“She knows your mother, doesn’t she?”
“All too well, I’m afraid.”
“Then I doubt she’ll find it very difficult to believe,” Hugh said grimly. “Now that I’ve seen what Lady Harcourt is really like, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”
The carriage rolled on.
Chapter 34
The sun was very low in the sky. Esther lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling and trying to imagine what would happen in the days to come.
No one had come to speak to her since that disastrous breakfast her first morning back home. She was sure that Caroline was being kept away—her sister wouldn’t have willfully neglected her. But she didn’t know what to think about her parents’ refusal to see her.
Amelia came regularly to bring food, but she never stayed. The first time she had come, Esther had tried to question her, to learn more about what was going on in the rest of the house. But Amelia’s eyes had filled with tears and she had turned away quickly.
Esther had understood. Amelia must have been warned not to speak with her.
She didn’t want to cost her lady’s maid her position in the household. From then on, when Amelia brought her food, Esther had thanked her and said nothing more.
It was agony, being cut off from the rest of the family like this. Even a lecture from her father would have been welcome. Even cruel words from her mother would have been better than this silence, this constant wondering.
It had been three days now. Three days since she had spoken to anyone.
Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
Esther turned, eyes wide. “Come in.”
The door opened slowly. It was her mother.
Her face was drawn. She looked as if she had been through something difficult and was having trouble letting go of the pain of it.
Esther did not feel sorry for her.
Whatever she’s going through, it can’t be as painful as what I’m dealing with.
But it was very like her mother to make everything about her.
“Esther,” her mother said quietly. “You’re to come downstairs now. There’s a guest for you.”
Esther didn’t look at her mother. She didn’t respond.
But she felt her heart begin to beat a little faster.
A guest?
Is it possible…could it possibly be Hugh?
She shouldn’t get her hopes up. She knew that. Hugh had made it clear that he was finished with her.
But who else could it be?
“Esther,” her mother said again, her voice sounding strangely like a plea.
Esther sat up stiffly and got to her feet.
She expected her mother to say something to her, to tell her to fix her hair or put on a nicer gown. But her mother said nothing. She just turned and led Esther out of the room, down the stairs, and into the sitting room.
Her father was sitting there with a gentleman his own age. Esther looked around the room, confused. Where was her guest?
