Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Amelia was relieved that she was given a ride home, given how the state of the carriage was. She had been annoyed that Jefferson had behaved as he did, and there were witnesses to it. If only it had been fixable, but the wheel just split in half and folded in on itself.

That was not something they could deal with at the side of the road. The specialist who fixed carriages and carts was not far away, so Jefferson wouldn’t have far to walk to get someone to come out and bring it into their yard. If he could stay off the drink long enough for that to happen, though. Amelia hoped that he did.

She didn’t want him to lose his job, but if he carried on like this, she wouldn’t have any choice about it.

At least the people who had come to help were Edmund and Mathilda. Amelia couldn’t believe her good fortune that it was the two of them. She was relieved that she didn’t have to explain it to a complete stranger. True, Edmund and Mathilda were sort of strangers, but at least Amelia knew them.

And she was aware of Edmund watching her while they traveled through the streets of London to get to Amelia’s home. It was like he was taking everything in and committing it to memory.

It made something prickle along Amelia’s skin, and she found that she liked it. But she pushed the thought aside and just focused on the conversation, something that Mathilda was very good at; she just didn’t stop talking. It was like she was excited to find someone who was happy to listen to her.

She remembered their conversations from five years ago, sitting on a blanket while having an impromptu picnic between the three of them. It had been so easy and natural to talk as if they had known each other for years. They were laidback siblings, and Amelia envied that. She and her brother got along somewhat, but they had never been like this. And even with all the years since they last saw each other, it was as if they had never lost touch.

Mathilda was growing up, and Edmund…Edmund was something else. Amelia had to stop herself from staring at him. Up close, he was even more handsome, and it was like he wasn’t even aware of it.

They finally pulled up outside Amelia’s townhouse, and she smiled her thanks at the siblings as the footman opened the door and Taylor climbed out.

“Thank you for this. I do appreciate it.”

“I hope you get your carriage fixed,” Mathilda said earnestly.

“I hope so, too. It was a pleasure to see you two again.”

“Why don’t you come to our house for tea later this week?” Mathilda asked brightly. “How about Thursday or Friday? We can spend time catching up without worrying about time constraints.”

“Mathilda,” Edmund warned. “You can’t throw that on Amelia so quickly.”

“I don’t mind,” Amelia assured him. “I’d actually like that. It would be nice to talk about the years that have passed.”

“I agree with that,” Mathilda beamed.

Edmund cleared his throat and got out on the other side of the carriage, shutting the door and disappearing from sight. A moment later, he appeared on the pavement beside Taylor and reached in with an outstretched hand.

“My lady, will you alight from your carriage?”

Amelia couldn’t help but laugh as she took his hand.

“I can do it myself, you know,” she said as she climbed out.

“I’m a gentleman, as everyone keeps reminding me.” Edmund shot a look at Mathilda, who simply giggled. “I’ll walk you to your door as well.”

“It’s only there.” Amelia pointed. “Just a few feet away. You needn’t worry about it.”

“All right, I’ll concede.” Edmund laughed and held up his hand. “I’ll see you to the door, but at a distance, then.”

Amelia realized that he was still holding onto her hand, and he hadn’t let go just yet. The feeling of their skin touching was making her feel breathless. She swallowed and slowly pulled her hand back.

“Thank you again, Edmund. Or should I be calling you Lord Silverton?”

“When it’s just us, you can call me what you want.” Edmund grinned at her. “I won’t tell anyone.”

That smile was going to make her swoon if she didn’t move. And Amelia was relieved to see the front door opening and her butler, Henry, coming out to stand on the threshold. She stepped back and curtsied to Edmund.

“I’ll see you and your sister on Thursday, then, my lord. Maybe mid-morning?”

“We’ll expect you at ten-thirty, then.” Edmund bowed to her. “Take care, my lady.”

Amelia moved to the house with Taylor behind her, and looked back as she went inside. Edmund had gotten into the carriage and closed the door. The carriage moved away, Mathilda leaning out to wave at her. Amelia waved back, still smiling as she entered the house.

“My lady?” Henry looked confused. “What happened to your carriage? Who were those people?”

“That was the Earl of Silverton. He helped us when our carriage broke a wheel.”

Henry groaned.

“Was Jefferson drinking again?”

“I’m afraid so. But please don’t say anything to my parents just yet. I want to see if this will be enough for him to stop.”

“If his wife leaving wasn’t enough, then I hope this does,” the butler muttered. “I’ll get someone along to the cart yard and make sure that it gets fixed.”

“Thank you, Henry.” Amelia turned to Taylor. “Put my things in my room, Taylor. I’ll be in the library.”

“Where have you been, Amelia?”

Amelia bit back a groan. She had hoped that she wouldn’t need to bump into either of her parents, but her mother was home. She was in her usual place in the morning room, either writing letters or doing her embroidery. Amelia had seen her sit at the window and not move from there until she knew that her daughter was returning home.

