living as a lady’s companion become so boring that she suddenly dreamed of improper things? What happened to the freedom she thought she’d had pretending to be a companion? For some reason, it wasn’t all she had wanted it to be.
She pulled away from the tree and took slow steps away from her hiding area, taking great care to see if anyone was watching her. Once again, she was grateful that nobody had cared about the lady’s companion. She hurried back into the house as fast as she could.
Just as she entered, the announcement came of the last dance for the evening. Disappointed, she watched as Gabe danced with Anna. His joyous smile while he stared into Anna’s eyes nearly broke Emmie’s heart.
After the dance ended, Anna left Gabe’s side and made her excuses to Mr. and Mrs. Hampton. Emmie followed Anna up the stairs toward their rooms. She really didn’t want to talk to her friend since jealousy continued to eat at her gut.
“Oh, Emmie.” Anna sighed dreamily. “Can you believe there’s a man like Mr. Lawrence? He’s so handsome...and he wanted to be with me. I cannot fathom why he was flirting with me this evening. I tried my best to act shy, but he still continued his pursuit.”
Emiline tried to be gentle as she helped Anna remove the gown to ready her for bed, but ended up yanking the material over her friend’s head, instead, pulling her hair in the process. Irritably, Emmie rolled her eyes and replied, ”Of course he flirted with you. He’s a man with no title, and you are supposed to be the duke’s daughter. Why wouldn’t he vie for your attention?”
She refused to believe he was enamored with Anna because she was pretty. Men only wanted to court Emiline because of who her father was, so it had to be the same with Anna. It just had to be.
“Do you think that’s why he gave me so much attention?” Anna asked sheepishly.
Emmie fisted her hands as she stormed to the drawer to retrieve a nightdress for Anna. “It is. That’s why everyone acted the way they did tonight. Out here in this country town, they have probably never met a duke’s daughter before.”
“Oh.” Anna’s excitement sobered drastically.
Inwardly, Emiline cringed. Obviously, she’d hurt her friend with the way she snapped at Anna. But something needed to be said to deflate her friend’s enthusiasm. “After I get you ready for bed, I am going to go outside and take a walk, all right?”
Anna shrugged. “Why are you asking me? You are the duke’s daughter, after all.”
Irritation flowed through Emiline and she sighed. “I was just letting you know my plans for the evening.”
“Fine,” Anna snapped as she sat on the chair in front of the vanity and pulled out the pins in her hair. “I do not care if you go for a walk in the dark this late at night without a proper chaperone.”
“You forget,” Emmie countered, picking up a brush, “everyone thinks of me as a lady’s companion. They are not going to wonder why I’m by myself.”
As she finished brushing Anna’s hair, silence grew in the room and became insufferable. Emiline realized she shouldn’t be so upset, but it was hard not to feel like this. She didn’t want her maid to think it was her fault because Emmie was angry. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to smile.
“Anna, I forgot to tell you that I think you performed well this evening. Nobody could tell you were not the real Lady Sarah.”
Hesitantly, Anna’s gaze lifted in the mirror and met Emiline’s. “Indeed? You really think so?”
“I do. I’m certain my father would have complimented you as well.” She chuckled. “You do look more like my family than you think.”
Suddenly, Anna’s eyes widened. “Oh, I just remembered something I overheard tonight.” She grasped Emiline’s hands. “I heard rumors that Mr. Hampton is related to Captain Hawk.”
Confusion filled Emmie’s head and
She pulled away from the tree and took slow steps away from her hiding area, taking great care to see if anyone was watching her. Once again, she was grateful that nobody had cared about the lady’s companion. She hurried back into the house as fast as she could.
Just as she entered, the announcement came of the last dance for the evening. Disappointed, she watched as Gabe danced with Anna. His joyous smile while he stared into Anna’s eyes nearly broke Emmie’s heart.
After the dance ended, Anna left Gabe’s side and made her excuses to Mr. and Mrs. Hampton. Emmie followed Anna up the stairs toward their rooms. She really didn’t want to talk to her friend since jealousy continued to eat at her gut.
“Oh, Emmie.” Anna sighed dreamily. “Can you believe there’s a man like Mr. Lawrence? He’s so handsome...and he wanted to be with me. I cannot fathom why he was flirting with me this evening. I tried my best to act shy, but he still continued his pursuit.”
Emiline tried to be gentle as she helped Anna remove the gown to ready her for bed, but ended up yanking the material over her friend’s head, instead, pulling her hair in the process. Irritably, Emmie rolled her eyes and replied, ”Of course he flirted with you. He’s a man with no title, and you are supposed to be the duke’s daughter. Why wouldn’t he vie for your attention?”
She refused to believe he was enamored with Anna because she was pretty. Men only wanted to court Emiline because of who her father was, so it had to be the same with Anna. It just had to be.
“Do you think that’s why he gave me so much attention?” Anna asked sheepishly.
Emmie fisted her hands as she stormed to the drawer to retrieve a nightdress for Anna. “It is. That’s why everyone acted the way they did tonight. Out here in this country town, they have probably never met a duke’s daughter before.”
“Oh.” Anna’s excitement sobered drastically.
Inwardly, Emiline cringed. Obviously, she’d hurt her friend with the way she snapped at Anna. But something needed to be said to deflate her friend’s enthusiasm. “After I get you ready for bed, I am going to go outside and take a walk, all right?”
Anna shrugged. “Why are you asking me? You are the duke’s daughter, after all.”
Irritation flowed through Emiline and she sighed. “I was just letting you know my plans for the evening.”
“Fine,” Anna snapped as she sat on the chair in front of the vanity and pulled out the pins in her hair. “I do not care if you go for a walk in the dark this late at night without a proper chaperone.”
“You forget,” Emmie countered, picking up a brush, “everyone thinks of me as a lady’s companion. They are not going to wonder why I’m by myself.”
As she finished brushing Anna’s hair, silence grew in the room and became insufferable. Emiline realized she shouldn’t be so upset, but it was hard not to feel like this. She didn’t want her maid to think it was her fault because Emmie was angry. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to smile.
“Anna, I forgot to tell you that I think you performed well this evening. Nobody could tell you were not the real Lady Sarah.”
Hesitantly, Anna’s gaze lifted in the mirror and met Emiline’s. “Indeed? You really think so?”
“I do. I’m certain my father would have complimented you as well.” She chuckled. “You do look more like my family than you think.”
Suddenly, Anna’s eyes widened. “Oh, I just remembered something I overheard tonight.” She grasped Emiline’s hands. “I heard rumors that Mr. Hampton is related to Captain Hawk.”
Confusion filled Emmie’s head and
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