Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I find I’m rather glad that it’s raining so much today.” Nia sat beside Eve on a sofa in the drawing room, their eyes on the windows. Artemis, Ellie, Gillian, and Daria were at a nearby table, laughing their way through a friendly game of whist. Lisette was elsewhere in the house with her aunt and uncle. The Pack was, no doubt, up to some mischief or other.
“Why is it you are so pleased with the wet weather?” Artemis asked.
“Because I haven’t the energy for an outing, but I would feel awful if everyone remained in the house on account of me. But I’d also be sad if I were left behind.”
Eve nodded. How well she understood that. She would not be with their friends for their future larks and adventures, and she was already mourning that. But she wouldn’t want them to not enjoy themselves simply because she wasn’t there.
“Will you have enough vigor to join in our games tonight?” Daria asked.
“I don’t know,” Nia said. “I was spent by the time I went to bed last night. I think it was a little too much exertion for me.”
Nia’s coloring wasn’t worrying. She’d assured Eve several times already that she wasn’t experiencing palpitations or lightheadedness. She was worn out, easily tired. But, Eve continually reassured herself, Nia’s heart didn’t seem to be affected.
“I suppose we will just have to hold tonight’s festivities at the foot of your bed,” Ellie declared. “There is nothing else to be done.”
They all laughed at that, teasing Nia and each other. Dr. Wilstead had said Nia needed to keep her spirits up. The Huntresses were miraculously good at that.
Since receiving Dr. Wilstead’s estimate of expenses, Eve had been spinning in her mind the question of how to find the money to see her sister well again. Lying in her bed early that morning, the answer had come as a sudden bolt of understanding.
Eve needed to find employment. While she certainly had the knowledge and ability to be a very good cook or baker, such a thing was not acceptable for the daughter of a gentleman. The only options truly open to her were governess and lady’s companion. She would be separated from her family, pulled from Society, and taken away from her friends regardless. She didn’t particularly wish to add the crushing isolation that governesses experienced to that list of losses. As a companion, she would have the company of the lady she worked for. And she wouldn’t be relegated to dark corners or the confines of the nursery when there were visitors, and she wouldn’t take all her meals alone. Being a companion was the better option, provided she could find a lady in need of a companion.
Deep-pitched, boisterous voices floated in from beyond the door. In near-perfect unison, all the Huntresses present said, “The Pack.” And a moment later, the gentlemen poured inside, laughing, shoving each other, and grinning.
Eve immediately found Duke. He looked content, which she hoped meant his parents and grandmother hadn’t rung a peal over his head for tossing them from the drawing room the night before. He had endured a lot from his parents and grandmother, but it was only after they had insulted her that he’d put a very public and vocal end to their behavior. She wanted to thank him, to tell her how touched she was, but he’d insisted on this distance between them. He likely wouldn’t welcome her narrowing it even for a well-deserved expression of gratitude.
“Nia.” Charlie eagerly led the gentlemen to the sofa. “Just who we were looking for.”
“You were looking for me?”
They all nodded eagerly. Tobias, Newton, Scott, and Toss all held out small plates, a different baked good on each.
“We’ve just been to the kitchen, where we shamelessly stole a variety of delicacies for you,” Charlie said, “and we have subsequently committed ourselves to extremely irresponsible wagers regarding which of the options you will declare your favorite.”
Wonderful, thoughtful gentlemen, every last one of them. Though they’d made a friendly game of their offering, Eve knew perfectly well they’d done this as a means of lifting Nia’s spirits.
“As I am not part of this wager,” Eve said, “I will step aside and let Nia ponder her answer without running the risk of unduly influencing her.” She rose and moved away from the sofa, allowing her sister to receive all the attention and kindness she deserved.
Eve hadn’t gone far at all when Duke separated from his friends and walked toward her. That was decidedly unexpected.
Eve very nearly held her breath.
“How is Nia today?” Duke asked quietly.