She turned and saw the Marchioness of Downe leaving the morning room, looking splendid in a pale blue gown. For someone approaching fifty in a few years, Lady Downe looked far younger than her age. Amelia had often hoped she would be growing old gracefully, just like her mother.

Her mother, who was frowning at her as usual.

“I thought you were supposed to return a while ago. And why were you in another carriage? Who was bringing you back?”

“It’s fine, Mother. You don’t need to get upset.”

“But I am upset.” Lady Downe’s voice rose a little. “How am I supposed to be anything but worried when a stranger brings you home?”

Amelia sighed. She was nineteen, and her mother kept treating her like a little girl. If she had a choice, she would keep her daughter inside all day.

Maybe that was one good thing that came out of entering Society; Amelia couldn’t be kept indoors for the rest of her life. She had to go out and be sociable. Even if someone was breathing down her neck.

“He was not a stranger, Mother. I’ve met him before.”

“Who? I don’t recall you introducing us to any gentlemen.”

“You’ve met him already. The Earl of Silverton, the Duke of Blackwood’s son? Our carriage wheel broke, and he was passing by. He offered to bring me and Taylor home.”

It was then that Lady Downe realized that Taylor was still there, hovering near Amelia’s shoulder. She jerked her head.

“Off you go, Taylor. Don’t you have things to do?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Taylor curtsied, glanced at Amelia, and then hurried away. Amelia shook her head.

“Mother, you don’t need to worry so much. Someone I’m acquainted with helped when I was having trouble. It’s not something you or Father have to be concerned about. If you do that with everyone, I’m never going to meet people as you want.”

Lady Downe sniffed.

“I wish you would be like this when you go out with us for social gatherings. You shy away from the attention given to you, and you refuse to change your ways.”

“Because I don’t want to go. You and Father are perfectly aware of that.”

“You’re nineteen, Amelia. You need a husband.”

Amelia huffed.

“I don’t need a husband, Mother. I can easily wait a few years until my feelings change on the matter. It’s not something I’m interested in at all.”

“You do need a husband, and the sooner, the better.”

Amelia had had this argument before with Lady Downe. Ladies got married young and started having families. When they got to a certain age, they were considered spinsters.

Amelia had never understood it. Women didn’t come into their prime until they were closer to thirty, as far as she was concerned. It felt like a way for the gentlemen in Society to find a naive girl they could manipulate into marriage so she wouldn't learn the world and have a mind of her own. Her father called her opinion ridiculous and said that this was just how things worked.

If that was how it was supposed to be, Amelia wanted no part of it.

Lady Downe folded her arms.

“I don’t know why you’re so against getting married. Don’t you want to have children?”

“That’s not what a woman should strive for all the time,” Amelia pointed out. “Becoming a wife and having children. That sounds like something where we don’t have any identity beyond being a spouse and parent.”

“Amelia!”

“And all this nonsense about having children sooner rather than later…I’m not that well-versed on biology, but I’m pretty sure our bodies don’t make us automatically barren as soon as we hit a certain age. People can still have children well into their forties. Just because our first child isn’t in our early twenties doesn’t mean we can’t get pregnant,” Amelia said as she gestured toward herself.

“I am young, and I want to be able to experience things without obligation or expectation. How am I supposed to know what sort of person I am when nobody lets me?”

Lady Downe shook her head. She looked like Amelia’s governess when she disapproved of Amelia’s explanation on something. Just because it was her own interpretation and not what she had been taught.

“You should be looking for the perfect suitor who will become the perfect husband. You’ve been introduced into Society, and yet you prefer to be inconspicuous. I’ve never met anyone like you. Who wants to be a wallflower?”

Amelia bristled.

“I’m not looking to be a wallflower. I’m looking to become my own person. I like how things are, especially now that I have a bit more freedom as a grown woman.”

“You speak as if you were a prisoner before now.”

“Well, if that’s how it sounds, then maybe you should ask yourself why.”

Lady Downe’s mouth dropped open.

“Amelia! How dare you speak like that?”

“Well, how dare you force me to look for something I don’t want.” Amelia turned away. “I’m going to get a book and have some time to myself.”

“You’re going to walk away after that?”

“I have nothing else to say, Mother. And we’re both going to start saying things we regret. Let me just have time to myself until we both calm down.”

Lady Downe didn’t look happy about that, but she didn’t say anything as Amelia left the foyer and made her way to the library. So much for soaking up the joy of seeing Edmund Prescott again. Her mother had managed to suck that out of her.

What was wrong with thinking the way she did?

***

“Here we are, Margaret,” Amelia said as Henry brought out the tray of drinks, smiling at the butler. “Thank you, Henry. You seem to know exactly when we need something.”

