Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Edmund's aptitude for deciphering various animal tracks far exceeded Aurelia's expectations for the outing. With such a willing teacher as Mr. Barnes had proved to be, Edmund would know each of the animals who stepped foot on the earl's property within a fortnight.

Aurelia stood in the shade of a towering, crumbling structure in the middle of the wooded area, the arched entrance giving it the appearance of an old church. She suspected it had been erected with the intent of adding appeal to the land and not with any real purpose. Now, she was glad for the shade it provided while Edmund and Mr. Barnes squatted over a rabbit's prints on the nearby muddy trail as the sun beat down between the trees. It was unseasonably warm, given the chill in the air over the last week, and Aurelia had overdressed, her deep green pelisse too thick for the weather.

"Notice the difference between this pair and this one?" Mr. Barnes asked, pointing to the various prints in the ground.

Edmund squatted down, looking closely. He pointed. "Those are longer."

"Why do you think that is?"

Edmund scrunched his nose. "Because it hops?"

"Yes, but there is something else. Look at the pattern."

He tilted his head to the side, looking at the prints. "His feet are longer than his front paws."

"Indeed. Well done, young man."

Edmund beamed under the gamekeeper's praise. Aurelia observed them quietly, noting what they discussed so she could implement correlating lessons and reiterate what Edmund was learning in the future. Mr. Barnes was kind, eager, and joyful. His crinkly smile was lined with age, but it was easy to see how he had once been a very handsome young man. It was no wonder Tilly found herself drawn to his son. The younger Mr. Barnes was a true catch if he possessed any of his father's charm.

Aurelia brushed a low-hanging branch out of her face and stepped into the ruins' doorway, moving out of the path of animal footprints. Mr. Barnes led Edmund along the tracks, showing him how to follow them even when the prints disappeared due to fallen leaves or rocks or a lack of impressionable mud.

A branch cracked on the ground behind her and Aurelia turned, her shoulder brushing the stone doorway. Ryland stepped over a low crumbling wall, his dark brown eyes looking obsidian in the dimness of the shaded ruins. He wore tall black boots over buckskin breeches, his dark green coat buttoned and outlining his imposing figure. She'd never considered him an overly large man, but with the dappled sunlight behind him outlining the breadth of his shoulders, she was struck by his size.

"Good morning, my lord," she said softly, hoping not to disturb Edmund's lesson.

"Good morning." He stepped closer, his dark eyes trailing behind her to his son, who hadn't yet noticed him.

"Mr. Barnes is explaining the best way to follow a rabbit trail."

"So it appears." Ryland clasped his hands loosely behind his back and watched his son from a distance.

His gaze swung to her, observing Aurelia in a frank way that made her feel his attention to her toes. Did he watch everyone with such attention, or was he only analyzing her to discover if she was a good investment for Edmund's education?

She felt antsy for him to be on his way. "Perhaps you'd like to join Edmund? I daresay he would enjoy the addition of another hound."

"A hound?" he asked, his eyebrows up.

Warmth immediately blotched her cheeks and traveled through her chest. "Forgive me, my lord. I only meant it in jest. Edmund had told me earlier he planned to follow animal tracks better than your hounds."

He considered her, his gaze penetrating her steely outer layers. "I am no ogre, madam. You do not need to fear any discipline for speaking out of turn."

"It is far more important to remember my place, my lord." His conversation and mannerisms were much too casual for an earl speaking to his son's governess. Aurelia was not so far removed from the higher echelons of the ton to find him difficult to speak to, but that only made her situation more precarious.

She glanced to where Mr. Barnes was leaning over something on the ground beside Edmund, wishing they would finish soon so she could take the boy and disappear into the schoolroom. She needed a minute away, needed the reminder that she was a servant now, better seen but not heard. That teasing the earl was inappropriate. Good grief. She'd teased him.

But Edmund was paying rapt attention to the gamekeeper, so it wasn't possible to take him and disappear. A change in conversation was much more doable, since Ryland didn't appear likely to leave yet.

"I spoke to Ruth after church," she said, breaking the taut connection of his attention again. "She mentioned a picnic at a local viewing place, but I've forgotten the name."

