Chapter Nineteen
When they entered the ballroom, Greyson and Lady Rutherford spotted them. “Back to the gardens, I see,” Greyson said teasingly.
“It is a beautiful night and the stars are vibrant,” Samuel replied, which had Greyson chuckling.
“Clarice,” Letitia said, looking nervous. “I hate to ask this of you, but do you mind if we leave?”
Clarice touched Letitia’s hand. “Are you unwell?”
“Not at all. Greyson asked me to attend a luncheon tomorrow with him and his sisters, and I want to be well rested.”
“Then we shall go,” Clarice said. She dipped a curtsy. “Good night, Your Grace, Lord Greyson.”
Letitia did and said the same. Samuel and Greyson bowed, and the ladies exited the ballroom.
Samuel was puzzled by the abrupt departure of the ladies. “That was odd.”
“What was?” Greyson asked as his eyes still looked to where Clarice and Lady Rutherford exited the room.
“The ladies’ exit.”
“Not really. Lady Rutherford expressed her desire to leave quite some time ago. But you and Lady Chesterfield had disappeared.”
Samuel fought to prevent himself from blushing. Since when did he start blushing? “I apologize for monopolizing Lady Chesterfield’s time.”
He patted Samuel on the back. “No apology necessary. I understand.”
As he and Greyson moved along the outskirts of the ballroom to find their way to the game room, Samuel’s heart felt heavy inside his chest. He could use some time alone. “You go on without me. I’m going to check on my horses.”
“Very well,” Greyson said. “Good night, then.”
“Good night.” Before he left the house, he took a lantern from the entryway table, and then he walked to the small stable where he boarded not only Zeus and Clover, but Smokey as well.
When he approached the stable, all was quiet and as it should be, which quieted down his anxious heart.
The stable lad was asleep, curled up with a blanket on a pile of clean hay right outside the stall doors.
All three horses appeared at the small square openings at their doors, having recognized his footsteps and his approach.
Or perhaps it was his smell? Either way, they were greeting him.
Samuel hung the lantern on a hook for safety and reached into a bucket hanging on a wall with apples and carrots inside for just such a visit.
He took three carrots out of the bucket and made his way to open the top of each stall so they could poke their heads out.
He went to Smokey first, rubbed his head, and fed him his carrot.
“How are you, boy?” After a few more rubs, he moved on to Clover and repeated the same.
Then he went to Zeus, opened the lower stall door, and went inside.
He rubbed him down and checked him over from head to toe.
“You’ve got a big race coming up. Are you ready?
” he said softly to his prized thoroughbred.
His answer was Zeus blowing out from his nostrils and nodding his head up and down.
Samuel laughed. He exited the stall, closed the horses’ doors, and locked them.
With one last glance at the sleeping stable lad, he retrieved the lantern, stepped outside, letting the bright stars guide his way back to the main house, where he went directly to his bedchamber and went to sleep.
*
Once they were inside their carriage, Clarice asked, “What’s the real reason we left?”
“How well you know me. I suddenly got my courses when I visited the ladies’ retiring room. I was unprepared and had to hunt down a maid for help.”
“I hate when that happens.”
“Thank God nothing got on my dress. I’m not sure what I would’ve done then.” She looked at her inquisitively. “You were gone with Stanton a long time. Did you lose your way in the gardens? I didn’t think they were that big or had a maze to get lost in.”
Heat rose to her cheeks no matter how hard she tried to stop it. “I’m so sorry I disappeared. We were not in the gardens.”
One of Letitia’s well-shaped eyebrows lifted in silent question.
“I’m ashamed to admit we spent time alone in a private drawing room.”
“Don’t be ashamed. You deserve happiness. When you entered the ballroom, you were glowing.”
“Oh my, do you think anyone noticed?”
“No. Only Greyson and me.”
“Greyson?”
“Well, I’d be lying if I said he didn’t because he said something like, ‘Those two look relaxed and satisfied, don’t they?’”
“How will I ever look Greyson in the eye again?” Clarice moaned.
“I’m sure you will.” Letitia sighed. “Oh, to have been in your shoes tonight!”
“What?”
“Calm yourself,” she laughed. “Not with Stanton, but with Greyson. I miss it.”
“Your time will come soon, I just know it.” Clarice had a feeling about Letitia and Greyson and wished them the best. When the carriage pulled up to the Red Lion Inn, a footman opened the door and helped them as they exited the coach.