“Not any better. I don’t want to assume that means hers will be a severely prolonged illness, but I am worried about that. And I keep watching her for signs of heart distress, which terrifies me.” What was she doing? She was supposed to be carrying this by herself, not burdening him with her troubles.
But Duke didn’t look upset. “How are you holding up?”
“I have a lot I am attempting to sort out. But I think I am closer to doing so.”
From her place on the sofa, Nia declared that the gingerbread was her choice among the offerings the Pack had brought her.
Colm immediately turned to the rest of the gentlemen. “Just as I insisted, yet not one of you agreed. I will be making good on those wagers, my friends.”
With a theatrical sigh, Toss said, “We really should have given heed to the wisdom he has gained in his old age.”
“It isn’t a matter of age, young one,” Colm said very solemnly—a little too solemnly. “It is, rather, the benefit of a life strategy that I have honed over the years.”
“And what strategy is that?” Scott asked with a grin.
“Paying attention.” Colm took the plate from him, then turned to Nia and presented it with a flourish. “Your gingerbread, Miss Nia.”
The Pack laughed at Colm’s antics. Nia smiled and blushed a little. It did Eve’s heart good to see.
“I wanted to warn them that Nia likely has very high standards in baked treats,” Duke said quietly, “but I didn’t dare run the risk of tipping your hand.”
“I told the Huntresses about my... hobby. I hadn’t intended to, but I’d very recently lost my confidant.” She didn’t dare look at Duke, not trusting herself to keep her emotions in check. “I wanted so badly to be seen by someone.”
From the whist table, Artemis said, “I hope the Pack realizes we will absolutely abandon you to the ire of the Fairfield cook once your pilfering is discovered.”
“You would leave us to such a cruel fate, and after we’ve only recently escaped the clutches of Mme Dupuis?” Charlie was up to his usual theatrics. “Will you at least weep when you eulogize me and my tragic end at the hands of an offended chef?”
From the doorway came an unexpected answer. “Your wife might weep for you, but your brothers would mock your kitchen-related misfortunes.” Everyone spun about to find Charlie’s mother standing there, watching them all with a look of maternal fondness. The loving radiance she exuded was undimmed by the black she always wore.
“Mater!” Charlie rushed to her and pulled his mother into a hug.
Artemis was there an instant later. Scott moved only slightly less swiftly. Daria and Gillian joined in. Before long, everyone was surrounding the newly arrived dowager countess, whom all the Huntresses and the Pack called Mater, just as her sons did. Eve hung back, sitting once more beside Nia, who looked too tired to do anything but nibble at her gingerbread.
“This house party keeps growing larger and larger,” Eve said. “Christmas will be very merry indeed.”
Nia nodded, the movement slow and weary.
“Do you need to lie down?” Eve asked.
“Could I lie down here? I think I’m too tired to climb the stairs again.”
Eve saw her sister comfortably situated on the sofa with a warm throw spread over her. She was paler than she had been even a half hour earlier.
“Any palpitations?” Eve asked her quietly.
“No.” Nia closed her eyes.
Eve pressed her hand to Nia’s forehead. Nia was a little feverish.
Dr. Wilstead had said Nia’s fevers would ebb and flow for weeks or months. And if the fevers did reach her heart, they would need to begin treatments immediately. Eve couldn’t drag her feet. She needed to start looking for a position now.
She didn’t know many people, not of the generation most likely to hire a companion. Finding that elusive future employer would be difficult and take a great deal of time. But she didn’t have that luxury.
“You look worried,” Nia said softly, having opened her eyes a little once more.
Eve quickly produced a smile. “My thoughts were wandering, is all.”
“Could those thoughts wander to finding another blanket?”
Eve tucked the blanket Nia already had more firmly around her. “I’ll procure you an entire pile of blankets.”
“And more gingerbread?” Nia’s eyes were only half open.
