Lord Dearborn's Destiny (19 page)

"Come in, Ellie, do!" exclaimed Juliet at once.

At the same time, the Countess sprang to her feet, saying, "You girls go right ahead and have your talk. I'd like to go down and have a peep at those roses. They are in the basins in the kitchen, I presume?" At Ellie's nod, she swept out of the room, two of the cats dancing in pursuit of her trailing scarves.

"I have been
dying
to talk to you all day!" cried Juliet as soon as her mother was gone. "Whatever happened last night?" Her mild brown eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Last... last night?" Ellie could feel her cheeks reddening and knew that Juliet noticed.

"After dinner, silly! You may thank me for Forrest's following you outside so quickly, for I made quite a point of relieving him at the pianoforte so that he could."

"Do you mean that everyone knew we were out there together?" Ellie's blush deepened to a mortified crimson.

"No, no! Of course not," Juliet quickly reassured her. "I don't believe anyone but Forrest and myself noticed
you
leaving, and he was quite sly about his own exit, I thought. But I can see by your face that
something
happened. You... you needn't tell me about it if you'd rather not, though."

Ellie could see the effort this last sentence cost her friend and almost laughed. It
would
be such a relief to pour her troubles into Juliet's sympathetic ear. Quickly and quietly, she related her talk with the Earl and the fact that he had kissed her, though she did not elaborate on her own— or his— response to that kiss.

"I realized at once how foolish I had been to allow it, and promised him that I would leave as soon as possible. That is why I need your help, Juliet," she concluded.

"Leave!" cried Juliet. "Forrest wants you to leave? I can scarcely credit that."

Ellie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "He... he never actually said so. It was my idea, and I fear I did not stay long enough to hear his reply. But you must see that it is the only way?" Her eyes pleaded for Juliet's understanding, but her friend was looking obstinate.

"I don't see any such thing," she replied. "It sounds to me as though you have made a most promising beginning. Surely, it would be sheerest folly for you to go away just as he is coming to his senses! "

"But what about Rosalind?" asked Ellie. "Aunt Mabel is quite counting on tomorrow night's ball doubling as her engagement party, and will doubtless make Rosie— and everyone else— miserable if it is not. I could never forgive myself if I were the cause of ruining her chances of a happy marriage with your brother."

Juliet thought for a moment. She recalled Sir George's sudden appearance in the gardens that morning, as she and Rosalind were leaving the maze. He and Miss Winston-Fitts had remained together after she went inside, both apparently eager to talk together. Juliet had no doubt that if that little romance were to develop, Mrs. Winston-Fitts would be quick to put the blame on Ellie, somehow. Perhaps it would be best if she were out of that dreadful woman's reach until Forrest was well and truly off her hook. Once Rosalind and Sir George reached an understanding— which Juliet refused to doubt that they would— Ellie could have no qualms about returning. She looked up.

"Where did you wish to go?" she asked.
 

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"She's done what?" Forrest exclaimed after nuncheon the next day, considerably startling Charm and Token, who were curled up on either side of him on the sofa. "Mother, how could you allow her to leave, without so much as a maid to accompany her? Did that odious aunt of hers send her away?"

He had suspected yesterday that Ellie was deliberately avoiding him, especially when she failed to appear at the dinner table, taking a tray in her room instead. When her "headache" persisted through nuncheon today, however, he decided to seek an explanation from his mother, fearing that Ellie might really be ill. The Countess, however, informed him with maddening complacency that Miss O'Day had left more than an hour ago for Warwickshire.

"No, I flatter myself that Mrs. Winston-Fitts is even yet ignorant of her niece's departure," Lady Dearborn answered her son. "That is what Ellie wished, or so Juliet told me. It was actually she who made the arrangements."

Juliet was little more forthcoming when Forrest questioned her a short time later. Ellie had wished to go home, she said, and preferred that no one know of it until she was gone.

"No one?" asked Forrest in mingled irritation and disappointment. "She apparently felt herself able to confide in you, at least. Can you not tell me what was troubling her?" He had hoped that he and Ellie had reached a degree of understanding the night before last, but that seemed not to be the case.

Juliet's voice was sympathetic. "She needed to borrow a carriage, or I don't believe she'd have told even me, Forrest. I had Mills drive her, so you needn't worry for her safety, at least."

