Page 10

R osalyn yawned as the conversation came to a close, making Miss Sherwood’s eyebrows lift gently.

“Either you are fatigued after last evening’s ball or you find our conversation about the artists of England and France to be very dull indeed!

” she exclaimed, though there was a twinkle in her eye which told Rosalyn that she was not entirely serious.

“And here I was thinking that you wanted to learn all you could about them!”

Rosalyn laughed softly as the other bluestockings smiled, the conversation coming to a close.

“You are quite right, Eugenia, I ought not to yawn so. I have been very tired today. The ball last night was very late finishing. Then, I could not find my brother!” She rolled her eyes as a look of concern came into her friend’s face.

“He had decided to go to play cards, though he had chosen not to inform me of it. Thus, I returned home alone and, of course, could not sleep until I was sure he had returned home safely. Which he did, though he was not exactly sober-minded upon his return!”

“Oh.” Miss Sherwood chuckled a little ruefully. “Then I think we can all forgive you for your fatigue. Though I do hope you have learned a little more about J.M.W Turner and his work?”

“I have indeed, yes,” Rosalyn answered, with a smile. “Thank you all for your discussion. This bluestocking book club is a wonderful thing and I look forward to much to our meetings.”

“As do I,” Lady Amelia answered, though a tiny hint of a smile brushed the corners of her mouth. “Although I must say, I do hope that something of interest happens in society soon. I did enjoy trying to find the answer to the mystery of the necklace.”

“As did I,” Miss Trentworth agreed, as the other ladies nodded.

“I am sure that we will soon have something, however, though mayhap it will be something a little more… banal.” Her gaze turned towards Rosalyn.

“Like, mayhap, a certain gentleman and the fact that we saw you so very upset with him at the ball last evening?”

Rosalyn blinked, then flushed hot. “I did not know my friends were watching me.”

“Do not think that we say anything out of a selfish desire to have something else to talk about,” Lady Isobella said, quickly, reaching out one hand to her. “We saw you upset, and since you have not spoken of it, we want to make certain that you are all right, that is all.”

Her mouth tugged to one side as she looked from one of her friends to the next, aware that she had not said anything regarding Lord Waverley as yet. “It is a foolish thing and I ought not to have been upset by it, I am sure.”

“If you wish to tell us, then you know we are here to listen to you,” Miss Sherwood reassured her, “though whether our advice thereafter would be of any good, I cannot tell you!”

Rosalyn laughed at this, her heart feeling a little lighter. “It is a foolish thing, as I have said,” she answered, honestly. “Lady Waverley and I were speaking some days ago, and when I said that I felt Lord Waverley as much a brother as my own, she did not respond in the same way.”

Lady Amelia’s eyebrows lifted. “What do you mean?”

“She said that she did not think her son felt the same way.” Rosalyn looked down at her hands, that heaviness returning to her. “I do not know why it upset me so but it did, a great deal, though I did not express that to her.”

“And that is what you asked Lord Waverley about at the ball?” Lady Isobella asked as Rosalyn nodded. “I am sorry to hear that it upset you, but I am sure it was not meant to harm you.”

Sighing aloud, Rosalyn clasped her hands in her lap.

“Yes, I am convinced of that also,” she said, softly, trying to explain – when she did not fully understand herself – why she had been so very upset.

“I thought that he would have felt the same way, that he had felt the same way for many a year, just as I have. To hear that he did not made my heart tear a little.”

“Why?” Miss Trentworth tilted her head just a fraction. “Does it lessen your connection somehow?”

Letting out a sigh, Rosalyn spread out her hands.

“I suppose it was because I thought our connection was very strong indeed, as strong as family might be to each other. If he does not think of me as his sister, as I think of him as my brother, then yes, I suppose that does weaken it a little. That made me sorrowful and his explanation did nothing to aid that.”

Her friends glanced at each other but it was Miss Sherwood who asked the obvious question. “What did he say when you brought it to him?”

“He said that he did not see me as family because our devotion to him and his mother was so strong.” Rosalyn wrinkled her nose.

“That it was freely given rather than demanded, as it might be in a family group. Though I did not much care for that explanation, for it did not, to my mind, have a great deal of strength.”

“Though you accepted it, nonetheless, I presume.”

Rosalyn nodded in answer to Lady Amelia’s question.

“I do wonder something,” Miss Trentworth began, as every eye turned to her.

“I wonder if, in saying that, Lady Waverley meant to suggest – ” A knock at the door interrupted her and, with a sigh, she called for the servant to enter.

A footman came in and inclined his head, only to look directly at Rosalyn.

“Lady Rosalyn, your brother has sent a servant to the house to ask for your immediate return,” he said, as Rosalyn’s heart clattered furiously. “He also said to inform you that nothing is wrong and you are not to be in the least bit concerned.”

Rosalyn blinked quickly, nodding as the footman was dismissed. How could both statements make sense? They were utterly incongruent, were they not? “My sincere apologies for hurrying home, but it seems my brother has need of me.”

“But of course,” Miss Trentworth said, though she too got to her feet, her eyes a little more rounded than usual. “I do hope everything is all right. That message sounded a little… strange.”

“It did, though mayhap my brother requires me only to find a cool compress for his head as he faces the consequences of too much liquor,” Rosalyn answered, managing to smile despite the worry growing in her heart. “Thank you all. I hope we can meet again very soon.”

Miss Trentworth accompanied Rosalyn to the carriage, reassuring her as they went.

It did not take long for the carriage to return her to the house, though with every minute that passed, Rosalyn’s heart clamored with yet more concern.

Why had her brother sent for her? When she had left the house, he had still been abed!

Surely nothing severe could have taken place between that time and her return?

She had only been absent from the house for less than two hours! ”

“My brother, where is he?” Handing her bonnet to the butler, Rosalyn took in a slow, calming breath as he directed her to the drawing room. Without another moment, she gathered her skirts and hurried to the room, pushing open the door and stepping inside, fearful of what she would discover.

“Ah, Rosalyn. There you are.”

“Daniel.” Using his Christian name such was her worry, she came quickly towards him. “What is wrong? Why did you send for me?”

“It was at my request.”

She spun around, her eyes flaring wide at the sight of Lord Waverley. With her mind and her gaze fixed solely on her brother, she had not seen him sitting there. “Waverley?”

He smiled but there were heavy bags around his eyes, and his face was pale. “I am sorry to send for you, my dear Rosalyn, but I think, yet again, I require the help and assistance of both yourself and your brother.”

“You do?” Her breathing grew a little calmer as she looked from her brother to Lord Waverley and back to her brother again. “What has happened?”

He winced. “It is a long and somewhat embarrassing story to tell, Rosalyn, but in short… ” Taking a breath, he looked straight into her eyes. “My J.M.W Turner painting has been stolen.”