Page 15 of Falling for a Footman

She breathed in deeply as if having just emerged from a room polluted with smoke and strode with brisk paces down the path, without a specific destination in mind. She simply needed to be rid of this restless energy that kept surging through her body. Freya seemed only too happy to oblige her and bounced ahead of her.

If this had been London, Charlotte could not have gone anywhere without a chaperone. At least she would have had to bring Miss Walker and one of the footmen. Her stomach somersaulted at the thought of James following her around London. It would have been pure torture to have him follow her every move; she still was not certain whether he found her ridiculous or not. Whatever he thought though, she needed a way to stop thinking about him but had no idea how. Her mother had merely mentioned that this magnetism could occur between two people, but not how you could make it go away if it was unwanted.

Charlotte’s mind kept turning the matter over as she walked for mile after mile without finding a solution. Finally, after four or five miles, her mind began to quiet down and the restlessness started leaving her body, being replaced by a delightful sense of calm as she would simply put one foot in front of the other and enjoy the landscape and the sunshine that filtered through the scattered clouds on the blue sky. Even Freya seemed to be tiring a bit from the walk. At least she was not bouncing up ahead constantly but walking with her head down examining practically every spot they passed by.

Her feet almost of their own accord made their way towards the abandoned farmhouse that was close to the edge of their garden. She would enter the garden from this direction and then head back to the dog run.

The farmhouse had deteriorated further since Charlotte had last been there. It had been one of her paternal grandfather’s final deeds to ask the tenants to move in order expand his garden in that direction. Neither he nor Charlotte’s father had however bothered to tear down the house. It was not for the house, that Charlotte liked the place, but for the garden. It had an almost magical quality to it with its overgrown patches that still held traces of having been nurtured by humans.

It was a small battle between nature and civilization, she supposed, and one that nature was rapidly winning. Still, it was diverting to find the few traces of humans. Like the cabbage that grew in the old vegetable garden, clearly sowing itself year after year. And the rosebush that was completely covering what had once been the entrance to the house. The bright red roses sent an overwhelmingly sweet and perfumed scent through the air and Charlotte inhaled deeply.

Lucy would sometimes come here to paint, and Charlotte would often accompany her, sitting with a book or needlepoint as she studied how Lucy slowly transformed the blank canvas into an exact copy of what was in front of her. Perhaps she should suggest to Lucy that they should make an outing here. They could invite their mother and Hester as well. The three-year old Hester with the muddy blonde hair, chubby cheeks, and strange violet eyes loved when she could have the full attention of both her mother and two older sisters.

Charlotte smiled to herself as she walked around the back of the house, taking in the view over a pasture. Yes, that would make for a lovely outing. They were rarely together just the females of the family. Even though Charlotte liked her brothers, they took a lot of their parents’ attention when the whole family were together, especially Archie and Gregory. Henry alternated between leading their mischief and feeling that he was too old to play with them.

Yes, she would suggest the outing when she next saw her mother and Lucy again this afternoon.

The silence of the garden was broken when she heard voices coming from the front of the house. She was startled to a stop, since she had believed herself to be alone, and could not help but listen intensely, eager to figure out who it was. She could not hear what was said though, but it was clear that it was two men talking. Not wanting to speak to anyone and ruin her peace of mind with having to exchange pleasantries with who was most likely two of her father’s tenants, she stayed behind the house until she heard their voices fade and their footsteps on what was left of the gravel in front of the house.

She slowly made her way around the house since this was the fastest way to reach the estate garden unless she wanted to backtrack. Which she did not. It felt highly unsatisfying to do so.

When she reached the road, she could not help but look in both directions to see who had met here. To the left she saw a man in black riding clothes on a black horse, riding away. In the other direction towards Great Farleigh Hall, she saw a man in the seafoam green, white, and silver Camborne livery. Above the collar of his jacket, she could just make out a whisk of brown hair.

Startled Charlotte stepped back into the garden, waiting a couple of minutes before proceeding in the same direction as the footman. All the while her mind was swirling with only one question: Why was James meeting with a strange rider so far from the estate?

The thought occupied her on the way back, but as she entered the house she was whirled into everyday life and forgot about it until dinner that evening when Lucy asked:

"Mama, did you find your pearl necklace?"

Her mother shook her head.

"No, it's most strange. Mrs. Higgins has had the maids look all over for it, but it’s simply gone."

"Do you think it was stolen?" Lucy asked.

Charlotte caught her parents exchanging a look that told her that they had clearly discussed the matter in private.

"Well, it is a possibility," Charlotte’s father allowed in a measured voice. "But there is nothing to worry about. I'm sure we will have the matter sorted in a very short while."

Charlotte nodded and happened to look at James, standing at the wall behind her father. She really did not mean to, it just happened, he was standing by the wall right behind her father after all, but when their eyes met for a brief moment and he then hastily looked away, she felt certain that James had something to do with the missing necklace.