Forrest restrained an urge to shake his sister. "But
why
did she go, Juliet? Was it... was it because of anything I did?"

Lady Glenhaven regarded him innocently. "Why, Forrest? Did you do something to her?"

"Confound it, Juliet!" the Earl exploded. "What the devil did Ellie tell you?"

"Surely you do not expect me to betray a confidence?" Juliet asked, her brown eyes still wide and guileless. Then, seeing the dangerous glint in Forrest's eyes, she relented. "Oh, very well. After... whatever occurred between you and she two nights past, Ellie feared that her presence here might jeopardize Miss Winston-Fitts's chances of snagging you, my so-eligible brother. She was understandably nervous about her aunt's reaction to any upsetting of her ambitious plans, and wished to be out of her way. And yours, as well, I believe." Juliet thought the tightening of her brother's lips at this explanation boded well for her hopes.

"Hang Mrs. Winston-Fitts's ambitions!" he exclaimed, much to his sister's delight. "I'd not offer for her empty-headed daughter even if Ellie were on the other side of the globe! I must go after her at once."
 

"You will do no such thing," said Lady Dearborn, entering Juliet's chamber at that moment. "Have you forgotten that you are to host a ball this evening?"
 

"Blast it! You can get on without me, can you not, Mother?"

"I fear not, Forrest," the Countess replied, not without sympathy. "Miss O'Day will be quite safe at her uncle's home for a day or two. Surely you will not leave me to face Mrs. Winston-Fitts alone when she discovers that her niece is gone?" Her look reminded him that he also had other obligations to resolve.

Forrest chafed at the delay, but realized that his mother was right. To all appearances, he was still Miss Winston-Fitts's suitor. He wondered irritably whether Sir George had lost his nerve since their promising conversation yesterday.

"She's likely to be more upset when she finds I have no intention of marrying her daughter," he finally said with a snort. "What with one and the other, we are like to have our hands full with her, I'll not deny. Very well, Mother. I'll stay for the ball, but I promise nothing beyond that."

He stalked out of the room, leaving his mother and sister to exchange satisfied glances.
 

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As the carriage approached the Winston-Fittses' neighbourhood, Ellie fought to control her tears. It would never do to appear at the door with her eyes red from weeping —Mrs. Flynn, the housekeeper, would be alarmed at once and ask dozens of questions.

Dabbing ineffectually at her eyes with the corner of her shawl, Ellie wondered, for the hundredth time since leaving Huntington Park, if she were doing the right thing. Yesterday, she had been so certain that this was her only course. She remembered her conversation with Rosalind last night, which had only served to strengthen her resolve to run away.

Shortly after dinner, Rosalind had come to her room to see if she were feeling better. To Ellie's surprise, her cousin had been flushed and rosy, her eyes sparkling brilliantly, with a happy smile playing about her mouth. Her own mouth had suddenly gone dry.

"You are in high spirits, Rosie," she said with false cheerfulness. She could think of only one thing that could account for her cousin's sudden happiness. Lord Dearborn must finally have made his offer! Ellie's heart contracted within her at the thought.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Rosalind fairly chirped. "In fact, I believe I must be the happiest woman alive!"

Ellie felt that she had suddenly turned to ice. "Why... why is that, Rosie?" she had forced herself to ask, only because it would seem odd if she did not.

"Oh, Ellie! I— but no, I mustn't tell you yet. I promised faithfully to say nothing to anyone, even you, before tomorrow night. Please, though, tell me you wish me happy! " Rosalind's eyes danced with some delicious secret.

Though all her dreams were dashed, Ellie managed to convey the appropriate wishes for Rosalind's future. Looking at her radiant cousin, she felt as plain as pudding by comparison. What foolish hopes she had nurtured!

That was when she had resolved once and for all to leave. If she stayed to attend the ball, she would somehow have to pretend pleasure at her cousin's betrothal announcement, no doubt intended as the
piece de resistance
of the evening. She would never manage it.

Now, though, miles away from the scene of her heartbreak, Ellie questioned her motives. On leaving, two hours ago, she had felt quite selfless, as though she were martyring herself for the sake of her cousin's happiness. But now she suspected that she was merely being cowardly —and perhaps foolish, too.

