Page 11 of Rescuing Lord Inglewood

“That would look like we had quietly gotten rid of her,” Hugh said, annoyance coloring his words. “You cannot take the household back to the country?”

“I had rather not,” Diana stated, her voice small after her husband’s more forceful question.

Why wasn’t Isaac here? Isaac would not dither about Esther’s reputation, or her coming and going. He would laugh at the issue, insist nothing was wrong, and they would go about life as normal. Isaac wouldn’t send her away.

Then again, he had needed to when he was the one who joined the army.

Esther pulled herself from her thoughts when she realized Silas was speaking again, sounding every inch the Earl of Inglewood.

“If Esther has a friend to go to in the country, I think that would be best. She can enjoy time elsewhere, I will have my business finished in a day or two, and Mrs. Aubrey can remain here to observe the situation among her set. We will keep in contact, of course, and when the gossips forget the whole thing, we will know of it.”

That sounded most decisive. Esther nodded, as though her agreement meant something.

Silas kept speaking, still in that commanding way. “I think I know the perfect place for her to go, too. The Everlys. Miss Fox knows the Misses Everlys quite well. They are part of the set we grew up with. I will write to them at once.”

Esther drew up, frowning at the crack in the door. Hope and Grace Everly were not her friends. They were Isaac’s and Silas’s friends. The two girls had followed the boys about everywhere, and kept up, and had been permitted to go where Esther was not. Oh, she didn’t necessarily think ill of them, but they were not the first people she thought of to spend time with.

The Everly family lived on an estate bordering the seat of Silas’s title, Inglewood.

“That will do quite well. Esther loves the sea.” Diana’s eagerness slipped through the door, touching on Esther’s pride in the worst sort of way. She had heard enough.

Esther withdrew, as quietly as she had come, and slipped out the door to the servants’ staircase again. She took the steps slowly, her slippers barely scuffing the wood. and found her way back to her bedroom. Her pounding head and roiling stomach gave her reason enough to wish for her bed. But hearing her life planned out for her—without her consent—left Esther still more exhausted than before.

She collapsed into her bed, pulling one of the pillows tightly into her arms.

Everyone either left her behind or sent her away. Her whole life had been an example of one or the other. She really ought to be used to it.

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and sunk into her pillow. No one would ever see her as more than a troublesome child to put aside, no matter how much she tried to prove the contrary.

Chapter Five

The hired coach rolled to a stop, much to Esther’s relief, before the home of the Everly family. It was a lovely house of relatively new construction, all gray stone and green shutters. The family called their home Everly Refuge.

Esther stared out the window, not bothering to move as her maid fussed about the dust on their skirts and whether they were fit to be seen by their hosts. “I am certain a few wrinkles are expected after two days of travel, Mary,” she said, trying to come out of her morose state.

The coachman opened the door while his partner dropped Esther’s luggage upon the ground. The double doors of the house opened at the same time, and two male servants hurried down the steps to gather her things. Mary started fussing again, but this time at the other servants, to be certain they handled Esther’s things appropriately.

“Esther Fox,” a bright voice shouted, bringing Esther’s attention to the door again. One of the Miss Everlys had appeared, though which took a moment to guess.

Hope and Grace Everly, the first-born children in their family, were twins as identical as two spots on a leopard. An expert might be able to tell them apart, but those not intimately familiar with the women had no hope of being certain who they spoke to without receiving hints. Given the exuberance of the greeting, and the manner in which the dark-haired woman flew down the steps, Esther guessed her identity.

“Hello, Hope.” Esther forced a smile. Though they were not close friends, she had grown up admiring both Everly sisters. To be on more equal footing with them now, as they were all far past schoolroom age and unmarried, might mean making a better relationship.

Hope reached out to take Esther’s hands in hers and made a show of looking Esther over. “There now, look how grown up you are. I believe the last time we saw each other you had just come out. That must have been three years ago.”

“Yes, it was. It is very good to see you again. I must thank your parents for extending an invitation to me.” It was the right thing to say, but Hope’s raised eyebrows indicated she knew the truth of the matter.

“Mother thought you might wish to freshen up before greeting the whole household. Come, let me show you to your room and you can rest until dinner.” Hope linked arms with Esther, and Esther just about pulled back in her surprise. Somehow, over the course of the last few years, she had surpassed Hope in height. As the twins were four years older than she, Esther had been used to looking up to meet their eyes.

No other family member appeared to speak to Esther, and Hope filled the quiet of the house with talk of all their plans for the coming week. Spring in the countryside had come at last and Hope intended to take full advantage of it.

“It has been abominably wet of late,” she said as they climbed the stairs from the ground floor to the first. “There are occasional afternoons full of sunshine. We must visit all the old haunts and picnic beneath every tree. I detest being indoors all winter. Spring is freedom itself.”

“I suppose I can see it that way,” Esther murmured, rather distracted by the thought. She had been sent away from London, a social exile, which made the idea of freedom immediately attractive to her.

Hope threw open a door with a flourish. “We have put you in the Yellow Room, though I think it ought to be called something more descriptive. I hope you find it suitable.”

Esther stepped inside, the cheery colors of the room surprising her. The walls were papered in yellow and green, the bedspread a fine yellow striped pattern. Cream-colored curtains hung in the windows, lifting when a breeze blew through the open window. Perhaps exile wouldn’t be too difficult to bear.