Mr. Lancaster shook his head. “I can’t permit that. The weather is still poor. You would be soaked to the bone. I would not wish you to grow ill.”
“My parents specifically instructed me to not allow the weather to be used as an excuse for remaining.”
“Miss Ellie,” Mr. Lancaster said, “I assure you I have never been one to be bullied into being anything less than a gentleman. I will write to your parents myself and tell them you are to remain until I feel the weather is fine enough for you to venture forth. They may question my decision if they wish, but I will not be moved.”
The tears fell from Ellie’s eyes in earnest. They might’ve been tears of worry or relief or exhaustion. Whatever their source, Newton’s heart broke to see them. He reached over and set his hand on hers, wrapping his fingers around hers. Hang proprieties. She was in distress, and he could not bear it.
Artemis rose to her feet with the regal bearing of her namesake goddess. “No, Linus. I mean to amend your letter. Let us, you and I, write to the Nappers and tell them our Ellie will not be returning today because I have invited her to be my particular guest. They may object to the dictates of the weather, but they would not dare to balk at me.” The fierceness of her expression and fierceness of her posture would have set even the royal family quaking in that moment.
Charlie, who was usually quite annoyed at her dramatics, silently applauded. The Huntresses nodded in firm agreement, tossing in words of encouragement and support. Ellie looked to Newton.
“This is your salvation, Ellie,” he said. “Seize it.”
Chapter Eleven
The next twenty-four hours wereoverwhelming. Ellie’s belongings were brought to the Lancaster home. The note she had received the previous day had called her judgment into question, insisted her welcome would be worn to a thread within moments of her arrival, and declared she couldn’t possibly know how to behave properly and, therefore, was most certainly embarrassing them all and making a fool of herself. It wasn’t anything Ellie hadn’t been told before, but to read those harsh words after having had such a pleasant and welcoming interval with Artemis, the Huntresses, Charlie, and, most especially, Newton had been too jarring for her equilibrium.
Then, just as she began to feel as though she had her feet under her again, Mother and Lillian called at the Lancasters’ house. Ellie had no illusions that the visit was a friendly one, given their last communication. The look on Lillian’s face only further convinced Ellie to brace herself for the worst.
Ellie sat on a chair across from her sister, providing Ellie an unobstructed view of Lillian’s hard, unyielding pout. It wasn’t petulant; it was something far closer to angry. Had they not been granted privacy for this visit, Lillian would have kept her expression far more neutral.
“This is most unusual, you know,” Mother whispered, eyeing the opulent room. “I am certain people in Society are wondering why you’ve left home.”
“I am here as the particular guest of Artemis Lancaster,” Ellie said. “That is far from a comedown. Indeed, it will reflect well on our family’s standing.”
“I was making adequate strides in that area,” Lillian insisted. “This scheme of yours is inexcusable.”
“It is not a scheme. I made no suggestion that I stay here, no request that I be taken in. Artemis insisted on it without my input whatsoever.”
Lillian’s mouth pulled tight. “And your audacity in calling someone of Miss Lancaster’s standing by her Christian name is shocking.”
“She asked me to.” Ellie’s jaw was tightening right along with her sister’s expression.
“I needn’t remind you,” Mother said, “that Lillian and your father and I are working diligently toward securing a match with Mr. Hughes. Do not ruin that.”
“I have spent time with Mr. Hughes—he is a close friend of the Lancasters and Mr. Jonquil—and I have not seen any indication that he is interested in Lillian.”
“Likely because you spend your time with him giggling instead of helping our cause,” Lillian said. “It’s unseemly, you know.”
“As unseemly as doggedly pursuing a disinterested gentleman?” Ellie asked under her breath.
Lillian’s expression somehow hardened further. “You have no understanding of the obstacles we face. Do not mock me fornotbeing as ignorant as you are.”
“I am not ignorant.”
“Then you are a fool.” Lillian looked away, her mouth set in a line of disapproval.
Mother was a bit more conciliatory. “Please, Ellie, do not make our situation worse. Yes, being Miss Lancaster’s particular guest is a welcome opportunity, but only if you do not misbehave and turn it into a disaster, as you do with so many things.”
She had been told often enough that she was a misbehaved embarrassment for her to know perfectly well her tendency to “turn opportunities into disasters.” For once, she would have liked to have received a compliment or a vote of confidence. She would have settled for a neutral comment.
“Do not make yourself a burden on this household,” Mother said. “Do not assume you are invited every time the Lancaster family attends a social event.”
Ellie nodded.
“And do not insist any of their maids see to your morning preparations at the expense of their own duties. The Lancasters do not employ them onyourbehalf.”
“I know.”
