by Jane Charles
She looked up, first to Rosemary who nodded, then to Sophia, who was confused and then to Mrs. Wiggons. “I will admit that there were times that I did believe in vampires, ghosts and witches, but I also knew that it was highly unlikely. Even when I was getting up to mischief.”
Rosemary stepped forward and took Eliza’s hand as if to offer comfort.
“You see. I thought that if I got into enough trouble you would send me home, or my parents would come for me.”
At that, Sophia’s heart broke for her friend. Eliza hadn’t seen her parents since they sent her off to school. They hadn’t even brought her home on holidays and hadn’t invited her to her older brother’s wedding. When Eliza did receive a letter, it was short and almost an afterthought.
“Oh, Eliza.” Mrs. Wiggons’ voice was filled with compassion.
“I embraced my imagination. I knew that Rosemary would understand and that is why she is the only one I told.”
“Understand what?” Mrs. Wiggons asked.
“What it’s like to be abandoned by parents,” Rosemary answered. “Not that mine have abandoned me in the same manner because I did see my father little over a year ago and my mother writes quite regularly but I still miss them.”
“And the two of you thought that if I became angry enough, your parents would be forced to come deal with you?” Mrs. Wiggons’ tone was not angry, more sympathetic, but Eliza still looked at the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
“No dear, I’m sorry that you felt you needed to go to such great lengths to garner their attention.”
All of her mischief was for attention? Sophia stared at her friend. It wasn’t all made up because Sophia knew for a fact that Eliza had believed, at least for a small bit, that Atwood was a vampire. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You wouldn’t have understood.” Eliza looked up at her. “But what I regret, most of all, was putting you in danger. I honestly didn’t comprehend that any of us could actually be harmed, and when Lord Percer…I thought to find a treasure would be fun, not that he’d take you.” Tears glistened in Eliza’s eyes.
Had she been carrying that guilt all of this time? Though it was something Sophia never wanted to think about and wished she didn’t remember, she had moved past that horror. Sophia reached out and took her friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “How could any of us have known he was so dangerous? It wasn’t your fault. Even if you hadn’t been there, he still would have managed to get to me because he knew who I was.” Besides, nobody could be blamed for the madness of another soul.
“So often I failed to see the danger. A mistake I vow never to make again.”
“She just wanted her parents to take notice,” Rosemary explained.
“Did you know, all along?” Sophia questioned.
Rosemary shook her head “No. Not until after the witches.” She glanced at Eliza out of the corner of her eye. “I was becoming fearful of leaving the school, and of what else may be lurking out in the world. Eliza explained.”
So, her friend had used them and betrayed Rosemary’s innocent trust to further her plans to get her parent’s attention? Sophia couldn’t decide if she was angry or pitied Eliza.
“Your father visits, even your older brother at times,” Eliza explained. “You don’t know what it’s like to be forgotten by the people who are supposed to love you.”
Sophia supposed she didn’t, but she also knew that her friend was often hurt when ignored by her parents.
“And, I’ll be forever grateful, Sophia. You took me into your home when my parents didn’t want me, and you tried to keep me out of trouble, caring more than they did.” Tears welled in Eliza’s eyes. “You were…are more family to me than they are. You and Rosemary are part of the reason the decisions I’ve come to are rather easy.”
“What decisions?” Rosemary asked.
“I shan’t be returning home. Ever. I don’t belong there. I belong here. If Mrs. Wiggons will have me, I’ll remain after our education is complete and maybe she’ll let me teach.”
“What of your writing?” Rosemary asked.
Eliza brightened. “If I don’t become famous like Mrs. Radcliffe, then I’ll teach. However, I fully intend to be the most popular female novelist this world has ever known.”
“I have great confidence that you will achieve all that you set out to do,” Mrs. Wiggons assured her. “However, we’ll leave discussion of your teaching for a later time. You are only fifteen and have at least another year at this school. You never know, you might change your mind and wish for a Season, love and marriage.”
Eliza’s smile slipped. “I’m fairly confident that I want none of those things. My family is here. I’ll not risk leaving them for an uncertain fate that could leave me lonelier than I was before.”
“As I said, we will discuss it later. Now to the topic of our three newest students, have you been encouraging them?”
Eliza blinked at their headmaster. “No. They’re precarious all on their own.”
Mrs. Wiggons narrowed her eyes as if she didn’t trust Eliza.
“I’ll admit to not discouraging them, however.” She grinned.
“Heaven help us all if they turn out to be just like the three of you.”
“It’s been over a sennight,” Henry complained as he paced to the window that faced the school. At first, he’d avoided the school because he’d never had the measles, and hoped that Eve would come here. Except she didn’t. And, just when he was about to throw caution to the wind and call on her, word reached them that the students had started to become ill, so he remained at Harrington Manor.
The days ticked by as if they were years and his frustration at not being able to see or even speak with Eve grew with each moment.
“Quit pacing, Kilsyth. You are giving me a headache,” Pickmore complained from where he relaxed on the settee.
