Caught in a Cornish Scandal by Eleanor Webster (top novels of all time .txt) 📗

‘A nasty side effect of catching criminals?’

‘Criminals! I do not want to mention criminals. Indeed, it is very ill bred to converse about criminals. I will invite him to tea. That will give us sufficient time to think of something. Flora, tell the footman to wait a few more minutes.’

Flora left.

‘Now, Millie...’ Mrs Lansdowne paused, pulling her eyebrows into a frown and seating herself on the chair beside the bed. ‘You must stop scrambling about the countryside all hours. You are no longer a child. I’ll let you rest for now and hopefully Mr Edmunds will propose today. Indeed, I do not know why you are not more excited. I thought you quite approved the idea?’

‘That was before...’ Millie paused, biting her lip.

Before she had fallen head over heels with exactly the wrong sort of man.

She pushed her hand through her hair. ‘Mr Edmunds has not even proposed.’

‘Which is why he wants to come for tea. Promise me you will not be foolish.’

‘Are you wanting a lifetime commitment to that?’

Sam did not visit. Millie knew he was likely busy making a statement or dealing with other legalities, but still wished she could see him. At the same time, she knew a strong irritation that she should feel this sentiment combined with the notion that she would likely find any visit awkward and painful.

Nor was there time to visit Sally, although she told Flora she would do so as soon as tea with Mr Edmunds was finished. She did not want Sally to learn the details of last night through the inevitable rumour mill. Although the events of last night almost seemed impossible. With Frances still in bed, Millie almost wondered if she had dreamed the night previous. Being bound at gunpoint seemed such a far cry from a day listening to her mother’s concerns about tea, Mr Edmunds and the lack of flowers for any type of arrangement.

‘It is not yet February,’ she told her mother, with limited sympathy. She knew that she should be happy that her mother was no longer listless in her bed and taking an interest in daily living, but she rather wished Mrs Lansdowne could be somewhat less voluble about it.

Disgruntled and grumpy, she returned to her bedroom shortly before luncheon, leaving her mother to dust their remaining furniture. She sat heavily on the bed, feeling both physically aching and emotionally drained.

A small part of her hoped that Mr Edmunds would take one look at her and run for the hills. Certainly the reflection within the looking glass left her in little doubt that she appeared pale and fatigued. Still, she doubted it would make a difference. Mr Edmunds’s interest in her was purely pragmatic and he was not harbouring any romantic feelings.

Lil tapped on the door, which was ajar, entering before Millie had even responded. She sat on the bed beside Millie, angling her body in a manner suggestive of shared confidences. She looked particularly good with flushed pink cheeks and blue eyes positively sparking with excitement.

‘I have been talking to Frances.’

‘You have? I have not seen her today. Marta said she was sleep—’

‘Yes, yes, I woke her,’ Lil said with some impatience. ‘I needed to talk to her. And I felt it imperative to do so prior to Mr Edmunds’s arrival.’

‘Why? What has Mr Edmunds to do with this?’

‘We do not have to stay with our aunt. We are going with Frances to London.’ Lil made this announcement with all the drama of a magician producing the white rabbit from the proverbial hat.

‘What? Frances doesn’t live in London.’

‘She is going to rent a house, but, for the moment, she will stay with some great-aunt, Lady Wilburn...no, Wyburn. Anyway, Frances says she is quite lovely although very old and odd. But she absolutely adores debuts and balls. She will sponsor us both and we will meet wonderful people and you will have no reason to marry Mr Edmunds or worry that Mother might pressure me to marry Lord Harwood.’

‘But how will we possibly afford the dresses and such?’

‘Well, we are in mourning so we cannot go out a lot, at first. Also Frances still lacks energy, but she said that she could easily get some dresses altered for me and possibly even for you.’

‘I am a foot shorter and we cannot possibly descend on some poor elderly woman we do not even know. It is not sensible.’

‘Frances wants us to come,’ Lil said, with a certain obstinacy of tone. ‘And sometimes I think you are too attached to being “sensible”.’

Millie gave a wry laugh. ‘If you knew... Anyway, Frances is vulnerable.’

‘Frances knows that. She says she has to get away from here and that our company would be good for her.’

Millie paused, glancing towards the window and the sliver of sea visible in the distance. It would benefit Frances to leave Cornwall, she thought. It must be a constant reminder of her husband’s cruelty and the madness that was Mrs Ludlow. Moreover, Lillian’s company could prove helpful. She was young and had a joyful optimism. Providing adequate clothing might prove difficult, but marriage to Mr Edmunds would help.

‘It is a good idea,’ she said at length.

‘See!’ Lil clapped her hands with excitement, her cheeks flushing to a brighter hue.

‘For you, but not for me,’ Millie said hastily, placing a restraining hand on Lil’s knee. ‘I will marry Mr Edmunds. It will ensure that Mother has a place to live, enable me to help with your wardrobe and be in a better position to thwart Harwood.’

‘But I want you to be with me. You do not need to marry Edmunds. Tom...’ She paused and Millie saw the sheen of tears in her sister’s eyes. ‘Tom was wonderful, but he made mistakes. You do not have to make up for them. Or rescue me or Mother. Besides, I told Frances about owing Harwood money and she is quite certain that Mr Garrett or his solicitor can resolve the matter. And we