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Authors: Jillian Chantal
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of your old Eton boys? Are they married? Do they have wives who could sponsor us? Anyone would be better than Aunt Catherine.” Saffron stopped in front of Basil and pointed at Jonquil. “Do you see her? Can you really be considering this when you see that face?”
Basil studied his younger sister’s countenance. Her face was pale, and she didn’t seem to be focused on anything.
Frightened by Jonquil’s appearance, Basil did the only thing he could do.
“All right. I’ll give you one week to try to find someone suitable, and I’ll contact some of father’s old friends, as well as Roger’s and mine from Eton. I can’t make any promises that I’ll acquiesce to any of your suggestions, but I’m willing to consider them.”
Saffron hugged him, but Jonquil remained still.
Chapter 6
Amelia dressed with care for what she hoped was a permanent change in her life. The pale blue gown she chose was her newest one. It didn’t matter to Amelia that it was another one Jane had cast aside when she gained weight. She checked her reticule to be sure her prized possession was intact on its ribbon, placed her handkerchief inside, and left her quarters.
From the top of the stairs, Amelia could see Susan, dressed in her own best frock which put Amelia’s to shame, pacing in the area near the front door. Amelia would have laughed at the scene in front of her if she hadn’t had so many years of practice not showing her emotions lest she be punished for them.
The butler was moving back and forth almost in unison with Susan. It was as if he couldn’t decide whether to open the door for her or not. Amelia was sure he’d already been chastised by her cousin for being in her way.
The butler wasn’t a bad person; in fact, he’d always been kind to Amelia, and she felt sorry for him. Susan didn’t give much respect to the staff, and if Amelia knew her cousin, the poor man had been given no quarter that morning.
When Susan turned to walk the other direction, she espied Amelia at the top of the stairs. “Hurry and come down! The carriage is waiting.”
Amelia took a deep breath and walked down to the foyer.
“I haven’t broken my fast, and I need to have something to eat before we set out. We’re much too early to leave now,” Amelia said.
“We should be on time or early the first day. Don’t you want to make a good impression?” Susan’s face darkened like a storm-filled sky over the moors. “Wait, you want to arrive late, don’t you? It’s a way for the duke to have a reason not to use your help. You don’t want him to be around us because you know it’s only a matter of time before he falls in love with me.”
“I promise you, that is the furthest thing from my mind. I actually want to help those two young ladies.” Amelia made her way down the corridor to the breakfast room, followed closely by her cousin.
“I don’t know why. They were rude to me.”
Deciding she wouldn’t remind Susan about her own behavior toward the duke and his sisters, Amelia served herself from the buffet. She tried to eat her meal while Susan tapped her fingers on the tabletop as if to rush her along.
Taking perverse joy in eating slowly, Amelia finished her breakfast at a relaxed pace. She was nervous and wanted to arrive when the duke expected her, but irritating Susan in a calculated way was strangely satisfying.
Just when she figured Susan would lose her temper and perhaps strike her again, Amelia wiped her mouth and took a last swallow of her drink. She pushed her plate back. “Ready to go now.”
“It’s about time. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were eating slowly to make me mad, but I know you’re well aware of how that would be received. That makes me sure you weren’t being purposely offensive.” Susan led the way down the hall and back to the foyer where the butler stood as if he were afraid to leave his post.
Amelia glanced around. Where are Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Henry? It’s not like
Basil studied his younger sister’s countenance. Her face was pale, and she didn’t seem to be focused on anything.
Frightened by Jonquil’s appearance, Basil did the only thing he could do.
“All right. I’ll give you one week to try to find someone suitable, and I’ll contact some of father’s old friends, as well as Roger’s and mine from Eton. I can’t make any promises that I’ll acquiesce to any of your suggestions, but I’m willing to consider them.”
Saffron hugged him, but Jonquil remained still.
Chapter 6
Amelia dressed with care for what she hoped was a permanent change in her life. The pale blue gown she chose was her newest one. It didn’t matter to Amelia that it was another one Jane had cast aside when she gained weight. She checked her reticule to be sure her prized possession was intact on its ribbon, placed her handkerchief inside, and left her quarters.
From the top of the stairs, Amelia could see Susan, dressed in her own best frock which put Amelia’s to shame, pacing in the area near the front door. Amelia would have laughed at the scene in front of her if she hadn’t had so many years of practice not showing her emotions lest she be punished for them.
The butler was moving back and forth almost in unison with Susan. It was as if he couldn’t decide whether to open the door for her or not. Amelia was sure he’d already been chastised by her cousin for being in her way.
The butler wasn’t a bad person; in fact, he’d always been kind to Amelia, and she felt sorry for him. Susan didn’t give much respect to the staff, and if Amelia knew her cousin, the poor man had been given no quarter that morning.
When Susan turned to walk the other direction, she espied Amelia at the top of the stairs. “Hurry and come down! The carriage is waiting.”
Amelia took a deep breath and walked down to the foyer.
“I haven’t broken my fast, and I need to have something to eat before we set out. We’re much too early to leave now,” Amelia said.
“We should be on time or early the first day. Don’t you want to make a good impression?” Susan’s face darkened like a storm-filled sky over the moors. “Wait, you want to arrive late, don’t you? It’s a way for the duke to have a reason not to use your help. You don’t want him to be around us because you know it’s only a matter of time before he falls in love with me.”
“I promise you, that is the furthest thing from my mind. I actually want to help those two young ladies.” Amelia made her way down the corridor to the breakfast room, followed closely by her cousin.
“I don’t know why. They were rude to me.”
Deciding she wouldn’t remind Susan about her own behavior toward the duke and his sisters, Amelia served herself from the buffet. She tried to eat her meal while Susan tapped her fingers on the tabletop as if to rush her along.
Taking perverse joy in eating slowly, Amelia finished her breakfast at a relaxed pace. She was nervous and wanted to arrive when the duke expected her, but irritating Susan in a calculated way was strangely satisfying.
Just when she figured Susan would lose her temper and perhaps strike her again, Amelia wiped her mouth and took a last swallow of her drink. She pushed her plate back. “Ready to go now.”
“It’s about time. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were eating slowly to make me mad, but I know you’re well aware of how that would be received. That makes me sure you weren’t being purposely offensive.” Susan led the way down the hall and back to the foyer where the butler stood as if he were afraid to leave his post.
Amelia glanced around. Where are Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Henry? It’s not like
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