“No, Uncle. I’m sure that isn’t the case.” Her eyes drifted to the hall, willing anyone, Rolfe, Jacinda, Mrs. Henderson, even one of the carpenters, to please interrupt this dreadful conversation. She hadn’t meant to set Erasmus off and felt terrible for doing so.
“Oh, it is.” He shook his head sadly. “And well I know it. It got worse, and when Edmund married, he told me I must leave Greenbriar, and I agreed, under the circumstances. He said I was fragile, and I suppose I am.”
Theo gave his hand a gentle pat. “I’m sure that isn’t at all true.”
“I’ve been forgotten for so long, all because ofone minute.” The trembling left his voice.
“A minute?” Theo looked again at the doorway. It seemed she was doomed to hear more of Erasmus’s nonsensical ramblings.
“Edmund was only a minute older than I.” The bloodshot eyes filled with moisture as if he would start sobbing at any moment. “But for aminute, I would have been the marquess and my brother the twin everyone forgot. Do you know, Theodosia, what it is to feel forgotten? That’s the real reason I came back to Greenbriar, though it nearly killed me to cross that horrid stretch of ocean again. Ambrose thinks I came back for money, but it wasn’t that. I swear I was told my nephew had perished. The fairies told me.” His eyes pleaded with Theo for understanding. “And I wanted to console my brother and repair our estrangement.” He dabbed at his eyes. “But mostly, I didn’t want to die one day and have no one to mourn me. Forgotten. You understand, don’t you?”
“I do, Uncle Erasmus.” Her heart filled with pity for him because she did know what it was like to feel overlooked. Different. To be less dazzling than your siblings. What would it matter if she gave Erasmus an allowance? Haven probably wouldn’t care. And Erasmus deserved some kindness.
“You must come to me at the start of the week,” she said softly, taking his hand, “and I will provide you with an allowance for your comforts, Uncle. But in return, you must promise not to sell anything else in this house. Or there will be nothing. No allowance. No coin for drink. Do you understand?” What a sad creature he was. “Do not touch Jacinda’s books.”
“I promise. Thank you, Theodosia. I knew from the moment we met that you and I would get on. My dear niece.”
“Good day, Uncle.” Relief at his leaving filled her, and she instantly reprimanded herself for being so cruel.
He bowed and shuffled out the door, muttering under his breath. Or singing. Theo wasn’t sure.
When Rolfe came to check on her barely a quarter-hour later, Theo requested tea and some of Mrs. Dottie’s currant scones, a new favorite of hers.
Anything to ease her suddenly unsettled stomach.
23
Two cups of tea later, Theo brushed a crumb from her lips and decided to visit Jacinda in the library. She had the sudden urge to ensure her gentle sister-in-law was well and surrounded by her beloved books.
And not on the ladder.
While many of the more rare and expensive books had been sold long ago, there was still an extensive collection in the library, sitting in heaps around the half-empty shelves as if Haven’s father or Erasmus had gone through, book by book, and taken only what would fetch a price. Jacinda had taken it upon herself to catalogue the poor tomes left, an impossible task with no one to help her but Mr. Henderson. But now, Coates, one of the Averell footmen, had been enlisted to help her cause. Despite her limitations with the cane, Jacinda spent hours roaming about the large, two-story library, Coates following behind her.
Theo had grown very fond of Jacinda in the short time she’d been at Greenbriar. She was intelligent and well-read, unsurprising given her love of books. But she was also possessed of a dry wit, much like her brother. Just yesterday, when Theo had realized she’d left her spectacles upstairs, Jacinda had offered Theo her cane telling her to ‘swing it about’ to avoid running into anything.
Trying to keep the laughter out of her voice, Theo had reminded Jacinda she wasnotblind.
Jacinda deserved a proper education, perhaps a governess who could also be a lady’s companion. She needed to learn to dance decently, even with a limp. Yes, Jacinda was lame, but that didn’t mean she had to resign herself to a life spent sitting at balls instead of enjoying herself. A seamstress had already been summoned from Warwick to attend to Jacinda’s immediate clothing needs, but once Romy returned from Italy, Theo meant to ask her sister to design a completely new wardrobe for Haven’s sister.
Theo entered the library, relieved to see Coates on the ladder and not Jacinda.
“How are things going, Coates?” she asked.
The footman, a big lad whose brother worked the door at Elysium, turned and smiled. “Good afternoon, my lady. Lady Jacinda is just making her way through the books on animals and their husbands.”
“Animal husbandry, Coates,” Theo corrected him. Coates had grown up in London and likely thought roasts and plump chickens magically appeared at the butcher shop.
Jacinda came around the corner, cane thumping against the wooden floors. Theo had already ordered rugs for the library, but they wouldn’t arrive until next week. At least the floors were now scrubbed. “Hello, Theo. I was just about to come fetch you.”
“Busy in the library, I see. You know there are spiders and other despicable creatures about, don’t you? I wish you would wait until I can have it all properly scrubbed.” The army of cleaning women, armed with their rags and soap, hadn’t yet made it to the bookshelves, which first needed to be clear of books, something Jacinda refused to allow until she’d cataloged nearly everything.
Greenbriar’s new butler, Rolfe, appeared, a stack of dusty tomes in his arms. There was dirt on his coat and gloves. He bowed as much as was possible with his burden. “Lady Haven.”
“Rolfe would terrify any spider who had the audacity to bite me, wouldn’t you, Rolfe?” Jacinda smiled at the dour butler.
“Undoubtedly.” The deep baritone filled the room.
Very Pith-like. It was no wonder Theo had hired him on the spot. “I see you’ve been recruited to library duty as well, Rolfe.”
