Page 76 of A Well-Trained Lady

Mrs. Brundage looked out the window. “Who is here?”

I leaned forward, glimpsing a lovely, but thankfully unfamiliar, traveling coach. “I’ve not seen the likes of it.”

Mrs. Brundage’s face lit. “I wonder if it is my cousin, Lady Leroy. She did write to say that she would be traveling to this part of the country soon and wished to call upon me. And it is as grand a carriage as I would think her to possess.” Mrs. Brundage’s hands lifted to her disheveled hair. “But what a day to choose for an unannounced visit.”

I leaned in close to adjust a few pins in her hair, the carriage rolling to a stop. “Thankfully you did not venture in as far as the rest of us. There.” I pulled back to ensure I’d done an adequate job. “You look beautiful.” And she did. Despite her wind-tossed hair and her sun-kissed cheeks, she looked lovely enough to welcome even the highest-bred relation.

She squeezed my hand in gratitude.

“And as for the three of us,” I said, looking between Ruth and Sarah, “we shall make straight for our rooms.”

They nodded in agreement as the carriage door swung open.

“Whose carriage is that?” Augustus asked, his voice brusque.

“I believe it is Lady Leroy’s.” Mrs. Brundage took hold of her son’s hand, allowing for his assistance as she made her way out.

Augustus fixed his attention on me as he aided both Sarah and Ruth in their descent.

“You needn’t look so worried.” I sent him a playful smile, accepting his hand. “It is not my family’s coach. Besides, I am not to be at Branbury for another week yet.”

His gaze flickered back to the carriage, though the concern on his brow lessened.

“Oh heavens, I really do wish Lady Leroy would have written beforehand.” Mrs. Brundage ran her hands down the skirts of her dress. “I suppose it shouldn’t matter, being that she is family, but I should have preferred a little time to prepare.” She looked to Ruth and Sarah. “Girls, follow Miss Godwin’s lead, and join me when you are readied.”

I watched Mrs. Brundage make her way up the stairs then turned to Augustus. “We’d best be on our way as well. It will be no easy feat to make ourselves presentable in a suitable amount of time.”

Augustus surveyed my golden strands hanging wildly about me. Gently he took hold of a curl, his fingers grazing my neck and arm as he let it move through his grasp. “I think you look beautiful exactly like this.”

I lifted onto my toes to place a quick kiss upon his cheek. “And that is one of the reasons I love you.”

Ruth and Sarah giggled at my side, and I quickly took hold of both of their hands, leading them forward. The front door sat ajar, and I pushed it open ever so slowly, ushering them in before me and waving them upstairs. I had just clicked the door shut behind me when a voice from the drawing room reached my ears.

My blood curdled.

Mother.

Chapter Eighteen

“Was she not with you?” Mother’s voice echoed through the entry hall, and I tried to convince my feet forward, but they would not move.

“Well, yes. But she desired to change first.” The desperation in Mrs. Brundage’s voice was apparent as both women stepped into the entry hall, their gazes settling on me.

The fury on Mother’s face nearly consumed me to ashes as she took in my disheveled appearance and loosely hanging hair.

“Mother.” My voice was weak, and my whole body instinctively went rigid, preparing myself for her wrath. It did not come.

Instead she released a heavy breath and forced her lips into a severe smile. “Arabella, dear.” Her voice was overly sweet, and I wondered that she cared to make a good impression on Mrs. Brundage. “We have come to retrieve you.”

Retrieve me? With whom—Papa? Before I could inquire after her meaning, Lord Thorton and his mother stepped out of the drawing room. The Dowager Countess’s curious expression transitioned to alarm when her eyes fell on me, but Lord Thorton appeared outright amused by my appearance.

My legs swayed beneath me, and I reached out a hand to take hold of the banister, ensuring I would not collapse to the ground and intensify my state of mortification. “Lady Thorton. Lord Thorton, what an unexpected surprise.”

“We apologize for that,” Lord Thorton said, “but when you did not arrive yesterday as expected, we arranged to come fetch you, to make certain nothing was wrong.” He hesitated, his gaze sliding to Mrs. Brundage. “Though we did not realize how far such a venture would take us at the time, having only intended to go as far as the Leavitt’s estate.”

I stood there dumbly, unable to form one coherent thought.

Certain this moment could not grow any more unbearable, the front door swung open and Augustus stepped through. The smile on his face faded when he caught sight of me. In an instant he was at my side, his hand on my waist. “Bella? What is it?”