Pickmore wasn’t fully recovered yet, and it would be some time before he traveled because of his injuries, but he’d been going mad in his chamber and decided to join his companions in the library. Keegen relaxed in a chair, crutches not far from reach since his leg was still healing from a fracture. Norbright had provided a stool so that Keegan could rest his foot, as it was impossible for him to bend his leg at the moment given that splints had been placed and then tightly bandaged around the leg. Neither Ashford, nor Keegan were moving around much. In fact, Ashford had only recently joined them in the last few days. He had suffered worse from a head injury and was plagued with headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to noise and light, and was downright unpleasant to be around. The doctor had assured him that these symptoms would pass but when Ashford demanded that he be a little more specific of when he’d be up and about and ready to ride again, the doctor couldn’t give him an answer.
Henry could put up with Ashford’s surliness for as long as it took for him to recover, since Henry still carried the burden that the injuries, all of them, were his fault. He was just grateful that his friend was finally beginning to recover since he had remained unconscious for nearly a day.
None of them would be leaving Harrington Manor anytime soon, but at least Lady Norbright hadn’t complained. Then again, she could be giving Norbright a piece of her mind when the two retired in the evening.
Damn, he wished this achiness would leave him. Henry’s injures had been minor in comparison to his friends, but he had been bruised and battered and it was a few days before he could move without pain. All those pains had finally disappeared but now they plagued him today. On top of that, his nose filled and dripped and he needed a handkerchief at all times.
“Sit, Kilsyth,” Keegan said. “Only a few more days and you’ll be able to pay a call.”
Two more days might as well be two more years for the way the moments ticked by at a snail’s pace.
“Game of chess?” Norbright suggested.
Henry shook his head and cleared his throat before taking a drink. What the blazes was wrong with him? Now his throat was sore a
nd there was a tickling in his chest, and he’d tried to fight coughing.
“Are you feeling well?” Ashford asked.
“Of course, why?”
“You don’t look so well.”
“I’m fine,” Henry insisted. “I’m still recovering from the beating my body took, like the rest of you.”
Lady Norbright frowned and came forward, then placed the back of her hand against Henry’s cheek and then forehead.
“Have you ever had the measles, Lord Kilsyth?”
“I don’t have the measles,” he insisted. “It’s been what, ten, eleven days since that student was here. If I were getting the measles, I would have come down with them by now.”
Lady Norbright frowned as if she wasn’t so certain.
Then she turned and took in the room. “Has anyone else not had the measles?”
His friends shook their heads.
Lady Norbright turned back to Henry. “Have you?”
“No, and I don’t have them now.”
“I’m afraid you are mistaken,” she smiled sadly. “Best get you to bed to rest.”
“I don’t have the measles,” Henry forced, then coughed on the last words.
“Of course you don’t.” She smiled as if humoring him then turned to her husband. “We should send for the doctor and you should get your friend to bed before he worsens.”
“I am not ill.” If he said it enough, it would be so. He didn’t have time to be sick. He needed to see Eve.
“Then I suppose those spots along your hairline are nothing to be concerned about.”
Alarm shot through him. “Spots?”
“More of a rash, but I know the symptoms better than you, Kilsyth. I did teach at a girls school for a number of years.”
Henry marched across the room and lifted the first item he could find to offer a reflection of his person. It happened to be a silver tray that the tea cups had set upon. He lifted it and stared at his hair. Bloody hell, he was getting a rash.
“How long does this last? A few days?”
She snorted. “A sennight, at least.”
“A sennight?” he barked. “I can’t be ill for so long.”
“You aren’t exactly given a choice.” Norbright chuckled.
“Rest in a dark room and willow bark tea will help make you comfortable,” Lady Norbright assured him. “You’ll just have to have patience until the illness has run its course.”
“Patience?” Pickmore laughed, then just as quickly winced and put a hand against his injured ribs. “The one thing that Kilsyth does not possess is patience.”
“At least he’ll be in his chamber and not pacing around here like a caged animal,” Ashford grumbled.
Kilsyth glared at him. “I assure you, I will vanquish this disease and be back to myself in a few days. Just because the students took so long to recover, doesn’t mean I will.”
“Yes, well, if you are going to recover, you’d best get in bed and go about doing so,” Ashford griped. “I’d wager he won’t leave his chamber for a fortnight.”
Pickmore studied Kilsyth. “The man is determined. I say a sennight.”
Norbright sat forward. “Ten days.”
Keegan was the last and looked at Henry thoughtfully. “Three weeks.”
“Three weeks?” Henry demanded. “You have so little faith in me? You think I’m so weak.”
“I think you are stubborn and will keep trying to force yourself from bed, thus actually prolonging the illness,” Keegan answered with a grin.
“We have a wager, Gentlemen?” Norbright asked.
Henry glared at them each individually. “What kind of friends are you? Making a wager on my illness as if you’ve got nothing better to do.”
“Actually, we don’t have anything better to occupy our time.” Pickmore grinned. “Now, run along so that I can win.” He took in the room. “What say you, ten pounds each?”
As they agreed, Henry stomped from the room. He’d show them all. He’d be up and about in no less than four days, then all of them would lose.
