Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
After resting for several hours and submitting to Lucy's continued medical supervision, I declared myself sufficiently recovered to make calls on the affected families. Both sisters immediately protested.
"Eliza, you nearly drowned yesterday," Georgiana said with exasperation. "Surely visiting can wait another day or two?"
"People are living in temporary quarters, possibly worried about their futures. They need to know their landlady cares about their welfare."
"Can't Mr. Brooks convey your concerns?" Victoria asked.
"Mr. Brooks is not the owner of this estate."
Armed with baskets of food from Mrs. Fletcher and small gifts for the children who had been displaced, I made my way to visit each affected family. The resilience and gratitude I encountered were both humbling and inspiring.
Mrs. Patterson, now housed in a cottage provided by Lord Avebury's estate, welcomed me with tears of gratitude.
"Thank you my dear. To think you came here in the middle of the storm to help us, and here you are again.
I think your aunt would be right proud of you.
And we are ever so grateful. To you and to Lord Avebury.
Never thought to see such kindness, ma'am. His lordship himself came, just as you are, to ensure we had everything needed—proper beds, warm clothes and food.” She nodded, her eyes filled with warmth.
“Wish there was more we could do in return.”
“Nothing needed. From what I hear, you are excellent tenants and help keep this estate on its feet.” My hand rested on her shoulder.
At the Henley cottage—or rather, the temporary quarters where Mr. Henley was staying—I found the elderly man in much better spirits than I had expected.
"Amazing thing," he told me, settling back in a comfortable chair that was certainly better than anything he'd owned previously.
"This morning, Lord Avebury himself came to inspect the repairs to my cottage.
Said it would be restored to better condition than before, with improved drainage and a new roof. "
"Did he?" At this point I wasn’t even surprised. But I was impressed.
"Aye, though he’s a lot like you. He didn't put on airs about it. Rolled up his sleeves and worked alongside the carpenters for near an hour, making sure they understood exactly what needed doing."
Each family had similar stories of Lord Avebury's personal involvement in their welfare, showing a caring nature, working side by side with them.
He had apparently visited every displaced household, overseen repair work with his own hands, and ensured that temporary accommodations exceeded rather than merely met basic needs.
And all before I could even get there. I smiled to myself.
By the time I returned to Wyndham Hall, my admiration for this neighboring lord had grown considerably, even as my confusion about Julian's absence had deepened. How could someone as caring as Julian seemed to be simply disappear when people needed support and reassurance?
That evening, as I sat in the study reviewing the day's visits, I found myself staring at the chair where Julian usually sat when we discussed estate matters.
I missed our conversations, missed his insights and quiet competence.
More than that, I missed the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't aware of his attention.
Julian. Even thinking his first name sent warmth through my chest. But what future could there be for such feelings?
He was my steward, a man whose living depended on my family's continued employment.
Any relationship beyond professional respect would be impossibly complicated, fraught with issues of power and propriety that made my sisters' concerns about social position seem trivial by comparison.
And yet, I couldn't deny what I had felt in his arms as he carried me to safety. The tenderness, the protectiveness, the sense of absolute rightness that had surrounded us despite the chaos and danger.
The next morning brought no sign of Julian, though Thomas reported that he was coordinating with various estate managers about sharing resources for reconstruction efforts.
"Very thorough gentleman, Mr. Brooks," Thomas said. "Seems to know exactly who to contact for every sort of assistance needed."
"Does he?" I murmured, wondering again at the extent of Julian's connections and influence.
By afternoon, I was debating whether to seek him out directly when Lavender Cottage's contingent arrived for an impromptu visit. Lady Joanna, Diana Fairfax, and Sophie Burtons descended upon Wyndham Hall with the sort of focused concern that suggested they had planned this intervention carefully.
"We came as soon as we heard about your accident," Lady Joanna said, embracing me with genuine warmth. "How are you truly feeling?"
"Much better, thank you. I visited the tenants, who had already been visited it seems. I checked on my own household and all are fine it seems. I am recovering nicely. I hardly know I hit my head. What is a woman to do, with nothing to do?” I laughed at myself. “Your visit is much needed.”
Diana smiled. "Only too well do I understand. We wanted to check on your emotional state as well as your physical recovery."
