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Authors: Sara Ramsey
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delicious as I expect it to be.”
“I don’t have anything delicious to share, unfortunately. You will have to settle for tea.”
Prudence arched an eyebrow at Ellie’s evasion. “That’s not what I would have guessed after last night. Even Lady Salford remarked on how taken Lord Folkestone was with you. If he had accidentally strayed near the chairs where the dowagers and companions sat, they might have flayed him alive with their curiosity.”
Prudence was a companion to Madeleine’s aunt and Alex Staunton’s mother, the widowed Lady Salford. Lady Salford had taken Prudence in several months earlier, an arrangement that had freed Prudence from her overbearing, impoverished mother.
But for all that Prudence was grateful, Ellie saw the tightness around her mouth. A future as an older lady’s companion was not one that any woman with Prudence’s mind would embrace wholeheartedly, even if Lady Salford was easier than most. Ellie had planned to take Prudence with her to Europe for a few months…but Nick’s return had changed all that.
Ellie gestured the ladies into comfortable chairs by the fire. Prudence dismissed the servant and offered to pour. Lucia returned to the dressing room for Ellie’s carriage dress, but Ellie stayed standing. With all her shields in tatters after Nick’s arrival, she needed to feel like she had troops to command — even if those troops were friends who now viewed her as the finest bit of entertainment they’d had in ages.
As Prudence passed around their cups, Ellie considered how to phrase her request. If this were one of their normal meetings, they might have discussed Prudence’s new historical treatise or heard a dramatic reading from Madeleine’s latest play. Madeleine and Prudence had been friends for years, while Ellie had only joined their circle the previous summer. They had invited her to join their secret artistic club, the Muses of Mayfair, when they had discovered that she was a painter during Madeleine and Ferguson’s courtship. The only member missing was Madeleine’s cousin Amelia, the newly married Countess of Carnach, who had stayed in Scotland with her husband rather than attending Ellie’s house party.
But while Ellie usually guided them into talking about themselves instead of her, Lord Folkestone’s return was so momentous that none of them could forget it. Prudence started the inquisition. “I was concerned for your health when Folkestone dragged you from the ballroom last night. Is everything well?“
“I hope it’s well,” Madeleine added. “Thank goodness Ferguson and I retired early. If he had seen what Prue described to me, he might have murdered the man.”
“I don’t need my brother to protect me,” Ellie said.
Her tone was mild, but her feelings weren’t. Ferguson had been missing from her life for years. They were on much better terms now that he had returned from the exile their father had sent him to, but his newfound protectiveness occasionally rankled.
Madeleine smiled. “You know Ferguson. If he decides to protect someone, he will do it whether she wants to be protected or not.”
Ellie tried not to hate the dreamy look in Madeleine’s eyes. “Well, don’t let him decide to protect me. I already have a plan.”
Lucia came out of the dressing room with one of Ellie’s carriage dresses — a gorgeous grey that made her think of a Scottish sky in winter. Prudence’s eyes flickered from the dress to Ellie’s face. “Don’t say you’re leaving us?” she asked.
Ellie set aside her chocolate and removed her robe so that Lucia could help her into the dress. “That’s why I asked you to attend me so early this morning. I have pressing business in London that cannot wait, and I need someone to act as hostess and entertain the ladies until I return. The men can mostly take care of themselves, particularly if Lord Folkestone chooses to play the host…”
“Unlikely,” Prudence said, interrupting her. “Lady
“I don’t have anything delicious to share, unfortunately. You will have to settle for tea.”
Prudence arched an eyebrow at Ellie’s evasion. “That’s not what I would have guessed after last night. Even Lady Salford remarked on how taken Lord Folkestone was with you. If he had accidentally strayed near the chairs where the dowagers and companions sat, they might have flayed him alive with their curiosity.”
Prudence was a companion to Madeleine’s aunt and Alex Staunton’s mother, the widowed Lady Salford. Lady Salford had taken Prudence in several months earlier, an arrangement that had freed Prudence from her overbearing, impoverished mother.
But for all that Prudence was grateful, Ellie saw the tightness around her mouth. A future as an older lady’s companion was not one that any woman with Prudence’s mind would embrace wholeheartedly, even if Lady Salford was easier than most. Ellie had planned to take Prudence with her to Europe for a few months…but Nick’s return had changed all that.
Ellie gestured the ladies into comfortable chairs by the fire. Prudence dismissed the servant and offered to pour. Lucia returned to the dressing room for Ellie’s carriage dress, but Ellie stayed standing. With all her shields in tatters after Nick’s arrival, she needed to feel like she had troops to command — even if those troops were friends who now viewed her as the finest bit of entertainment they’d had in ages.
As Prudence passed around their cups, Ellie considered how to phrase her request. If this were one of their normal meetings, they might have discussed Prudence’s new historical treatise or heard a dramatic reading from Madeleine’s latest play. Madeleine and Prudence had been friends for years, while Ellie had only joined their circle the previous summer. They had invited her to join their secret artistic club, the Muses of Mayfair, when they had discovered that she was a painter during Madeleine and Ferguson’s courtship. The only member missing was Madeleine’s cousin Amelia, the newly married Countess of Carnach, who had stayed in Scotland with her husband rather than attending Ellie’s house party.
But while Ellie usually guided them into talking about themselves instead of her, Lord Folkestone’s return was so momentous that none of them could forget it. Prudence started the inquisition. “I was concerned for your health when Folkestone dragged you from the ballroom last night. Is everything well?“
“I hope it’s well,” Madeleine added. “Thank goodness Ferguson and I retired early. If he had seen what Prue described to me, he might have murdered the man.”
“I don’t need my brother to protect me,” Ellie said.
Her tone was mild, but her feelings weren’t. Ferguson had been missing from her life for years. They were on much better terms now that he had returned from the exile their father had sent him to, but his newfound protectiveness occasionally rankled.
Madeleine smiled. “You know Ferguson. If he decides to protect someone, he will do it whether she wants to be protected or not.”
Ellie tried not to hate the dreamy look in Madeleine’s eyes. “Well, don’t let him decide to protect me. I already have a plan.”
Lucia came out of the dressing room with one of Ellie’s carriage dresses — a gorgeous grey that made her think of a Scottish sky in winter. Prudence’s eyes flickered from the dress to Ellie’s face. “Don’t say you’re leaving us?” she asked.
Ellie set aside her chocolate and removed her robe so that Lucia could help her into the dress. “That’s why I asked you to attend me so early this morning. I have pressing business in London that cannot wait, and I need someone to act as hostess and entertain the ladies until I return. The men can mostly take care of themselves, particularly if Lord Folkestone chooses to play the host…”
“Unlikely,” Prudence said, interrupting her. “Lady
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