“My friend, Lady Lorelai. You do not remember, but she came to call on us when you were ill. I told her of our upcoming visit here and she told me she got to know Lord Rotham last London Season. They danced at Almack’s and bonded over a mutual dislike of the food there. Anyhow, she says they courted briefly but he then cut all contact, declaring himself not in love with her.”
“In love?” Sophia frowned. “What does it have to do with love? If it is a good match, would love not follow quite on its own?”
Ruth shrugged. All she knew of love was what she read in novels and heard from her few friends. Or from her father. But he had a rather unique view on the topic, having found love in a world where it was not considered necessary or of consequence.
“It is true, Lord Rotham is rather specific when it comes to the kind of woman he wishes to court. But that is exactly why we have been invited to come and stay for the summer. His Grace is sure that once his son gets the pleasure of your company, he will soften his stance.”
“I am sure a spark will be ignited between us Papa. I cannot imagine how it would not when…” Sophia suddenly slapped her hand in front of her mouth and stared at Ruth. It took her a moment to understand just why her sister was so alarmed but then she realized.
“Sophia…”
“I am so sorry. I can be so careless with my words. To speak of sparks and flames in front of you. I am so…”
Ruth sighed deeply. “It is a figure of speech and nothing more. The mention of fire and flames does not cause me nightmares - not anymore. Please, do not worry yourself.”
Ruth turned and looked out of the window. It seemed that no matter where she went or whom she spoke to, everyone was always careful with the words they chose. It was assumed that any mention of fire and sparks would cause her to dissolve into hysteria, but such was not the case. However, she did feel uneasy around a fire, that much was true. She did not care for fireplaces and declined to have her room heated, even in the deepest winter. She preferred to cover herself with a multitude of covers than have a fire. She also was not in the habit of keeping a candle lit in her chamber. Instead, she went to sleep when it grew dark and rose early with the first light. But these were things she kept to herself and did not share with others. Not even her own family.
As silence filled the carriage, Ruth looked out of the window and watched as the countryside passed them by and the house came ever closer. She tried to imagine herself spending the summer here, but she had no such luck.
How she wished she could go back home and hide away from the world. She already knew this visit would be another disaster. She could feel it in her bones.
Just then, as they turned to make the final approach toward the house something outside cracked and the carriage slowed and came to a halt.
“What now?” Her father grunted. She frowned as her father exited the carriage. She and Sophia exchanged a glance and followed him out.
“Horsefeathers!” Sophia stomped at the sight of the wheel which had run into a boulder. The wheel was cracked and was in danger of breaking entirely. It would not be safe to carry on traveling it in.
“We will send a rider ahead to the manor and ask for a replacement carriage to carry us the rest of the way.” Her father announced.
Sophia groaned and returned to the carriage in order to wait. Ruth, meanwhile, could not help but be relieved at this respite, short as it might be.
For she knew in her bones already, that once they exited the vehicle outside the manor and met the family, nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter 4
Kenneth groaned as he joined his mother’s side. A man was exiting a carriage parked outside of the house. The very sight of him explained his mother’s outburst.
“Now, of all times, he comes to call on us. I haven’t the time. They will be here any moment.” She moaned at the sight of her nephew, Lord Lawrence Cragshade, son of her husband’s late brother. Lord Cragshade was the next in line after Kenneth to inherit the Dukedom. Should Kenneth die without an heir, Lawrence would become Duke and he and his heirs would carry on the line. As such, he took it upon himself to frequently call on the family when passing to visit his country estate, Hawthorn Hall.
“He has impeccable timing, as always”, Kenneth muttered under his breath. He and his mother locked eyes, each as horrified at the unexpected and unwelcome visitor as the other.
While Kenneth and his mother did not agree on much, neither of them had any partiality toward the young man. Kenneth found him too prideful and boastful, while his mother did not care for him solely because he was the heir presumptive. However, due to this position, she had no choice but to be polite to him, for if he was to inherit through some stroke of misfortune, she’d be dependent upon him and his goodwill. Kenneth did not envy his mother’s position.
Just then, his cousin climbed the steps to the manor and announced himself to the butler, who opened the door a moment later. Clearing his throat, the butler announced their visitor.
“Lord Lawrence Cragshade, Your Grace.”
His cousin, a tall lanky fellow with shaggy blond hair that reached down to his narrow shoulders brushed past the butler and approached the Duchess. Bowing in a rather haphazard manner he grinned at her, exposing a row of yellowing teeth.
“Aunt Judith, what a pleasure. And Kenneth. I hope I have not called at an inopportune time. Are you expecting a visitor? I thought I saw a carriage making its way up the road.”
Kenneth could feel his mother bristle at being called Aunt Judith. She despised the breaking of proper etiquette, but his cousin did not care for such matters, except for when it came to his own title. He’d inherited the courtesy title ‘lord’ upon his father’s passing and made good use of it whenever he could.
Before they could answer his question, he looked around the hall.
“Where is my uncle?”
Kenneth knew well that if his father heard of his nephew’s arrival, he would have surely hidden by now as he did not care for the man any more than his wife and son did. His cousin’s need to endear himself to the Duke was a constant source of irritation for the family.
