Page 22 of A Marriage of Convenience with a Rake
“Thank you for coming,” Eleanor answered, and was surprised that she actually meant it, at least in part. It seemed like gossip had been circulating in the area for days about Lord Glenfield and his recent decision, but these women had decided not to indulge in idle talk but to see for themselves. That made them nicer than the others, who had doubtless been spreading loose talk but had not come to see for themselves if their stories had any bearing on reality.
“We ought to depart too, Lady Glenfield,” Lady Elworth commented as she stood up, smoothing her long rose-colored skirts.
“Thank you for the visit,” Eleanor replied.
Lady Waddingham stood, walking to the door with her and the guests, and Eleanor eyed her gratefully.
They all walked down together, andEleanor curtseyed as the two women curtseyed and then she waved from the step as they clambered into their coach and set off.
Eleanor stood in the drive for a moment, and Lady Waddingham, who stood silently beside her, turned to her with a smile.
“I’ll be off too, my dear,” she said, dropping the briefest curtsey.
“Must you depart so soon?” Eleanor asked, wishing Lady Waddingham would remain a little longer. It would be good to talk to her and find out why she had been studying her so carefully in the discussion.
“I should,” Lady Waddingham replied, then frowned, her expression changing from the lighthearted one of earlier to fearful worry. “Please take care, my dear.”
“Take care?” Eleanor asked, heart thudding. Lady Waddingham seemed so serious, the lighter mood of earlier dissipating suddenly.
“Yes. I would hate any harm to come to you.”
“Any harm?” Eleanor asked, alarmed.
“Yes.”
“Because of Lord Glenfield?” she whispered. Her heart thudded with horror at the thought of what a situation she might have been pushed into.
“Oh! No. No, dear,” Lady Waddingham said, chuckling warmly. “No. Not on account of Lord Glenfield. No. Not at all. Not really,” she added, frowning.
“Not really?”
“No. It’s not his fault, my dear. It’s not his doing that the line carries a curse.”
“What?” Eleanor demanded, horrified. She felt a shiver move down her spine. Curses were no joking matter at all. Though many people in her circle would scoff at such things, she knew better. Growing up in the countryside, one heard things spoken of that people did not hear about in the city. She swallowed hard, trying to find words. Her heart thudded in her chest.
“I have said too much. I apologise,” Lady Waddingham replied instantly, her gaze sliding away from Eleanor’s face. “I should be on my way.”
“My lady...” Eleanor began, hoping she would stay just a second longer to talk.
“Take my best wishes to Sebastian and tell him I will be delighted to call on you both again soon.”
“Thank you,” Eleanor murmured, seeing the older woman was already walking to the door, determined to exit before saying anything. “I will.”
She walked with Lady Waddingham down the steps to the coach, and after helping her up into it she turned around and went back indoors.
“Whew.”
She stood in the hallway for a moment, feeling exhausted. The time fending off the women’s barbed questions had drawn out every drop of her strength. Her mind was reeling, and she was desperate to find answers to her own questions.
She stood where she was, her eyes closed, her thoughts drifting with exhaustion. She shut her eyes briefly, then opened them again and went to the stairs. She hadn’t had breakfast yet—just a slice of a sweet loaf at tea. Her stomach twisted with hunger, and she went on upwards, deciding to look for the breakfast room herself if nobody was there to show her where it was.
She wandered up the stairs, her mind full of a tumbling array of questions to which she needed answers. Lord Glenfield clearly had a terrible reputation as Jonathan had informed her when they spoke days ago. And this new information Lady Waddingham had raised, about a curse of some sort...that was another matter altogether.
She reached the top of the stairs and was glad to see the butler in the hallway, his trolley full of tea-things.
“Where might I find the breakfast room?” she asked shyly.
“Oh! My lady. It’s just here. Follow me,” the man said, his face lighting up with a grin.
