A Question of Admiration by Anna Lockhart & Clara Willoughby

Author:Anna Lockhart & Clara Willoughby [Lockhart, Anna & Willoughby, Clara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Daisy Chain Publishing
Published: 2019-09-29T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

When Elizabeth and Aunt Molly stepped out of the coach and onto the street outside of the Gardiner house, they were both surprised to see all of the lamps still lit in every room. The housekeeper would have retired long ago and Elizabeth suspected that Mallard was at an inn or perhaps with the actors in town. But the lamps would only have remained lit if someone was still awake.

“Perhaps Uncle Gardiner game back from Scotland?” Elizabeth asked as her aunt walked up the steps.

“I received a letter from him today and he said her would be at least a month. Your uncle is not prone to surprises, romantic or otherwise, so I do not suspect it was him,” she said as she opened the door.

Despite their guesses, neither aunt nor niece expected to discover Mallard sitting by the fire with an empty bottle of brandy in his hand. At first glance, he seemed to be asleep. But when they stepped closer, they could see that his eyes were half open, heavy from the effects of the brandy. Elizabeth was only just about to give him a gentle push to awake him entirely when the housekeeper walked up behind them.

“I told him to return to his chambers to sleep an hour ago. He refused to allow me to put out the lamps and now we are wasting perfectly good light. I tried to tell him, Mrs. Gardiner,” she said, the nerves in her voice obvious. Aunt Molly petted her on the arm.

“You did your best dear, of that I am sure. Thank you for trying. You are relieved of your governess duties for the evening.”

Under different circumstances, Elizabeth might have laughed at her aunt’s joke, but tonight, she just wanted Mallard to rouse and tell her why he was acting so strangely. Once the housekeeper had adjourned to her chambers, Elizabeth took the brandy bottle from friend’s hand and then tapped it against his forehead to wake him.

“Joshua Mallard, come back from wherever you are and explain yourself,” she said with enough volume to ensure he heard her. It only took a moment for him to open his eyes fully and smile as if he did not actually know what he was smiling at. After an exaggerated yawn and stretch, Mallard tried to stand up, though he fell back into the chair.

“You are home, Lizzy! I suspected you would be out until morning with your new gentleman,” he said, his voice heavy with spirits. “Has he already asked for your hand? Will there be a spring wedding?”

Aunt Molly gasped in shock at Mallard’s behavior but Elizabeth was simply angry at her friend for embarrassing them all in such a way.

“Mallard, go to your chambers and sleep before you say anything else you might regret in the morning. This is a shocking display of poor judgment.”

He laughed but there was no humor in it.

“Then it is good to know that you do not make your poor decisions all alone. Truer

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