“It’s my job, my lady.” Henry gave her a smile in return, putting the tray on the table and standing back to bow. “If you need anything, you know where I am.”

He walked away, and Amelia’s friend giggled.

“Do you think he knows how to read minds?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. He could make a fortune doing that.”

Margaret Thompson laughed, throwing her head back and eliciting a clear laugh that made Amelia smile. Being around her friend was enough to make her feel better. She was fun and warm, someone she was happy to be in the company of. Margaret was the daughter of a baronet, but she was one of those people everyone wanted to be around.

She was warm and inviting, although she was not afraid to put someone in their place. Amelia had met her when she first entered Society, and it was like they just fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Margaret understood Amelia’s plight, and she never pushed her into anything.

That was what Amelia needed. She didn’t want to have a friend who kept nagging in her ear to do what everyone else was doing at her age. Margaret was different. She had different ideas about Society, but she was open-minded and supported Amelia. That was what friends were meant to do.

Amelia knew she would have gone mad if she hadn’t found a proper friend.

“Anyway, tell me more about the Earl of Silverton,” Margaret said as she picked up one of the glasses of lemonade, adjusting her hold on her parasol to keep the sun off her face. “I’ve been at parties with him, but I’ve never approached him. I’ve just seen him across the room.”

“Oh, really?” Amelia sipped her drink. “Your hair is caught in the handle of your parasol, by the way.”

“What? Oh, bother!” Frowning, Margaret put her glass back down and tugged a blonde lock out from between her hand and the handle. “I’m beginning to regret wearing my hair down.”

“It looks really pretty, though.”

“How do you manage to keep your hair from not being in a complete and utter mess? You have it so long that you can practically sit on it. How do you do that without causing problems?”

Amelia laughed.

“It’s not that long, but I know what you mean. It involves a lot of brushing, at least twice a day, and braiding it up when I go to bed. It’s a pain, but I prefer it when my hair is long.” She adjusted one of the pins at her temple that kept her hair from her face. “You should have seen it when I was a child. It was thicker and wilder, and no amount of taming it would make it stop. It’s only in recent years that it’s starting to remotely behave itself.”

“Things like that come with time. I’m thinking that I’m in need of a cut, though.” Margaret pulled her hair away from her back and draped it over the shoulder her parasol wasn’t leaning on. “To make it easier to curl.”

“It’s up to you. I’m not about to dictate your hair for you.”

Margaret picked up her glass again and took a sip, smacking her lips in satisfaction.

“Now that tastes good. What were we talking about again?”

“You mentioned that you had seen the Earl of Silverton across the room at social gatherings,” Amelia prompted.

“Oh, right! I thought he was very handsome, and he draws the eye of many young ladies. But he doesn’t approach anyone. He just stays with his friends and only speaks to people who approach him. I got the feeling that he didn’t want to be there.”

Amelia laughed.

“It sounds like I’m not the only one who’s not interested in Society.”

“It’s a shame. He’s very eligible, and all the ladies swoon over him.” Margaret sighed. “If I was brave enough to approach him, I would, but even if we got along, his father isn’t going to allow someone of my lowly stature to marry his son.”

“Oh, Margaret! You’re not of lowly stature.”

“I am, compared to the son and heir to a duke. It wouldn’t be approved of.” Margaret shrugged. “Oh, well. I’m not going to get upset over it. Life is too short. I’m not interested in getting annoyed over something I can’t control.”

Amelia smiled. This was why she liked Margaret. Despite their differences, they were actually more similar than they realized. And she was fun to talk to. She shifted the parasol as it leaned on her shoulder. It was beginning to feel sore.

“So, what is the earl like?” Margaret prompted. “You said you met him years ago?”

“Five years, to be exact. He was walking in the park with his little sister when I was trying to fly my kite. He helped me undo the knots, and then he and his sister joined me for a picnic.”

“You were in the park alone?”

“No! Mother and Father were the ones who wanted to have the picnic. They were there the whole time, and I don’t think they were too impressed with me befriending Edmund and Mathilda.”

Margaret frowned.

“Why would they not approve? I would have thought they would be happy that you were getting acquainted. I’ve seen how they hover over you, and I’m surprised you get to meet anyone when they behave like that.”

“So am I. But this time, they kept their distance, and I saw Father scowling at Edmund the whole time.” Amelia sipped her lemonade again. “I asked him why he was being so rude after we left the park, and he said I wasn’t old enough to understand. As if that’s an excuse to not tell me the truth!”

“That is strange. Especially if they knew who he was.” Margaret pursed her lips. “Maybe he and the Duke of Blackwood weren’t on good terms, and he wasn’t happy about Blackwood’s children being around you? I don’t know.”

“I wish they wouldn’t extend whatever rivalry they have to me and their children. It’s really…well, it’s childish.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Margaret grinned. “But you haven’t told me what the earl is like? Is he nice? Is he easy to talk to?”

