Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
C harles walked into the breakfast room and found Nora sitting alone.
“Good morning, Nora.” He said as he touched his sister’s shoulder. “How was your night.”
Nora ignored him as she speared a strawberry onto her fork.
Shrugging off his sister’s insolence as normal young girl behavior Charles sat at his seat and unfolded the napkin. As he sat, he looked to Samuels who was standing by the door, he looked a bit stiffer than usual.
“This smells delicious. Is Sarah awake yet?”
Silence.
Charles narrowed his eyes at his sister. He’s heard of the emotional turmoil young girls put their families through but he was not one to be ignored. His eyes glanced at Samuels who remained stock still by the door. His eyes stared outward, it was as if Charles hadn’t walked into the room.
Was the old man losing it?
“Samuels.” Charles called.
Samuels inhaled as he turned to face Charles.
“I’m sorry, Samuels, am I that exhausting that in order to look at me you must steal yourself?” Charles snipped.
“Perhaps it is your demeanor that is exhausting, Charles.” His sister’s words clipped whatever Samuels was going to say.
“Excuse me?” What room did he walk into that he was met with such contempt?
Nora leveled a look at him. “I heard how you treated Eli. Perhaps Sarah is just as disgusted with you as I am.” She quipped.
Charles rubbed his temples. “Nora. Do not concern yourself with the matters of adults. I’m sure you know how much scandal our brother causes and I’m tired of picking up the pieces.”
Nora scoffed. “Is Sarah one of those pieces?”
Blasted, his sister sounded just like Sarah. His fingers tightened around his fork. How many times was he to have this conversation?
“Sarah knew the arrangement we were entering into when we got married.” Charles paused. “Wait. How do you know about Sarah’s role between Eli and I?”
Nora cocked her head. “So you can punish the person who told me?” Nora laughed. “I don’t think so.” She pointed her fork at Charles. “You didn’t answer my question, was Sarah just a piece you needed to clean up?”
Charles sighed and leaned back in his chair. “No. And she knows that.”
Nora chuckled.
“What was that for?” Charles demanded.
“You’re not the best communicator. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sarah was in her room right now waiting for you to leave the breakfast room she she could to come down and not have to see you first thing in the morning.”
Charles’s heart thudded at the thought. Would she avoid him? Admittedly they did not part on the best of terms yesterday.
Suddenly, his breath caught in his throat. He forgot to speak with her yesterday about the merchant. He furrowed his brows. Surely she would understand that matters of the duchy are serious and need to be handled promptly. She couldn’t possibly hold that against him.
Charles glanced at the door. She was just late in waking up.
Yes, that had to be it.
“And poor Eli. He not only came here to talk with Sarah, but to see me. I haven’t seen him in ages and the first thing you do is run him off.” Nora whined bringing Charles’s focus back to her.
“It is for the best.” Charles offered.
“For who?” Nora countered.
“For the family!” Charles’s voice boomed across the table causing Nora to jump.
Awkward silence settled between them.
“He needs to learn there are consequences for his actions. How he treated Sarah is unforgivable and the die was cast the moment he left her standing at the alter. He’s a disgrace and therefore should be treated as such.”
Nora huffed. “I heard Sarah forgave him. Shouldn’t the person who was wronged have the final say if he is thrown out for his transgressions?”
Charles slammed down his fork. “I am the Duke. I say who is allowed in my home.” His eyes went back to the door and Samuels standing next to it.
Why did the bloody man look so awkward standing there? Did he always loom over them like that?
An itch started to climb up Charles’s spine. Something was wrong.
“And where in the dueces is Sarah?” He demanded.
Samuels lazily turned to Charles. He reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope.
He walked over to Charles and laid it on his plate.
Charles looked up to Samuels, confused. “What is this? Why am I just getting this now? For the love of God, man, I’ve been sitting here for awhile now, why wasn’t I given this the moment I walked in?”
Samuels said nothing but returned to his post at the door.
What the bloody hell is going on in this house?
Charles’s heart began to race. He couldn’t help the feeling like he was missing a monumental piece of the puzzle. It was as if everyone else was playing a game and he did not know the rules.
He looked at Nora who looked just as curious as he did.
Charles’s fingers shook as he opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. It smelled of Sarah and his heart began to tremble.
Her feminine cursive danced across the page but the words did not match their beauty.
His brows furrowed. He couldn’t be reading this right. He read over the words again.
…needed time and space.
Care for you deeply, but…
…spend this time with my sister.
Charles crumbled the paper in his hands.
“What… what does it say, Charles?” He could hear the tremor in Nora’s voice.
Charles looked up to Samuels, who was standing with his hands behind his back, knowing exactly what the letter said.
“Very well,” he said, after clearing his throat. “It seems Sarah has decided to spend some time with her sister, Eleanor.”
Nora gasped. “What did you do?”
Stunned, Charles looked up at her.
“She made life here bearable and you went and scared her off probably with your brutish behavior! Why are you like this?” She screamed as she ran from the table.
Charles stood just as Mrs. Bates walked in.
“Let me go after her, Your Grace. Sometimes young girls need a more womanly touch.”
Charles winced. He remembered Sarah saying a similar thing to him the night those boys harassed Nora, right before he shut her out.
The weight of the realization dragged Charles back down into his chair. He gestured to Mrs. Bates and she followed the girl.
“Did someone escort her?” Charles’s voice felt like sand in his throat.
“William, Your Grace.” Samuels offered.
Charles tilted his head and nodded. He felt different. Had it gotten colder in here? His eyes tracked to the window. The sun was shining through the window pane and it looked like a beautiful warm day outside.
So why was it dark and cold in the room?
Sunlight streaked across Sarah’s eyes causing her to wince. “It’s too bright in here. It’s hurting my eyes.” Her voice was muffled in the pillow.
