Chapter 14 #3
“Sarah,” Eloise said warmly, taking her hands. “We went to Lady Vane’s house yesterday and were told we had just missed you. I came as soon as I could this morning. I had to see you.”
Sarah felt genuine delight rise in her chest. “Eloise. You look well.”
“I am well,” Eloise said, her eyes bright. “Very well.”
Clara tugged Henry’s sleeve. “Come on,” she whispered loudly. “We can show her the orchard.”
Henry nodded, already turning toward the path. Eloise gave them a fond glance.
Sarah smiled. “You can show her the orchard in a few minutes. Go on, both of you. We will join you shortly.”
Clara and Henry ran off, disappearing around the corner of the house. Their voices faded into the distance, leaving Sarah and Eloise standing together in the quiet entrance hall.
Eloise’s expression shifted, becoming more serious. “I have read your letters,” she said softly. “But I must tell you, I was shocked when Lady Vane told me that you and Clara had been removed from her estate and brought here.”
Sarah inhaled slowly. “I had no time to write a new letter. Everything happened quickly.”
“Tell me,” Eloise said. “All of it.”
“I will tell you everything as we walk to the orchard.”
Eloise gave a small nod, and they stepped out through the front door together, the light shifting as they moved from the entrance hall into the open air. The path stretched ahead, curving gently toward the orchard where Clara and Henry had gone.
“Lady Vane dismissed me,” Sarah began. “There had been rumors in her household. She believed my presence would cause difficulty.”
Eloise’s brows drew together. “Rumors? About you?”
Sarah felt heat rise in her cheeks as she nodded. “Yes.”
“What kind of rumors?” Eloise asked.
Sarah kept her eyes on the path toward the orchard. “Rumors about my interactions with the duke,” she said quietly.
Eloise exhaled, her disbelief clear. “I cannot imagine how anyone could think such a thing.”
Sarah looked down at her feet. “I tried to maintain my dignity. I thanked Lady Vane for the opportunity. But Clara and I had nowhere to go.”
“And the duke brought you here,” Eloise said.
“Yes.”
“Did he explain why?” Eloise asked, studying her closely.
“He said he did not want me to be left without a position,” Sarah replied. “He offered me employment as Henry’s governess.”
Eloise leaned back slightly, absorbing the words. “And you accepted.”
“I did,” Sarah said. “It was the only sensible choice.”
Eloise nodded slowly. “I am relieved you are safe. Truly relieved. But Sarah, living here will attract even more scrutiny if you are not careful.”
Sarah felt a faint tightening in her chest. “I know.”
“Servants notice everything,” Eloise continued. “They speak freely. They repeat what they see. And you are now living under the same roof as a man whose name already attracts talk.”
“The duke has treated me with complete respect. I do not believe that will change now that I am in his employ.”
“I believe you,” Eloise said gently. “But respect does not stop gossip. You must protect yourself and you must protect Clara. Your future depends on this position succeeding.”
“I will be careful,” Sarah said as they rounded the corner and entered the orchard.
Eloise reached over and squeezed her hand. “I know you will. But I needed to say it.”
Sarah nodded, grateful for her friend’s honesty, even though she was upset by the words. She had known the risks she was taking and had felt them acutely from the moment she stepped into the estate. But hearing them spoken aloud by someone she trusted made them more real.
Clara and Henry came running toward them the moment Sarah and Eloise stepped into the orchard. Clara’s curls bounced with each step, and Henry’s boots thudded lightly on the ground.
“Mama, look,” Clara called, breathless with excitement. “We want to show everything.”
Henry pointed toward the nearest row of trees.
The branches were heavy with early fruit, pale green and just beginning to blush at the edges.
Beyond them, the orchard opened into a wide stretch of grass dotted with wildflowers.
A low stone wall bordered one side, warmed by the sun, and a few bees drifted lazily among the blossoms.
Clara tugged Henry’s sleeve again. “Come on,” she urged, already leading him toward a cluster of trees where the shade gathered thickly.
Before Sarah or Eloise could follow, Henry stopped short and pointed toward a patch of tall grass near the wall. “Look there,” he said, his voice rising with excitement.
A pheasant stepped out from the grass, its feathers catching the light in deep browns and copper tones. It paused, tilting its head as if deciding whether the children were worth noticing.
Clara gasped. “Mama, look at it.”
The pheasant gave a quick, startled flutter and darted back into the grass. Clara and Henry ran after it, their laughter trailing behind them as they disappeared around a bend in the orchard path.
Eloise watched them with a soft expression. “Clara seems so happy here.”
“She is,” Sarah said.
“And you?” Eloise asked.
“I am cautious,” Sarah said, honestly. “But I think that yes, perhaps I can find happiness here.”