They entered the inn’s main entryway and made their way to their rooms. Clarice knocked on the door, and a sleepy Penny unlocked the door and opened it, rubbing her eyes. “My ladies.”
“Please take care of Letitia first, Penny. I will wait.”
“Thank you,” Letitia said.
Letitia never let on that she was uncomfortable on the ride home, but she kept hugging her stomach, so Clarice knew she was in pain. It was the kind thing to do to let her prepare for bed first. Especially since she was spending the day tomorrow with Greyson and his sisters.
It didn’t take long for Penny to enter her room, close the connecting door to Letitia’s room, and help Clarice get ready for bed.
When she climbed beneath the soft coverlet, she sighed and realized just how exhausted she was.
As she relived her night with Samuel, she fell asleep with a contented smile on her face, dreaming of a future with Samuel.
Sooner than she could have believed possible, it was morning again, and Penny was entering the room carrying her breakfast tray. It felt as though she’d just gone to bed.
“Good morning, my lady,” Penny said, putting the tray on the bedside table. “If you don’t need me for anything right away, I’ll help Lady Rutherford prepare for her outing today.”
“I’ll be fine. Go take care of Lady Rutherford.” Clarice’s day was free until afternoon tea when she and Samuel were meeting Lord and Lady Kendall. So she relaxed in bed, taking her time sipping her chocolate and nibbling her toast covered with cream and jam.
When Penny did return, she helped her prepare for her day.
Then Clarice left her room and, for lack of anything better to do, she explored the inn’s library, found a book of poetry on a shelf, and settled into a large wingback chair with a matching ottoman for her feet.
She asked Penny to have luncheon served there, since she didn’t want to go to the dining room and eat alone.
It seemed as though she had just settled down when a maid brought her a tray of food—a fried chicken leg, carrots, mashed potatoes, and a roll with sweet cream.
There was also a delightful slice of apple pie and tea.
Clarice could hardly eat it all, but she managed to eat quite a bit.
Feeling sleepy, she closed her eyes, and the next thing she knew, someone was shaking her shoulders and calling her name.
“Clarice, my love, wake up.”
“Hmmm. Samuel, is that you?”
“Yes, sleepyhead. Lord and Lady Kendall are in the salon waiting for us. Should I reschedule?”
“No, no. Give me a moment.” She stood and stretched to work out the stiffness from falling asleep sitting up. “I can’t believe I dozed.”
“You must’ve needed the rest. Are you ready?”
“Almost.” She smoothed out the skirt of her dark blue day dress, then patted her hair, hoping it still looked presentable.
Samuel kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful and perfect.”
“Perfect is really hard to achieve, and you keep telling me I look perfect.”
His face lit up with a wide smile that twinkled in his eyes. “To me, you will always be and look perfect.” He held out his hand. “Shall we?”
“We shall,” she said as she took his hand. They needed to go before she did something scandalous.
The inn’s large salon, where guests could mingle and enjoy tea, was just down the corridor.
It was a spacious, bright room, cheerfully decorated in yellow and blue, and they found Lord and Lady Kendall seated on the settee there, just as she and Letitia had sat yesterday afternoon.
After exchanging pleasantries, Samuel and Clarice sat in chairs facing the settee.
“I hope we didn’t disrupt your afternoon rest,” Lady Kendall said, looking concerned.
“No. I’m embarrassed to admit that I fell asleep in the library while reading.”
That brought a smile to Lady Kendall. “I do that sometimes, as well. Were you reading anything interesting?”
“A book of poetry. It was interesting until after luncheon when I fell asleep. Thank goodness no one but His Grace found me.”
“Yes, indeed,” Lady Kendall agreed. “Now tell me, my dear, how did you end up married to my dreadful brother?”
Clarice coughed, and shame and embarrassment swept over her. She didn’t know where to start, and luckily, Samuel explained the events, leaving out some of the more personal details that had led up to her wedding with Chesterfield.
“Your father and my brother both seem to lack respect for others. I’m truly sorry for what both of them put you through. Do you mind if I ask how my brother died?”
Clarice clasped her hands together on her lap and fought the urge to fidget. “Since you are family, I don’t see any reason not to share. He died in his mistress’s bed.”
“The blackguard,” Lord Kendall said.
Lady Kendall added, “Once again, I apologize for what he put you through. Also, please forgive me for not reaching out to you sooner. There is no excuse except to say I didn’t know what poison Chesterfield told you about me.
Had I known he never mentioned me, I would have visited shortly after finding out about his death. ”