changed between them, Eleanor realized, something fundamental. He seemed about to speak when voices reached them. Figures ran from the house. Her father was there, and Jake.
“What happened?” her father asked. “Jake said your horse came back alone. What happened?”
“Don’t fuss, please. Clancy fell in a ditch, I’m not hurt.”
Her father drew her toward the house.
She looked over her shoulder as she went, seeking Rivers out.
He was instructing Jake. “The ditch is hidden and dangerous. It needs to be cleared and made safe. I’ll show you where it is tomorrow.” Then he climbed the steps to follow them into the house.
After a swallow of brandy and the clucking attention of both Frieda and Mrs. Bramley, Eleanor gathered her senses. She noticed her father was talking quietly to Rivers on the other side of the parlor. Rivers looked concerned. He nodded occasionally and replied with short questions. She wondered what they were talking about.
Her father rejoined her when he saw her recovered. “What a relief you weren’t seriously injured, my precious girl. I should get the doctor from the village.”
His voice tailed off as he met the outraged look on Eleanor’s face.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t have you all fussing over me as if I were a child.” She stood and walked across the room, her footsteps sprightly, to prove she was fit and well.
“Ah, well, that’s good. I’ve some news I was eager to tell you.” He smiled over at Frieda. “I’ve decided to accompany Frieda and Rivers on their onward journey to France. Frieda has assured me that my company would be useful, so I’ve agreed to go.” He returned his attention to Eleanor. “You will oversee in my absence, won’t you, Darling? I thought you might enjoy the task, you’re always assuring me you are able. This will be your chance to prove it. If you are agreeable, we will leave tomorrow.”
What could she say? Eleanor quelled her objection and darted a look toward Rivers, but his face was turned away. That’s what they’d been talking about. Their departure.
She wondered if he was glad to be moving on. He’d seemed eager to get on with the business of the trip when they had arrived. Would their encounter this afternoon make any difference? His arm was stretched up against the window frame as he looked out into the garden. His posture gave no idea of his response to this new situation, but the look of that outstretched arm and his hair against the back of his neck made her more aware of her own response to him. She longed to be in his arms again, to feel his mouth on hers.
He turned and spoke to her father. “I’ll prepare for the journey.”
His expression was guarded. With that, he swept out of the room.
Bereft, Eleanor managed to smile weakly for her father. She had to remind herself that pouting and sulking would be childish and ridiculous. “Of course I can oversee for you, Father. I’m sure you will have a wonderful time, and you deserve it.”
She looked toward Frieda then, offering her a look of support and love. Frieda accepted it gratefully and returned it to her tenfold. The two women had become close over the week. Eleanor knew then, instinctively, that Frieda had hoped to persuade James to go to Europe with her. If only she’d seen it coming. What good would it have done her, she asked herself?
She embraced them both, left them to their plans and retired to her room.
She stayed there, under the guise that she was resting after her fall, and took her dinner alone on a tray. To be seated opposite Rivers at the dinner table that night would be torture. She didn’t discover until long after they had gone, that he too had declined company that night.
* * *
Rivers thought she wasn’t even going to come down to wave them off, the morning they left Oaklands. He waited by the carriage, looking up at her forlorn figure standing in the landing window. Eventually she did come down, and she
“What happened?” her father asked. “Jake said your horse came back alone. What happened?”
“Don’t fuss, please. Clancy fell in a ditch, I’m not hurt.”
Her father drew her toward the house.
She looked over her shoulder as she went, seeking Rivers out.
He was instructing Jake. “The ditch is hidden and dangerous. It needs to be cleared and made safe. I’ll show you where it is tomorrow.” Then he climbed the steps to follow them into the house.
After a swallow of brandy and the clucking attention of both Frieda and Mrs. Bramley, Eleanor gathered her senses. She noticed her father was talking quietly to Rivers on the other side of the parlor. Rivers looked concerned. He nodded occasionally and replied with short questions. She wondered what they were talking about.
Her father rejoined her when he saw her recovered. “What a relief you weren’t seriously injured, my precious girl. I should get the doctor from the village.”
His voice tailed off as he met the outraged look on Eleanor’s face.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t have you all fussing over me as if I were a child.” She stood and walked across the room, her footsteps sprightly, to prove she was fit and well.
“Ah, well, that’s good. I’ve some news I was eager to tell you.” He smiled over at Frieda. “I’ve decided to accompany Frieda and Rivers on their onward journey to France. Frieda has assured me that my company would be useful, so I’ve agreed to go.” He returned his attention to Eleanor. “You will oversee in my absence, won’t you, Darling? I thought you might enjoy the task, you’re always assuring me you are able. This will be your chance to prove it. If you are agreeable, we will leave tomorrow.”
What could she say? Eleanor quelled her objection and darted a look toward Rivers, but his face was turned away. That’s what they’d been talking about. Their departure.
She wondered if he was glad to be moving on. He’d seemed eager to get on with the business of the trip when they had arrived. Would their encounter this afternoon make any difference? His arm was stretched up against the window frame as he looked out into the garden. His posture gave no idea of his response to this new situation, but the look of that outstretched arm and his hair against the back of his neck made her more aware of her own response to him. She longed to be in his arms again, to feel his mouth on hers.
He turned and spoke to her father. “I’ll prepare for the journey.”
His expression was guarded. With that, he swept out of the room.
Bereft, Eleanor managed to smile weakly for her father. She had to remind herself that pouting and sulking would be childish and ridiculous. “Of course I can oversee for you, Father. I’m sure you will have a wonderful time, and you deserve it.”
She looked toward Frieda then, offering her a look of support and love. Frieda accepted it gratefully and returned it to her tenfold. The two women had become close over the week. Eleanor knew then, instinctively, that Frieda had hoped to persuade James to go to Europe with her. If only she’d seen it coming. What good would it have done her, she asked herself?
She embraced them both, left them to their plans and retired to her room.
She stayed there, under the guise that she was resting after her fall, and took her dinner alone on a tray. To be seated opposite Rivers at the dinner table that night would be torture. She didn’t discover until long after they had gone, that he too had declined company that night.
* * *
Rivers thought she wasn’t even going to come down to wave them off, the morning they left Oaklands. He waited by the carriage, looking up at her forlorn figure standing in the landing window. Eventually she did come down, and she
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