Amelia felt warmth slip through her body, and she basked in it for a moment, which felt quite lovely.

“Well, he is nice. Very nice. And incredibly kind. He offered to help with the broken wheel on my carriage, even if it wasn’t successful. And his sister is really good fun. A little outspoken at times, but I like her. They have a really good bond, that much is clear to see.”

“And from the sound of it, easy to talk to as well.” Margaret looked amused. “I can see you like him with the way you’re talking about him at the moment.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Amelia hoped that her warm face was because of the sun and not because she was blushing. She rested the cold glass against her cheek, hoping that would help. “I remember when we parted ways five years ago, I gave Edmund my kite.”

“You did?”

“I had two of them, so I gave him the kite we had been using.”

Margaret laughed.

“It sounds like someone likes you.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. But a woman knows when a man likes her.”

Amelia snorted.

“I don’t think that’s the case. We’re just becoming reacquainted after years of not seeing each other, anyway. It’s too soon to think about anything like that.” She shot her friend a sharp look. “Also, you know about my opinions about courtship and marriage. I’m not about to change my mind because of one man. Not that I find him attractive or anything.”

“Oh, of course not.” Margaret smirked at her. “But it would certainly work out for you, wouldn’t it? Your first Season and you end up snagging the son of a duke.”

“Margaret!”

“It’s just a comment, that’s all. I’m not suggesting that you actually do it.”

“I sincerely hope not,” Amelia muttered. “Anyway, I was thinking of going to the park for another walk on Friday afternoon after I’ve visited Edmund at his home. Do you want to join me? I can tell you more about our interaction.”

“Now that sounds like a good idea.” Margaret let out a sigh. “Unfortunately, I won’t be here on Friday. I’ll be out of London by tomorrow morning.”

“What? Why?”

“Mother received a letter from her parents’ butler earlier today. My grandmother has fallen ill after she fell in the garden, and my grandfather’s health hasn’t been good in recent years. We’ve had to hire more servants to look after them.” Margaret bit her lip. “She wants us all to go to their home in Kent to visit them, just in case this is the last time we get to see them.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry, ” Amelia replied.

Amelia felt a little deflated. She had been looking forward to telling her friend about her tea with Edmund and Mathilda. Despite her opinions about not finding a husband and bringing attention to herself, Amelia was looking forward to this. Edmund and Mathilda were nice people, and she could remember their first interaction with great fondness.

She wouldn’t be able to talk to her friend about it afterward.

“Of course, you should go to your grandparents,” Amelia said quickly, putting her glass on the tray. “But I am going to miss you.”

“You don’t need to worry. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, I’m sure.” Margaret shrugged. “As much as I love my grandparents, I swear they get bored and claim that they are sick every couple of months because they want to see my mother and know this is a way to get her to visit.”

Amelia gasped.

“Margaret! You’re not suggesting that they do this on purpose?”

“I thought I just did, didn’t I? And the problem is Mother believes it all the time. Her siblings tell her that it’s just a manipulation tactic, but Mother wants to be there for her parents.”

“Are they not nice people, then?”

“They’re lovely, but they’re getting a bit too dependent on help. Maybe they are not very nice people, and I don’t pay attention to it. They don’t show it around me. You can’t fault them for loving their grandchildren.”

Amelia frowned.

“I don’t know if I would want to meet them after that confusing description of them.”

“Fair enough. They confuse me at times, but at least we get out of London for a while. It’s gotten very busy recently, and the press of people does make me a little uncomfortable.”

“You seem to manage fine at social gatherings,” Amelia pointed out.

“I can pretend that I’m fine, but in reality, I would rather not be stuck between four walls with more people than should be in the room.”

Amelia understood that all too well. Margaret leaned over and patted Amelia’s arm.

“Don’t worry, though, Amelia. I will make sure I’m back in plenty of time to see how this…friendship between you and Edmund gets along. I want to know about this cultivating friendship.”

Amelia couldn’t help but giggle at that.

“You make it sound like a bad thing to address someone so informally.”

“Well, I can’t do it as easily as you can. And the fact you’re addressing him as such suggests that there’s more than you’re willing to admit.” She winked at her friend. “You might deny it, but I know how you feel about that man.”

“That’s not true!”

“Maybe this was fate. That you and he were going to meet again. Perhaps this means…”

“Don’t,” Amelia warned, holding up a finger. “Don’t even start that.”

“What?”

“It’s bad enough that my parents are urging me to find myself a husband without you pushing me into it. You know my thoughts about that.”

Margaret laughed, taking a healthy sip of her lemonade.

“Amelia, I would never do that. But it would be ideal, wouldn’t it?”

Amelia didn’t answer that. She didn’t think that it would be ideal, no matter how attracted she was to Edmund.