Eve leaned close and lowered her voice. “Is it as good as my gingerbread?”
“No.”
“Good answer.” Eve rose and crossed to where Colm stood. She set a hand on his arm to get his attention. “Nia is asking for another blanket, but I don’t know where to find any.”
He looked over at Nia. “The room isn’t actually very cold.” He sounded as concerned as Eve felt. “Should I send for Dr. Wilstead? I don’t think he’s left Fairfield.”
“He did look in on her this morning,” Eve said. “But if he is still here, having him check on her again wouldn’t be a terrible thing.”
“What else can I do?” Colm asked.
“You sound like Duke.”
Colm shrugged. “He and I are the pride of the Seymour family.” There was a hint of a laugh in the declaration.
“As the pride of the Seymour family, perhaps you could pilfer a bit more gingerbread.”
He snapped a salute. “Miss Nia will have all the blankets, gingerbread, and medical attention she could possibly want.”
“Thank you.”
Colm set to action. Knowing she could trust him to do all he’d promised, Eve took a moment to think. Mater might know of someone looking for a companion; the Jonquils had connections all over the kingdom. The Greenberrys and Fortiers did as well. She could begin there to look for a position.
Though their hostess had been very gracious and hadn’t begrudged Nia the help she’d needed, Eve didn’t feel entirely comfortable asking for yet another favor. Neither did she know how much of her situation she could trust to Mrs. Greenberry’s discretion.
But Duke would know.
If she could phrase her question in a way that didn’t set his back up again, she might learn what she needed to move forward with confidence. It was entirely possible that she would mismanage the balance between speaking with a friend and burdening him with her troubles. And if she did, he might very well respond with that blunt directness that still caused an ache in her heart when she thought back on it.
But she would be asking only for a little information, not for any true assistance. Surely he wouldn’t object to that.
She turned toward him. In so doing, she discovered he was actually already looking at her.
She subtly motioned him over, and he immediately joined her a bit apart from all the others. She took a quick breath to solidify her determination and to brace herself should this not go well.
“I know I’m not meant to bother you with my worries and spill my thoughts in your ear”—she spoke quickly in the hope of getting past the barriers she anticipated—“and I really am working to sort my own difficulties. I truly am. I simply don’t know something that I need to know and that I think you do know, and I can’t find it out if I don’t ask you.”
Duke set a hand gently on her arm. “Eve, I didn’t—”
Daria walked past them in that exact moment, blankets in her arms, and said to Eve, “Colm had these brought for Nia with instructions to tell you when they arrived.”
The interruption was ever so brief, but it was enough to set Duke back a step, his expression and posture more reserved once more.
“What is it you need to know?” he asked.
Eve kept her courage up and pressed forward. “I have an idea for addressing my family’s situation, and my likelihood of success will increase if I have your aunt’s thoughts on a critical aspect of it.”
Duke looked tempted to ask for details, but he didn’t.
“I don’t know her well enough to be certain if she would be willing to help me. And I’m not certain if I can trust her enough to tell her anything about my circumstances.”
“My aunt Penelope will help you in every way she can. And she will keep confidential anything that you ask her to.”
A bit of hope returned to her heavy heart. “Truly?”
“You have my word, Eve.”
“Would you—” For a moment, she’d forgotten the situation. “Never mind.”
“Would I what ?”
She shook her head. “I’ve already overstepped myself. I’ll not ask more of you.”
“Please do.” There was something mournful in the request, and she ached to hear it.
“I was going to ask if you would be willing to be with me when I ask for your aunt’s help. You needn’t stay while I talk with her, but being there when I ask might be helpful.”
“Of course. Of course.” His posture straightened, and his gaze focused. “You need only tell me when you’d like to talk with her, and I will join you.”
It was a glimpse of the Duke she missed so acutely. He’d been entirely out of reach. She’d felt rejected and tossed aside. But she had a bit of him back, at least for a time. And she meant to cherish that while she had it.