Eve settled into a chair by the large widow overlooking the back lawn, ready to enjoy a blessedly quiet moment with a steaming cup of tea. Though none of the students had fully recovered, none of them had worsened to the point of concern either, for which she was grateful. But, while they waited for the illness to run its course, she’d been busy helping take care of the girls. Though she didn’t wish ill on anyone, Eve was also grateful that she’d been too busy to spend much time wondering after Kilsyth. However, soon, the school would be recovered and she’d need to come to a decision.
Did she leave to avoid seeing him? Or, did she stay?
With a frown, Eve picked up the cup of tea and pondered her options.
Just because she knew Kilsyth was at Harrington Manor, it didn’t mean that he was aware of her presence at the school. After all, she didn’t even know why he’d been traveling in this direction. From what she gathered, at least what the girls had said, he knew Norbright, but he also could have only stopped because the injuries his friends suffered needed to be tended to and they needed a place to rest.
Yet, Kilsyth had made no mention of taking a trip. She would have learned if he had planned to do so. In fact, he was rarely away from his home for any length of time. Then again, she’d avoided him the last few days leading up to the ball. Perhaps he’d made arrangements then and just hadn’t mentioned it to her as of yet. Or, perhaps he had already intended to travel at this time but when a ward was thrust upon him, he could not do so. Once she was gone, he was free to go about his business once again.
Eve sat forward. In all likelihood, they may have already departed and she was worrying for nothing. She’d been so busy since the girls started becoming ill that she had no idea if the guests still remained at Harrington Manor and she could be fearful for nothing. The only fact she did know was that Kilsyth and the others were in residence a week ago. Further, it was unlikely that he remained. Though their time together was short, Kilsyth did not like to stay in one place long, other than his library, and she couldn’t imagine he’d be away from London for nearly two weeks.
Satisfied that she no longer needed to worry about her guardian discovering her presence, Eve settled back and sipped the hot liquid and tried to set aside her disappointment.
It wasn’t safe to see Kilsyth again. Her heart hadn’t fully mended, and it might never mend, but she had longed to see him, in the darkest hours of the night. She wondered, and even hoped, that he was here to find her. In the morning light, she dismissed the absurd notions, tried to push them from her mind and went about her day. But, in moments like this when she had peace, Eve allowed herself to wonder what might have been.
Except, she already knew the answer. She might love him, despite how much he irritated her, but Kilsyth would never love her and was probably happy to be free of the ward who had been thrust upon him without warning.
“Claudia, what brings you by?” Cait exclaimed in the entry.
“I need to be around females.” Lady Norbright answered.
Cait may address the countess by her first name, but Eve could never be so bold, especially when they didn’t really know one another.
“Are Lord Norbrights’ friends still visiting?” Cait asked out of curiosity.
“Yes and I doubt that they’ll leave anytime soon.”
Eve stilled and sat forward. Kilsyth was still at Harrington Manor? Why?
“I was just about to enjoy some tea with my sister and I’m certain Mrs. Wiggons and Bernadette will be along shortly. Please join us.”
Bernadette was Miss Hamilton to the students and had begun teaching history at the same time that Cait had taken a position at the school to teach literature.
“Thank you. It will be a relief to be around women for a change, instead of cranky gentlemen.”
Cait laughed as they entered the sitting room.
“Lady Norbright, it is good to see you again,” Eve greeted.
&n
bsp; “Oh, please call me Claudia.” She glanced around. “When I am here, that is what I am to my friends.”
Except they weren’t friends and were unlikely to become so, Eve thought but didn’t voice.
Mrs. Wiggons and Bernadette glided in a moment later and a maid followed with a fresh tea service and placed it on the small table before the settee.
“Am I to understand the gentlemen who arrived a few weeks ago are still visiting?” Mrs. Wiggon’s questioned as she poured tea.
“I expect they will be visiting for some weeks,” Claudia answered. “Three of them are still recovering from their injuries.”
“How badly were they injured?” Eve asked.
“Ashford suffered a terrible head wound, and the doctor has informed him that he must stay put until he can survive a sennight without headaches or dizziness.”
“Oh, dear,” Cait muttered as a bit of color left her cheeks.
Eve knew that Cait had met Ashford this past Christmas and had developed a liking for him, though her sister had set her feelings aside. After all, Cait came from the same modest background as Eve, whereas Ashford was the second son of an earl.
“Keegan’s leg was fractured in the accident and he won’t be able to travel until it has healed a bit more.”
“What of the other two?” Cait asked. “Have they recovered?”
Claudia glanced at Eve before she answered. “Captain Pickmore suffered bruised and broken ribs and as long as he doesn’t overexert, or laugh, he’s recovering quite well.”
Pickmore? Eve had no idea the captain was at Harrington Manor. Then again, should she be surprised, as he and Kilsyth had been spending their days in each other’s company?
“At least Kilsyth recovered from his injuries rather quickly. His shoulder bothered him and he had a few bruises, but he was up and about, and pacing, long before the other three pulled themselves from their chambers.”
At that, Eve relaxed. She’d known he was the only one to exit the carriages on his own and had assumed that he hadn’t suffered nearly as badly as the others. Still, it was a relief to know that he’d recovered.
