Eleanor by Sydney Jane Baily

Author:Sydney Jane Baily [Baily, Sydney Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-29T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“TELL ME WHAT you saw,” Grayson ordered again, then he cracked a smile and found her ticklish area under her ribs, making her squirm.

Eleanor shrieked and truly couldn’t catch her breath. Eventually, she nodded, and he halted.

“I saw Mr. Stanley, just like you,” she told him.

“And?”

When she paused, he took hold of her again, preparing to tickle her mercilessly once more.

“He came from your mother’s doorway.”

“What?” He released her, frowned down at her, then glanced back out the window. “He’s nearly here! Quick, out of sight.”

Taking her hand, he half dragged her down the hallway to the deserted drawing room. Pulling her inside, he closed the door behind them.

“I wouldn’t want him to think he was being spied on.”

“Even if he was,” she pointed out.

“When you asked, what do you make of it? I know what you made of it. My mother and Mr. Stanley! Can it be?”

“They’ve both worked here a long time, and they are both without spouses. There’s nothing wrong with it,” she hesitated, “unless you do not approve.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” he asked.

“I don’t know. For me, it was simply surprising. He popped out of the doorway, and I reacted.”

“Should I ask her?”

Eleanor scrunched up her nose, imagining such a conversation between mother and son. “You might embarrass her.”

“True.” He paused. “All these years, I’ve never seen her courted by Mr. Stanley or even keep company with anyone. I suppose with them both living under the same roof….” He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“Perhaps that’s why your mother doesn’t wish to go to Turvey House and live with you there.”

“That would explain it. Do you really want coffee?”

“No. I am thinking if Mr. Stanley can venture out in this, why can’t we? Let us, at least, take a walk.”

He tilted his head and thought about her proposal.

“All right. Cloaks and Wellingtons are in order.”

The scampering of feet on the stairs alerted them to company. Asher’s head came around the open door a moment later.

“What are you doing?”

The poor lad had seemed deflated ever since Philip left.

“We are taking a walk in the rain. Would you like to come?” she asked him.

The boy’s face broke out in a smile, and even though she would lose the opportunity to be alone with Grayson and perhaps be kissed by him, it seemed she’d done a good deed.

“Shall we look for bugs?” he asked.

She grinned at Grayson, who nodded.

“Yes,” she said. “In fact, there is one in particular we hope to find. A gold one.”

*

AN HOUR AND a half later, Eleanor came indoors to a delicious hot breakfast of kippers and eggs, with toast and bacon. She ate heartily, noticing Grayson and Asher did the same. Something about a long country walk gave one an appetite, even if no rock or tree climbing was involved.

Instead, there had been plenty of looking at the underside of leaves and scrabbling around amongst wild roses, as well as discovering all manner of other wildflowers. Plenty of bugs had been collected in a jar Asher brought, but no gold beetle.

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