Page 11 of Adeline

The lightning struck once more, followed by a loud burst of thunder. The vast area surrounding Faversham Abbey was lit only for a second, but it was enough to see the towering structure in the far distance.

“What is that?” Adeline glanced over her shoulder to see the housekeeper had paused in her inspection of the room. She turned to look out the window over Adeline’s shoulder. “That building in the distance—“

“That be Home Works, the gunpowder plant outside Faversham.”

“It is a large building.”

“Yes, well, this be the country, but we still be need’n ta put food in our bellies, not that the townsfolk be admit’n ta the kindness Ailesbury be do’n for them.”

“Does Lord Ailesbury—“

Mrs. Hutchins turned toward the door, her words cutting off Adeline’s question. “Now, ye should eat afore Cook’s meal be cold as ice.”

“Certainly.” Adeline moved from the windows, and Mrs. Hutchins hurried over and untied the cord holding the drapes open. They fell into place over the windows, blocking out the sight of the storm, if not the sound of the wind and rain and thunder. “Thank you again for the dry room and meal.”

“I be let’n the staff know ye appreciation, Miss Adeline. Do enjoy ye night. If ye need anythin’, just pull the cord by the door. Meself or Emily will come.”

And as quickly as she’d shown Adeline to the room, Mrs. Hutchins was gone, closing the door in her wake.

Adeline realized except for Miss Emmeline’s School, her family’s country estate, and her London townhouse, she’d never slept anywhere else—especially a place as quiet as Faversham Abbey. Not a sound could be heard as Adeline sat on the lounge and looked around the room. Perhaps she should have requested Poppy remain with her. The room was large, bigger than any at her family’s home, and there was plenty of space. The bed was vast enough to sleep Adeline and all her sisters.

When had Adeline ever known the luxury of her own room? Those first few months at Miss Emmeline’s School had been the one and only time—until Georgie, then Josie, and finally Theo joined her. Miss Emmeline had been correct: Adeline was not suited for loneliness and solitude, but this was only one night. On the morrow, her carriage would be repaired, and she’d be on her way back to London, and the never-ending noise of her family home.

Her time at Faversham Abbey likely forgotten.

Chapter 4

Jasper and his servants, with Miss Adeline’s driver in tow, worked to push straw and mud against the edge of the stables to stop it from flooding. He would sacrifice a large portion of hay to feed his livestock if it meant the grain and oats were saved from mold and infestation.

“M’lord,” Watson, the Ailesbury stable master, shouted when the winds blew the doors wide once more and thunder threatened from above. “All is as it can be with the added horses. Find ye bed.”

“I will secure the latches in the tack room and return to the house,” Jasper called.

The frown Watson turned on him signaled the man knew Jasper was stalling.

Which he most certainly was. The woman needed to be securely in her room for the night—without risk of him entering the house to find her wandering the halls. He would have to speak with her, which was not the largest problem facing Jasper…he’d need remove his hood, or appear rather odd for wearing his cloak indoors. He hadn’t had need to hide his appearance within his own home in many years; however, the mere thought of exposing himself to the woman made him shiver with fear.

Why had he brought her here in the first place? She was stunningly beautiful—with her honey-colored, light brown tresses and hazel eyes that shone green in the dim light of his carriage. He should have taken her directly to the merchant shop in town. Anderson and his kind wife would have offered the woman and her servants shelter from the storm, leaving Jasper to return home.

He ran his hand along the jamb between the window and the shutter in the back of the room that housed all the Ailesbury horse equipment: saddles, reins, bridles, blankets. The space was secure, no rain penetrating the wooden exterior.

Jasper had no choice but to seek his chambers, and allow the stable servants to find their own slumber.

It had been a long time, since before his uncle’s death, that Faversham Abbey had entertained guests, yet his servants kept the entire house so clean and polished one would think a ball were scheduled for that very night. True, his solicitor made the journey from London twice a year, but it had been nearly five months since the man visited to go over the ledgers and accountings for all of Jasper’s properties and business ventures. His man of business did not count as a true guest, not like Miss Adeline Price.

Blast it all, but he’d had to ask the woman’s driver for her name. His manners were obviously a bit rusty from disuse, but then again, he never had the occasion to socialize beyond his time with his servants and the workers at his plant.

“Sleep well,” Jasper called to the stable hands milling about the small fire in the stables’ common room before he inched the door open and stepped into the storm. Thankfully, the woman’s driver was nowhere in sight and did not witness Jasper raising his hood to cover his scars.

He glanced up at the house as he hurried through the rain. A light shone from above on the second story.

Something hit him at once…they’d settled Adeline in Jasper’s mother’s private quarters—the room directly next to his.

He stumbled to a halt as he stared at the window above, the drapes having been closed for the night. Yet, he could still see light around the edges.

As if his gaze commanded it, a hand slipped between the heavy layers of fabric and pulled one side back.

…and there she stood. Her hair fell around her shoulders, but he could not see her expression from the great distance.