Rosalind, she was sure, could never love Forrest as she did, nor did she think he truly loved Rosalind, either. If that were the case, what chance for happiness did they really have? By leaving, rather than staying to fight for his love, was she condemning them both, as well as herself, to a lifetime of misery?

Just a few hours before, she had managed to convince herself that marriage to the Earl was still what she wanted for Rosalind, but suddenly she knew it wasn't so. She wanted Lord Dearborn —Forrest —for herself! It was shameful, she knew, but there it was. Only now, when he was lost to her forever, could she finally admit the truth to herself.

For a moment, Ellie considered asking the coachman to turn around, but after a brief internal struggle sat back with a sigh. No, what would happen would happen. If that kiss had meant so little to Forrest that he had gone ahead with his offer to Rosalind, then the best thing she could do would be to forget him. And if she were wrong, if he had
not
offered for her cousin, if he had begun to care for her instead, then maybe— just maybe —he would come after her, as Juliet had seemed so confident he would. Setting her chin firmly, Ellie took a deep breath as the Winston-Fitts house came into view.

Standing on the doorstep of her uncle's house a short time later, Ellie watched the Glenhaven carriage out of sight on its way back to Huntington Park and wished again that she were still inside it. But of course that was why she had told Mills to return with the carriage at once —to put just such temptation out of her reach. She had made her decision and must abide by it. Tossing her dark curls defiantly, she plied the knocker.

She had to rap twice more before Mrs. Flynn finally opened the door to stare at her in astonishment. "Why, Miss Ellie!" she cried. "However do you come to be here?" The housekeeper squinted near-sightedly past Ellie into the yard. "Where are the others?"

"I—I am here alone, Mrs. Flynn," Ellie answered. "My aunt and uncle, and Rosalind, are still visiting at Huntington Park, in Oxfordshire."

Mrs. Flynn clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "The missus sent you home, did she, miss? What sort of scrape have you got into this time?"

Ellie had spent some time during her journey trying to concoct an explanation for her return, but the housekeeper's instant assumption that she was here in disgrace seemed more plausible than any idea she had come up with. "Speaking my mind before thinking, as usual," she replied, trying to look properly ashamed. "I never seem to learn."

The woman peered beyond her again. "But how did you get here?" she asked, on finally determining that there was no vehicle to be seen.

"Oh, I sent the carriage back at once, as my aunt requested," said Ellie glibly, glad that she had not allowed Mills to wait, as he had wanted to. "They will need it for their own trip home, after all."

Mrs. Flynn let out her breath gustily. "Well, come on in, then, and I'll have Mary prepare some dinner for you. You must be fair famished. Oh, I almost forgot! A letter came for you just this morning. I thought to send it on tomorrow, but as you're here..." She handed Ellie an envelope from the hall table before picking up her valise and heading for the stairs at the back of the house. "Come on then, Miss Ellie," she said over her shoulder. "We might as well get you settled in before dinner."

Glancing about her old room while she and the housekeeper stowed her few belongings in wardrobe and dresser, she had the eerie feeling that she had never left at all, that the events of the past two months had been but a dream. London, Huntington Park, Juliet, the Countess, even Lord Dearborn himself seemed to fade in the face of the stark reality of her familiar tiny chamber with its worn and threadbare furnishings. But even if the room remained the same, she knew that
she
had changed enough to prevent her ever being content here again.

Ellie waited until Mrs. Flynn had gone back downstairs before breaking the seal on her letter. The seal was Lord Kerrigan's and she was relieved, on unfolding the cover sheet, to discover that the letter was indeed from her grandfather and not, as she had dreaded, from her uncle, Lord Clairmont. Also enclosed was another piece of paper, which proved to be a draft for fifty pounds. Reading quickly, Ellie learned that Lord Kerrigan was fully recovered from the malady which had limited his activities for more than two years and that he had only recently learned of her parents' death and her own distressed circumstances. It appeared that Lord Clairmont had kept it from him out of concern for his health, and he devoted several sentences to his irritation at such coddling. The letter concluded with an invitation for Ellie to join him at Kerribrooke, the enclosed draft to cover her travelling expenses.