Chapter 9 #2
Abruptly rising from the chair, Emma wanted to be finished with this futile conversation. She smoothed out her primrose gown with its rounded neckline.
“I’d better hurry if I want to arrive on time to break my fast,” she said.
“Yes, miss,” her lady’s maid replied with mirth in her voice.
As she headed down the hall towards the family’s dining room on the first level, Emma recognized that she would not be able to attend the rally today in Templeton Square without Simeon’s help.
She didn’t dare go by herself, and Luke would never grant her permission, even if she took along one hundred footmen.
She sighed. Perhaps she should just write an article about the meeting that she attended and hope that it would be good enough to be accepted by The Morning Post.
Stepping into the dining room, Emma greeted Luke and Rachel with a smile. “Good morning.”
Luke was sitting at the head of the table, and he lowered the paper when she walked in. “Good morning, Emma. Did you sleep well?”
“I did, thank you.”
Sitting on Luke’s right, Rachel smiled up at her. “How was visiting Eliza this morning?”
Luke groaned. “Did I not confine you to the estate?
“My apologies. Since Eliza’s townhouse is only a few blocks away, I assumed it was safe to visit,” she replied honestly. “As a precaution, I took four footmen along with me.”
“I suppose you can continue your morning visits to Eliza’s,” Luke said. “But next time, take six footmen along with you.”
“Understood.” Accepting a plate from a footman, Emma started filling it with food. “Cosette was there this morning. She sends her regards.”
“I will have to join you tomorrow,” Rachel said.
“You should,” she replied. “Cosette showed me how to sweep an attacker’s foot, causing them to fall, and how to escape a choke hold.”
Luke let out a groan. “What happened to needlework and reading Latin?” he asked, placing the folded paper on the table. “It’s much more feminine and civilized.”
Coming to sit down next to Rachel, Emma waited as a footman pulled out her chair for her. “Do not fret. I do those, as well,” she assured him.
The butler walked into the room with a tray filled with missives and extended them towards Rachel. “These came in the mail this morning, milady.”
Accepting the pile, Rachel placed them on the table next to her and reached for her letter opener. She opened the first missive and pursed her lips before she placed it down next to her.
“What is it?” Emma asked, glancing curiously at the discarded missive.
Rachel gave her a forced smile. “Nothing to concern yourself about,” she replied in a strained voice.
“You are a horrible liar,” Emma said. “May I see the note?”
Picking it up, Rachel shared, “Your invitation to Lord Baskett’s ball this evening has been rescinded.”
“What?” Emma asked, her mouth parting in shock. “Were you uninvited as well?”
Rachel shook her head. “No.”
“Oh,” she managed to say before she diverted her eyes to her lap and started blinking back her tears. Her actions had not only embarrassed the Beckett family, but now members of the ton were distancing themselves from her.
“Rachel,” Luke growled, reaching over and grabbing the note, “send a note that none of the Beckett family will be attending this evening.” He crumpled it up and tossed it over his shoulder. “Furthermore, let it be known that if anyone shuns Emma, then they will receive the cut direct from us.”
Emma’s eyes snapped back to her guardian. “No, I won’t let you do that. This is my fault, and mine alone.”
Luke placed his forearm on the table and leaned in. “I am the Marquess of Lansdowne, and one day, I will be the Duke of Remington. No one will dare defy me, Emma. We will find a way to restore your reputation, I promise.”
“You can’t give the whole ton the cut direct,” she insisted.
Rachel reached out and placed a hand over hers. “You’ll find that there are many families that are loyal to the Beckett family. Don’t worry, Emma.”
“How can I not?” she questioned.
“Lockhart wants you to fail,” Luke pressed. “He wants you to be an outcast of Society, to prove that he was right. But he’s wrong, and he always will be. You belong in this world, Emma.”
“Do I?” she asked, her voice rising. “I’m just your ward. I was not raised in this world.”
Rachel patted her hand. “You are part of our family; whether you were born into it or not, it doesn’t matter.”
A knock came at the door and the butler announced, “Lord Wentworth is here to call on Miss Pearson.” He turned his gaze towards her. “Are you available to receive him?”
Rachel and Luke’s eyes both landed on her, and Luke spoke first. “Wentworth is calling on you now?” His words were slow and deliberate.
Ignoring their curious expressions, she directed her comments to Munro. “Please inform Lord Wentworth that I am not receiving any callers at the moment.”
He nodded and excused himself from the room.
Rachel’s brow lifted. “You are refusing to see him?”
“I am,” she answered, picking up her fork. “He said some rather cruel things last time I saw him.”
“Yesterday? Did you speak to him after that awful proposal?” Rachel pressed.
Just before she took a bite of food, she muttered, “I did. Just for a moment in the hall.” She didn’t dare confess that she had seen Simeon the night before when she had snuck out of Caddington Manor and attended a meeting.
“Would you like me to secure you another guard, then?” Luke asked.
She shook her head. “Lord Wentworth may be cruel and unfeeling, but he is a proficient guard. I feel safe with him. However, I don’t want to spend any additional time with him.”
A knock came at the door before Munro walked back into the room. “Lord Wentworth refuses to leave. He says he needs to speak to Miss Pearson about an urgent matter.”
She was about to turn him away again when Luke spoke up. “This is ridiculous. Send him in,” he ordered with a wave of his hand.