“Try waking up before the sun even rises and then you can talk to me how brightness hurts.” Her sister’s voice chastised her.
Sarah grimaced. “Does that make sense? You can’t talk to me in riddles, I haven’t had sufficient rest.”
“And whose fault is that, traveling all hours of the night.” Eleanor said as she sat on the bed, taking the pillow that was covering Sarah’s face.
“I needed to get out, Eleanor. You wouldn’t understand.” She moaned.
Eleanor tsked. “My marriage may not have had the same beginning as yours but you’re a fool if your memory is that bad you can’t remember how well Derek and I got along in the beginning.”
Sarah groaned. “I know. You two practically hated each other.”
“Just about.” Eleanor smiled.
Sarah sat up and both sisters winced at the sunlight coming through the windows.
“I know why the sunlight is hurting my eyes, what’s wrong with you?” Sarah asked while she shielded her eyes from the blasted sun.
“My darling daughter decided last night was the perfect time to test her lungs and sang us a song all night.” Eleanor yawned.
Her niece. Sarah couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Her life was an absolute mess, but the silver lining was she was about to spend some much needed time with her beautiful niece.
It was just then Sarah looked at her sister. Sarah could count on her hand the number of times when Eleanor did not look put together. Everything seemed to suit Eleanor perfectly. Except for today.
“Oh Eleanor. You look horrible.” Sarah breathed.
Eleanor laughed. “Thank you, sister. I’m so glad we just so happen to live close enough to the Duke that you decided to bless us with your presence and not mother.”
Sarah flinched. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. I’m just not used to seeing you like…” she waved her hands around trying to put her thoughts to words.
“Like a mother?” Eleanor supplied.
Sarah smiled shyly.
Eleanor shrugged. “I must confess, after the first night with Angela I wrote to mother and apologized for all the trouble we had caused her while growing up.”
Sarah laughed. “I’m sure she was quite happy with that correspondence.”
“She absolutely was. I think that’s why she continues to send gifts for Angela. Not only is she her granddaughter, but the one person who made me realize how wonderful of a mother we have.” Eleanor said with a chuckle.
Sarah stretched and pushed the duvet off.
Eleanor stood to give her some space and walked to the bag Sarah had brought with her.
“Would you like me to send up a maid to help you?” Eleanor pulled out a few of the dresses Sarah brought and laid them out.
Sarah shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. I don’t want to be a bother.”
Eleanor furrowed her brows. “You’re always welcome here, however, I must ask, how much thought have you given this?”
Sarah plucked at her bottom lip.
“Are you staying here until the air clears? Or are you staying here until…” Eleanor let her words die, insinuating a more permanent solution.
Sarah shrugged. “I honestly don’t know, Eleanor.” Her lip began to tremble.
“Oh, Sarah. I’m sorry. It’s too fresh.” She waved her hands in front of her. “Never mind. Let’s not worry about that now. Let’s get you freshened up and we’ll have some breakfast. Once we get some food in you things won’t seem so bad.”
Just then a loud wail sounded from down the hall.
“Oh look,” Eleanor sighed. “I see my daughter is ready for her second act. And you’re awake, so you get to listen to it as well.”
Sarah giggled. “It’s the most beautiful concert I’ve ever heard.”
Eleanor paused in the doorway. “Just you wait, dear sister. We’ll see how you feel about her wails after a few days.” She winked. “Now, get dressed and I’ll meet you in the breakfast room.”
Sarah nodded as her sister closed the door behind her.
Sarah sat in the breakfast room waiting for her sister and Angela to come in. Their cook had made a buffet of eggs, biscuits, sausage, different breads and fruit. It was more than any one person could eat.
“Your Grace?” A voice called from the doorway.
William stood looking in, his hat in his hands.
“William! You’re still here!” Sarah was relieved. They arrived very late last night and she worried about him and the coachman driving back late into the night.
William nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. Their Graces were kind enough to let me and Cobbins stay the night due to the lateness of our arrival.”
“Have you eaten breakfast?” She gestured to the table of food in front of them.
William waved her off. “Of course, Your Grace. The staff here has taken good care of us.” He looked down at his feet before returning his gaze.
“I was just wondering, Your Grace, if, um, you’d be returning with us?” He sounded hopeful and it broke Sarah’s heart to be honest with him.
“I’m sorry, William, no. I’ll be here… for awhile.” Sarah’s heart sank at her own response. She already missed the staff at the estate but she could no longer live on the outside.
William shook his head sadly. “I understand, Your Grace. May I just say…” he paused to clear his throat. “I’ve enjoyed your presence in our home. I hope your stay here with your sister is enjoyable but that you’ll be home soon.”
Sarah bit the inside of her cheek. “Well, it would be lovely to have a home to return to, but first, it would need to feel like a home.”
William flinched, causing Sarah to sigh. She was taking it out on the wrong person.
“Please forgive me, William. You and the staff welcomed me into the home and were there for me when I most needed a friend. I can never repay your kindness. Thank you. Please tell Lizzie and Mrs. Bates that I miss them.”
William placed his hat on his head and nodded.
“And William? Please take care of yourself. And, court Miss Cordell appropriately. I hear she likes daisies.”
Her smile faded as William turned and left.
She watched the carriage leave from the window in the breakfast room. The further the carriage drove from the house, the heavy her heart felt. It took everything in her body to keep her seated while William was in here. She wanted nothing more than to put her pride aside and follow him back into the carriage.
However, she knew nothing would have changed and she needed to put her happiness first. Her romantic heart was breaking behind the wall of bricks it finished building last night.
It was time for her more mature, guarded heart to form and help her move onto the next phase in her life. If only she knew what that was.