The tea service arrived and I began to pour. “I appreciate that, as I said, I think it will do me good.”
"Crisis situations can take a toll," Sophie said carefully. "Even when we don’t realize how the effects are lingering."
I considered her words. None of the widows had experienced a crises free life. They knew of what they spoke.
Lady Joanna lifted her tea cup carefully and eyed me over the rim. “And how fares your Mr. Brooks?”
I felt heat rise in my cheeks. "I'm not certain what you mean."
"We mean," Lady Joanna said gently, "that we've heard about Mr. Brooks's role in your rescue."
"Ah, yes, well, we were both a bit emotional about the whole thing, but I haven’t heard from him since."
"Might be for the best," Diana said meaningfully.
I thought of Rule Three: Don't fall in love again.
"Yes, I was thinking as much, though there was the tiniest moment when I considered, that is I wondered, what could be the harm in exploring certain directions? As a widow who cares little for society’s rules at this point in my life?
” I looked from one to the other. Their faces were carefully blank.
I wasn’t certain at all what they would say in response to my rather outlandish suggestion.
I felt bold, and a bit bare at even broaching the topic.
"We think," Mrs. Fairfax said kindly, "that you're a woman who feels deeply and has recently experienced something quite dramatic. It would be natural to develop strong feelings for someone who literally saved your life."
"But would such feelings be genuine, or merely a response to extraordinary circumstances?" Dianna shrugged and pressed her lips together.
I considered the question seriously. "I don't know," I admitted finally. "My feelings about Mr. Brooks have been... evolving for some time. The rescue certainly intensified them, but I don't think it created them."
The three women exchanged glances.
"And what do you intend to do about these feelings?" Lady Joanna asked.
"I don't know that either. The situation is complicated naturally."
"All romantic situations are complicated," Diana observed. "The question is whether the complications are surmountable or prohibitive."
"In this case, probably prohibitive. A relationship between an estate owner and her steward would create all sorts of difficulties." I said the words half hoping they would counter my thoughts. I wanted someone to tell me it would be all right, that it wouldn’t create a scandal, that any future children wouldn’t be affected.
"It would cause many a complication," Sophie agreed. "Though one wonders whether such considerations should override genuine affection."
"A fair point," Lady Joanna said. "Though perhaps the more immediate question is whether the affection is mutual."
"And that I definitely don't know. He's been conspicuously absent."
"Men often withdraw when their feelings become more intense than they're comfortable acknowledging," Diana said wisely. "Particularly men who are conscious of social boundaries."
"So you think his absence might indicate deeper feelings rather than lesser ones?"
"It's possible. Though the only way to know for certain would be to ask him directly." Sophie placed her tea cup back on its saucer.
The idea of such a conversation made my pulse quicken with anxiety.
"Perhaps," I said carefully, "it would be wiser to let the matter resolve naturally rather than forcing a confrontation that might prove awkward for everyone involved."
"Perhaps," Lady Joanna agreed. "Though sometimes natural resolution requires longer than one might prefer."
Before I could respond, Victoria appeared in the doorway with obvious excitement.
"Eliza, wonderful news! We've received an invitation to the assembly in Wells tomorrow evening. Apparently Lord Avebury plans to attend, which means you'll finally have the opportunity to meet him properly and thank him for his extraordinary generosity."
I felt my stomach flutter with anticipation. "Lord Avebury will be there?"
"According to Mrs. Aldridge, who brought the invitation. She says he rarely attends such gatherings, but the recent crisis has apparently convinced him that social obligations shouldn't be neglected."
"How interesting," Diana murmured, though something in her tone suggested she found it more than merely interesting.
"We'll need to select your gown immediately," Victoria continued. "First impressions with someone of his consequence are crucial."
As my sisters began planning my appearance for tomorrow's assembly, I found myself wondering whether meeting the famous Lord Avebury would help clarify my confused feelings about Julian—or complicate them even further.
"Are you looking forward to the assembly?" Sophie asked quietly as Victoria and Georgiana debated the merits of various evening gowns.
"I suppose I am," I said. "Though I'm not entirely certain why."
The three exchanged a look I could not interpret and then stood to excuse themselves.
As the afternoon wore on and plans for the assembly became increasingly elaborate, I couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow night would indeed prove significant—though whether for good or ill remained to be seen.