"Dunder Hill?"

"Yes, I believe that is it."

"You will love it," he said, his gaze drifting to the stone archway she stood beneath. He stepped forward and traced the dip in the rock where two pieces had been connected.

"She invited Edmund and intends to bring Tom."

He glanced at her, surprised.

"Mrs. Ridley and her husband's apprentice, as well, though I've forgotten the boy's name."

"Peter."

She nodded. That was it. Though an earl being able to name the young apprentice of their village's local blacksmith was surprising. How unusual. Knowing Ryland, however, she could understand why he would take care to know the names of the lads playing with his son, and Ruth had made it sound as though they were already young friends. When Mrs. Ridley had married her blacksmith, she had undoubtedly made a great impact on the local parishioners. Worlds did not collide without consequences.

"You approve of the outing, my lord?" she asked.

Ryland's hand dropped to his side. "Is there a reason I should take exception to it?"

"Not that I am aware of." She considered the best way to ask her question. "A person in my station is not often permitted to attend social?—"

"Allow me to stop you there, Miss Beswick." He shifted his stance, but his attention didn't waver. "I am not in the habit of managing the personal lives of any of my servants. Perhaps my wife would have taken more of an interest were she still with us, but as I am alone, I have found my attention is better directed to Edmund and the estate. That being said, Mrs. Pike has taken an interest in ensuring the reputation of our household remains intact."

Aurelia took that to mean that the housekeeper would keep everyone in line, and she didn't doubt it. The earl's willingness to allow his servants to socialize was surprising.

"So long as you are on your own time, I have little care for how you spend it."

She hesitated, but he had spoken frankly thus far, so Aurelia chose to carefully do the same. "Ruth invited me , though, my lord. She made the outing sound as though it was for my benefit as much as Edmund's, to introduce me to some of her Harewood friends." She shifted to her other foot, glancing back to see Mr. Barnes and Edmund had moved further into the forest. "I suppose I didn't quite know how to handle the situation."

He looked at her for a long moment. "As I've mentioned, I take no issue with how you choose to spend your personal time."

"If Edmund was not part of this invitation and it was my half-day, you would not be opposed to me spending time with Ruth?"

"Not at all," he said simply. "Ruth is a good friend to have."

His words resonated, but the meaning was lost on her. Ryland was a puzzle she wanted to solve, but knew without any shade of doubt she could not even try. It wouldn't be proper to entertain the notion of a friendship with the man.

Aurelia took a step away, putting distance between them.

He watched her movement as if he knew what she was doing. He looked beyond her toward Edmund. "I might take Edmund to ride now, if it would not disrupt your schedule too much."

"Not at all. It is a good time to do so." She took another step back. "I will return to the house and prepare for our afternoon lesson."

Ryland's gaze dropped to her feet. "Wait, don't?—"

Aurelia stepped away again. Her heel hit something heavy and sturdy and she lost her balance, her arms swinging into the air. Ryland's strong arms came around her, crushing her to his chest. His hand splayed across her back, his heartbeat thudding against her ear. His chest was firm, his grip unyielding, but all she could hear was the pounding of his heart along to the words she'd heard in the inn's taproom at their first meeting: my wife. My wife. My wife.

It had been too long since someone had embraced her, yes, but never before had Aurelia been held like this. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment, memorizing every point of connection between them, the feel of his breathing, the tightening of his hand across her, the shift in his chest when he took a quick intake of breath.

"Forgive me," he whispered, moving his hands from her back to grip her arms. "Can you stand?"

Not well, she imagined. Was she not already a melted puddle on the earthy forest floor? He'd only meant to be kind and save her from falling, but Ryland had achieved far more than that. He had made her feel things again.

Which was dangerous, inappropriate, and needed to be promptly forgotten.

"Yes." She took a step away from him, looking down to make sure there wasn't anything to trip on, and noticed the wide cut tree trunk she'd fallen over. "Thank you, my lord."

He shook his head, but she didn't know if it was because she needn't thank him, or if he was wishing he'd never stepped in to help.

That was sobering.

