbidden territory or about to surprise her unsuspecting Papa. Her face suggested worry far too dire for a child of only nine. He remembered far off that Miss Blake had suggested his daughter had been missing her father. Before his daughter said anything, he stood and picked her up in his arms, squeezing her tight against him.
“Papa?” she asked softly, “why is your face so prickly?”
He laughed, and it felt good to laugh. “I’m afraid that I have been doing a poor job of shaving. Haven’t let Vickers come near me either. Not a good habit to get into,” he told her and set her down. “But let's talk about that later. Why did you come to my study? Was there something you needed?”
“I found something, Papa,” Amanda explained quickly, as she remembered time was of the essence. She pulled the letter out from the sleeve of her dress and unfolded it. He took it from her and was very curious as to what it could contain. The letter wasn’t wrapped or sealed and carried no indicator to whom it was addressed, but, once opened, it was clear that it was intended for him.
My dearest James,
I hate to leave you in such a state, but I’m afraid I must. Despite all I have insisted, I find that I have allowed my emotions to get the best of me. I enjoyed the time we spent together, but falling in love with you wasn’t supposed to happen. I am at a loss of what to do, so I have traveled to my old home to visit with my family and think on this matter. My brother will stay in my home to look after my affairs, so if there is anything you might need, don’t be afraid to ask him for aid. I hope you won’t judge me too harshly as I never intended this to happen. I look forward to seeing you again, regardless of the circumstances.
Yours,