“Yes, milord,” the butler said, departing from the room.
Luke furrowed his brow as he asked, “Is Wentworth attempting to court you?”
She shook her head adamantly, causing the curls framing her face to swish back and forth. “Heavens, no. He is my guard. There’s nothing more between us.”
“Good,” Luke admonished. “I would prefer you to marry someone greater than a viscount.”
Emma frowned. “You know I don’t care about titles.”
“As long as you don’t marry Wentworth, I will be hap…” His words trailed off as Simeon walked into the room holding a bouquet of flowers.
She turned to face Simeon, and immediately noticed the quality of his fine garments.
He was wearing a blue jacket, grey trousers, and a white waistcoat.
His brown hair was brushed forward, and it almost appeared as if he had a smile on his face…
almost. If she had to guess, she would assume he dressed up specifically to call on her.
Simeon stopped short of the door and bowed. “Miss Pearson, thank you for agreeing to see me.”
“I didn’t,” she informed him. “Luke did.”
“I see,” Simeon said before he acknowledged Luke and Rachel with a tip of his head. He brought his gaze back to hers. “May I have a moment of your time?”
Emma pressed her lips together. Part of her wanted to know why he was here, but she wasn’t in the mood to chat with him. Not yet, anyway.
“I am busy at the moment, Lord Wentworth,” she started, ignoring Rachel’s knowing gaze, “perhaps another time.”
Simeon moved quickly to stand next to her and extended her the flowers. “Just hear me out, please.”
Emma kept her face expressionless as she tilted her head to look at him but didn’t move to accept the flowers.
“I said some rather hurtful things to you, and I wanted to offer my deepest apologies,” he said. “I had no right to speak to you that way.”
Hearing his apology caused some of her anger to dissipate. “You were right, though. We aren’t friends.”
Grabbing the chair next to her, Simeon pulled it out and sat down. “I assure you that you don’t want to be friends with me. I have had a string of bad luck when it comes to friends.”
She smiled. “It couldn’t have been worse than my series of unfortunate incidents.”
“My last friend, who was also, coincidentally, my partner, was murdered while on assignment with me,” he shared solemnly.
“Oh, I am so sorry,” she murmured.
Emma heard Luke whisper to Rachel, “Wentworth won that argument.”
With a grateful look, Simeon once again extended her the flowers. “I was hoping we could go on that carriage ride we previously talked about.”
“Absolutely not!” Luke declared. “Emma is not allowed to leave this house for any reason.”
Rachel turned towards her husband. “Darling, I think it would be permissible for them to travel to Hyde Park, which is only a short distance away by carriage.”
“Fine. But only to Hyde Park and back,” Luke declared.
Simeon leaned closer to her. “If you say yes, I would be willing to be interviewed again.”
“How could I refuse, then?” she said, accepting the flowers.
“Good. Then I shall pick you up within the hour.”
They sat there, looking at each other, saying nothing. But Emma felt something shift between them.
“Pardon me, but I am late for a meeting.” Luke rose and kissed Rachel on the cheek. “You will stay and chaperone.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Rachel answered with a smile.
The moment that Luke walked out of the door, Rachel turned back towards them with a questioning brow. “What’s going on between you two?”
“Nothing,” Emma replied innocently.
Rachel let out a huff. “Do not patronize me, Emma. I know you snuck out of your room last night. Did you meet up with Wentworth?”
With a side glance at Simeon, Emma lowered her voice and shared, “We did meet up, but only so he could guard me while I went to a meeting for the Anti-Corn Law rebels.”
“For what purpose?” Rachel asked.
She clasped her hands in her lap. “For research on my next article for The Morning Post.”
“And the carriage ride today?” Rachel prodded.
Simeon cleared his throat. “I promised to escort Miss Pearson to a peaceful demonstration in Templeton Square.”
Rachel was silent for a long moment, and Emma could see the indecision cross her features.
“I would be a hypocrite if I attempted to stop you, but you must use caution. There are dangerous men afoot.” She glanced over her shoulder.
“I can’t keep this secret for long from Luke.
Go to the rally, return home unharmed, and write your article.
Then, no more of this sneaking out. Do we understand each other? ”
Emma let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Rachel.”
Turning her piercing gaze towards Simeon, Rachel said, “You will keep my Emma safe. Understood?”
“Yes, Lady Downshire,” Simeon replied in a firm tone.
Rachel’s eyes roamed her gown. “You can’t wear that to Templeton Square. You’ll stand out.”
“I’m borrowing Peggy’s drab gown again,” she informed her.
Giving her an exasperated look, Rachel stated, “No more climbing down walls. Change your clothes and walk out the main door. I will ensure that Luke is occupied.”
“Thank you,” Emma said.
“Your brother would not have been amused by your antics. That’s for sure,” Rachel remarked with a shake of her head.
“Oh no, he would have locked me up in my room if he even got wind of me sneaking out of my bedchamber,” she responded.
Rachel gave her a look of wry disapproval. “That thought may have crossed my mind, as well.”
“I’ll be safe,” she rushed to assure her. “What harm could possibly come to me at a peaceful demonstration?”
Simeon let out a chuckle. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Emma scowled at him. She wasn’t worried. The Anti-Corn Law rebels weren’t ruffians. They were planning a peaceful demonstration. Besides, she had full confidence that no harm would befall her with Simeon by her side.