Chapter 25

The curtains swayed gently, and Eleanor blinked, the movement catching her drowsing eyes. She shifted on the mattress and blushed, feeling Sebastian's sleeping form beside her. She turned and gazed at him. The soft early light poured through the chink in the curtains where the morning breeze ruffled them, and it showed her his chiseled profile. She smiled down at him, then slipped swiftly out of bed.

Her cheeks reddened again as she looked around the room. The morning was still pale blue-lit, as the sun had just risen, but the half-light was enough to show her clothing lying on the floor. Her green day-dress lay in a rumpled heap by the door, her shift just beside it. She grabbed the shift and hastily pulled it on to cover herself, then reached for the dress and stepped inside, buttoning the buttons up the back hastily.

She wanted to have breakfast ready and served before Sebastian woke up. She went into the breakfast room to see if breakfast was already served and she saw Sebastian's jacket having been forgotten there lying on a chair. She went close and tried to hung it over a chair when her fingers brushed over the lapel near the bottom, and she felt a lump of paper in the pocket. She frowned.

He might have left something he needs in there, she thought, slipping her hand in and taking the object out. She had thought it might be a document, or even a note from the bank. She frowned as she lifted out a small cloth-wrapped bundle.

She eyed it curiously. It was wrapped in thin linen, like the fabric for a fine handkerchief, and it was light; light enough that it still might be a note from the bank. She felt her frown deepen and she slipped it into her pocket, swiftly, as she heard footsteps in the hallway.

"My lady!" The butler smiled at her. "You are awake early."

"Um, yes. I couldn't sleep any longer." She blushed. She was sure her hair was in horrid disarray—she hadn't even brushed it and it was loose around her shoulders.

"I apologise for disturbing you at such an early hour," the butler said swiftly. "A messenger just arrived with a letter addressed to you. Would you like it now, or...?" he paused.

"Now, please," Eleanor said at once. He held out an envelope to her and she took it. It was too dark to see the seal that held it closed and she went out into the hallway.

"May I fetch breakfast, my lady?" the butler asked.

"Please," she said at once, feeling her stomach rumble. "That would be very pleasant."

"At once, my lady."

The butler hurried off to fetch breakfast, and Eleanor carried the letter to her bedchamber. It was cold and she put on a shawl as soon as she reached her bedroom, then settled down next to the fire, which was still glowing in the grate. It was too dark to read, and she opened the curtains and lit the lamps on the mantelpiece, and then settled down in the comfortable chair by the hearth-side and opened the letter, her frown deepening.

My dear sister, she read as she slipped her finger under the seal of the letter. She felt her heart thud with relief. It was from Jonathan. He had ridden off the previous morning, as he had agreed to. He had said he would ride to one of Rachel's relatives, where she and the children had sought refuge following the trial. Eleanor squinted at the letter, which was clearly hastily written, the ink splattering the page here and there where the nib of the pen had dragged on the paper.

My dear sister, she read. I am writing to you hastily because I have just received some remarkable news. Charles, a cousin of Rachel, rode to the courthouse on my behalf, intending to reason with them about my flight from the city. I am most grateful to him, but even more grateful for the wondrous news he shared with me. The charges are settled. Heaven be praised! I believe that I owe also to the earl a debt of thanks. He has done a great deal for me. Charles informed me that the penalty against me was lightened to a fine, and that the fine was paid by Lord Glenfield. I cannot thank you enough. I am at present at Oakwood House near Maidstone. The children and Rachel are with me and safe. We all hope to see you soon.

Eleanor lowered the paper and took a deep breath. She shut her eyes, her heart soaring with joy and relief.

"Thank you, God," she whispered.

She opened her eyes again and stood, going to the window. The sun had risen, and the garden was filled with warm yellow light. The lawn, which was dew-soaked, sparkled like a thousand diamonds. She stared down at it, feeling at peace for the first time in days.

As she stared down at the grass, she felt her cheeks lift in a smile. Many wondrous things had happened in the last few hours, it seemed. And not least of which was the wondrous thing that had happened in her own life.

She grinned, thoughts of the previous evening flooding into her mind. She recalled Sebastian holding her tight and kissing her.

She smiled, recalling the tender words he had spoken, the many sweet kisses they had shared.

As she recalled his coat in the hallway, she remembered the little piece of paper she had found. Knowing that it was none of her business, yet still feeling compelled to see what it was, she unwrapped it.

"What's this?" she murmured aloud.

The daylight was a little brighter, but it was still hard to see what it was she held. It was a newspaper article, but in a blurry, heavy type such as she had seen only in very old newspaper cuttings. Her eyes narrowed and then widened as she tried to read the script.

"Montague," she whispered.

The article was about a man named Edward Montague.

Her brow furrowed. What did Sebastian have that for? And where had he found such an old newspaper? It didn't make sense.

She folded it up carefully, wrapping it in the linen covering in a way that was almost as neat as the previous tight wrapping. Then she wandered down the hallway to the drawing room, slipping it back into his pocket. As she did so, she paused.

The name would not shift from her mind. Edward Montague. She knew that name. She had seen it before.

As she cast her mind back, she suddenly recalled where. She let out a small, astonished outbreath and hurried off down the hallway.