"Papa!" Edmund called, his eager voice cutting through all the emotions clouding her thoughts.

"I'll be off then," Aurelia said quickly, dipping in a curtsy and turning away while Edmund picked his way through the foliage toward them. Her hot cheeks blazed with embarrassment. Ryland said nothing, but she felt his attention following her as she left. She glanced back over her shoulder once to find his dark eyes settled on her.

Unease skittered over her skin for the duration of her walk to the house. She crossed the lawn and weaved through the formal garden, refraining from itching the places Ryland had held, still warm with the memory of his touch. It had meant nothing, yet she could not shake the way it built inside her like a growing storm cloud.

Aurelia let herself in through the kitchen entrance. Cook stood at the worktable, peeling potatoes with Sally. "You've a letter," she said, her hands maintaining their speed while her head knocked a little to the side. "Mrs. Pike has it."

Her stomach dropped clear to her feet. No one knew of her location except for Mrs. Hoskins and Nathaniel's barrister. It was too soon for a trial, though, was it not? Mr. Larson told her it would be months still. It would be painful, but she needed to be there for her brother. No one else was here to do it.

Or had Nathaniel finally written back to her?

"Miss Beswick?" Cook asked, her hands growing still over the potato.

Aurelia pasted a smile on her face and started toward the Pikes' sitting room. "Thank you." She knocked at the door, well aware of the eyes on her as she faced away from the kitchen.

Mrs. Pike opened the door, her mouth pinched. "Just a moment, Miss Beswick," she said, turning into the room. She located something on the table behind her and brought it out, her hands pinching around it. "Are you finding everything at Tilton to your satisfaction?"

Aurelia's arm paused midair. "I am, thank you."

"Your chamber is not uncomfortable?"

"It is perfectly adequate, Mrs. Pike."

The housekeeper looked down her nose a moment longer. "Lord Ryland is a very busy man. If you have questions about the house or Edmund, you may bring them to me. His lordship is not to be bothered while he is in his study."

Her chest flushed cold. Had they been watched? Someone must have noticed her entering the study yesterday and not leaving it for some time. Had they informed Mrs. Pike? Aurelia cleared her throat. Her first thought was that she need not defend herself to this woman, but she tamped it down. There had been a misunderstanding, and she could correct it. "The earl requested weekly meetings for the first two months of my employment so he can approve Edmund's lessons. I promise you, nothing untoward is occurring, Mrs. Pike."

The housekeeper bristled. "I never imagined anything untoward was occurring," she argued, holding out the letter. "I only wanted to be clear that I am here for whatever assistance you might need."

Aurelia's hands shook when she accepted the folded missive. The loopy scrawl on the front did not belong to either Mrs. Hoskins or Nathaniel, and with that discovery went the last shred of hope that she would find anything good in this letter. She thanked Mrs. Pike and took the stairs up too many floors until she reached her room. Her chest heaved. She perched on the end of her mattress and broke the seal, unfolding the paper and spreading it over her knees.

Mr. Larson had written. Her stomach tightened, her eyes running quickly over the contents of the letter.

Miss Beswick,

Nathaniel's trial has been set for October 6th. I have done my best with the information I have been given, but he refuses to be entirely forthcoming, and I'm afraid my hands are tied. I can only defend that which I know. I will write again when I have more information. At this time, all you can do is pray.

I will do my best to help you both.

If you write to him, I will be certain he receives your letter.

Yours sincerely,

Frederick Larson, Esq.

Her hands crinkled the edges of the paper as she read over the lines again. From the onset, Mr. Larson had been enormously helpful, likely because of the large fee he charged. She had been told he was worth the extra expense.

She closed her eyes, lowered the paper, and groaned. Mrs. Pike did not like her, and Ryland seemed confused about the nature of her position given their last few conversations. Aurelia could allow nothing to jeopardize her place here. She needed to keep her position so she had the funds to pay Mr. Larson. Their parents had abandoned them, running to escape debtors' prison and their creditors, and Nathaniel had no one left to fight for him. Aurelia might not have had a good relationship with her brother, but he was still family.

How could she manage it when he would not even help himself?

Impossible. Yet she would have to find a way.