well as his oldest son Miles and oldest daughter Melissa. The little family seemed somewhat flustered at finding themselves unexpectedly invaded by the august presence of the Earl of Bythorne, but ushered him and his guests into their drawing room with alacrity.
“But we did not expect you so soon, my lord!” exclaimed Mrs. Wendover, whereupon the earl turned upon her with a suddenness that nearly overset the lady.
“So soon?” he echoed sharply. “Is Chloe here, then?”
“Well, of course—that is, she is not precisely here. She and Sarah took the pony cart into the village, but they should return momentarily. However, we had thought dear Chloe’s visit would not be so brief. From what she said, we assumed she would be with us the greater part of what is left of the summer.”
“Indeed,” said Thorne, drawing a long breath. He turned to Larkie and Hester. “May I introduce my, er, cousin, Miss Blayne and her companion, Miss Larkin.”
Hester glanced at him, startled. Well, yes, she concluded after a moment’s reflection, it would look more than a little odd for the earl to be tooling about the country in the company of an unrelated spinster and her elderly companion. She put out a hand to Mrs. Wendover and the squire, professing herself delighted to make their acquaintance.
The little group settled down to tea and conversation, and it was only a few minutes later when a commotion in the entry hall and the sound of girlish voices indicated the arrival of the youngest daughter of the house and her guest. A few moments later, the young ladies burst into the drawing room, curls and ribbons flying.
“Mama!” cried Miss Wendover. “You will not believe what I found—
She was interrupted by a strangled gasp from Chloe, who had followed her into the room. The color fled from the girl’s cheeks, and her eyes grew wide with horror.
“Uncle Thorne!” she cried before crumpling to the floor in a faint.
Chapter Five
Not surprisingly, it was some time before order was restored to Squire Wendover’s household. Chloe revived within a few moments of her dramatic collapse, but for many moments the air was rent with her piteous cries for deliverance from her horrid circumstances, to which Miss Wendover added her own supplication.
At last, the squire and his lady, having been assured by the earl that he placed no blame on them for the defection of his ward, ordered Sarah to her room to cool her heels and her heated sensibilities. They then paraded from the room with their remaining offspring, leaving Chloe to Lord Bythorne’s tender mercies.
Chloe displayed no surprise on finding Hester in the earl’s company. Instead, on finding herself under a threat of impending retribution, she flew across the room and flung herself on Hester’s bosom.
“Oh, Miss Blayne!” she exclaimed tearfully. “Please do not let him take me.”
“Now, see here, Chloe—” thundered the earl, whereupon Hester shot him a minatory glance. Her voice, when she spoke, however, was mild.
“Perhaps, my lord, if you and Larkie were to take a turn on the terrace and give Miss Venable a chance to recover herself. ..”
She frowned meaningfully, and after an instant’s hesitation Thorne nodded shortly. Turning stiffly, he offered his arm to Miss Larkin and the two proceeded through the French doors that opened from the drawing room to a pleasantly landscaped terrace.
“Now then, Chloe.” Hester led the weeping girl to a settee and lowering her gently, seated herself beside her. Fishing a handkerchief from her reticule, she applied it to Chloe’s swollen eyes and smiled comfortingly. “Let us see what we can do to remedy your situation.”
‘There is nothing that can be done to remedy my situation.” Chloe sniffed, taking the handkerchief from Hester’s fingers to continue the mopping-up process. “You have seen how he is. He is determined to inflict his will on mine.”
“Well—yes—” Hester’s lips curved
“But we did not expect you so soon, my lord!” exclaimed Mrs. Wendover, whereupon the earl turned upon her with a suddenness that nearly overset the lady.
“So soon?” he echoed sharply. “Is Chloe here, then?”
“Well, of course—that is, she is not precisely here. She and Sarah took the pony cart into the village, but they should return momentarily. However, we had thought dear Chloe’s visit would not be so brief. From what she said, we assumed she would be with us the greater part of what is left of the summer.”
“Indeed,” said Thorne, drawing a long breath. He turned to Larkie and Hester. “May I introduce my, er, cousin, Miss Blayne and her companion, Miss Larkin.”
Hester glanced at him, startled. Well, yes, she concluded after a moment’s reflection, it would look more than a little odd for the earl to be tooling about the country in the company of an unrelated spinster and her elderly companion. She put out a hand to Mrs. Wendover and the squire, professing herself delighted to make their acquaintance.
The little group settled down to tea and conversation, and it was only a few minutes later when a commotion in the entry hall and the sound of girlish voices indicated the arrival of the youngest daughter of the house and her guest. A few moments later, the young ladies burst into the drawing room, curls and ribbons flying.
“Mama!” cried Miss Wendover. “You will not believe what I found—
She was interrupted by a strangled gasp from Chloe, who had followed her into the room. The color fled from the girl’s cheeks, and her eyes grew wide with horror.
“Uncle Thorne!” she cried before crumpling to the floor in a faint.
Chapter Five
Not surprisingly, it was some time before order was restored to Squire Wendover’s household. Chloe revived within a few moments of her dramatic collapse, but for many moments the air was rent with her piteous cries for deliverance from her horrid circumstances, to which Miss Wendover added her own supplication.
At last, the squire and his lady, having been assured by the earl that he placed no blame on them for the defection of his ward, ordered Sarah to her room to cool her heels and her heated sensibilities. They then paraded from the room with their remaining offspring, leaving Chloe to Lord Bythorne’s tender mercies.
Chloe displayed no surprise on finding Hester in the earl’s company. Instead, on finding herself under a threat of impending retribution, she flew across the room and flung herself on Hester’s bosom.
“Oh, Miss Blayne!” she exclaimed tearfully. “Please do not let him take me.”
“Now, see here, Chloe—” thundered the earl, whereupon Hester shot him a minatory glance. Her voice, when she spoke, however, was mild.
“Perhaps, my lord, if you and Larkie were to take a turn on the terrace and give Miss Venable a chance to recover herself. ..”
She frowned meaningfully, and after an instant’s hesitation Thorne nodded shortly. Turning stiffly, he offered his arm to Miss Larkin and the two proceeded through the French doors that opened from the drawing room to a pleasantly landscaped terrace.
“Now then, Chloe.” Hester led the weeping girl to a settee and lowering her gently, seated herself beside her. Fishing a handkerchief from her reticule, she applied it to Chloe’s swollen eyes and smiled comfortingly. “Let us see what we can do to remedy your situation.”
‘There is nothing that can be done to remedy my situation.” Chloe sniffed, taking the handkerchief from Hester’s fingers to continue the mopping-up process. “You have seen how he is. He is determined to inflict his will on mine.”
“Well—yes—” Hester’s lips curved
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