Page 18 of The Viscount's Code
“What kind of rides?” Lady Hope asked, interest in her voice – which of course there would be. The woman was interested in everything, no matter how dull or ridiculous.
“Apparently there is a carousel, on which one can ride wooden horses. And even a sleigh that can be ridden down a hill!”
“That sounds fun,” Lady Hope said with so much enthusiasm that Anthony had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Did she really look forward to everything with so much joy? Was she not aware that would only lead to disappointment when it was not as “fun” as she thought it might be?
“Will you come, Sophia?” Lady Embury asked Anthony’s mother, who nodded, her hands held tightly together in front of her.
“Of course. I would love it,” his mother said, and Anthony sighed. That meant he would have to attend as well, taking a day away from breaking the code. He’d thought that he had figured out how to solve it, but so far, the words he had found based on his clue-breaking made no sense at all.
“I’m not sure about this,” Lord Embury said firmly, biting into a thick piece of beef, and Lady Embury turned to him with a pout.
“It would only be for an afternoon, as Harwich is so close,” she said. “Besides, it would be a wonderful way to show Sophia the countryside. Your lands have been so well kept,” she said, smiling as she placed a hand on his sleeve. The earl’s self-satisfied expression told Anthony that his wife was well aware how to convince him into doing whatever she pleased.
“Very well. One afternoon,” he said, and his wife clapped her hands together.
“I’m so glad. You will come?”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“Oh, but you must! We cannot go alone.”
The earl wiped his mouth with an edge of the tablecloth. “Very well.”
Hope beamed at her father, while even Faith didn’t seem completely perturbed by the idea.
“We shall all leave at noon tomorrow,” Lady Embury said. “Be prepared – for the most wonderful time!”
Oh, yes, Anthony would be prepared. Prepared to leave the fair as soon as he was able. Perhaps if he had his own horse, he could feign some kind of illness and leave early. Although he wouldn’t want to leave his mother alone. He could only imagine the kind of people that would accompany a travelling fair, and he didn’t want to think about what the “exotic” might mean. He supposed he would find out tomorrow.
He just had to get through an insufferable evening first.
* * *
“What doyou think of the viscount?” Hope asked her sister as they prepared to leave for the fair the next morning. The truth was, she didn’t much like the mention of the exotic, but the rides were intriguing, if not slightly frightening.
“He is a sullen man, thinks highly of himself, and is not much interested in the feelings or opinions of others,” Faith said, walking over to her vanity and selecting a small necklace. She passed it to her maid, who fixed the clasp around her neck.
“Do you think so?” Hope said, trying not to show any particular interest. “He seems so… hard. As though he has been hurt before.”
“His family is the one who has hurt others. He has nothing to complain about.”
“What do you mean?”
“His father was a traitor.”
Hope’s mouth opened in shock. This was the second time a member of her family had used that word regarding the viscount’s father. “That cannot be true,” she said once she regained her voice, shaking her head. “His mother is so kind, andourmother would never befriend the wife of a traitor.”
“No, but she and Mother were childhood friends. Mother has been loyal to her, even after her husband defected.”
“Do you know what happened?” Hope asked, and Faith shook her head.
“No. Father never shared with me the entire story. I only know that during the wars against the French he was a codebreaker and was later branded a traitor. Nothing could be proven so he was never brought to justice for his crimes, although he remained out of society until his passing. I believe it was quite difficult for Lady Embury.”
“I’m surprised you do not know the full story,” Hope said, perhaps a bit provocatively. “You usually discover all there is to know.”
Faith tilted her head to look up at her. “I do not knoweverything.”
“You seem to,” Hope said, and Faith smiled as she shook her head and put on her pelisse. Hope took a breath, needing to ask her sister something that had been on her mind as of late. “Faith, do you truly not mean to find a husband?”
