I think Papa was even trying to convince Benedict not to settle down until he was certain she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.” Theodora frowned as if she were trying to recall the exact details of her story.
Livinia’s heart jolted a little at the mention of Benedict being in love. She knew from the diary that Eleanor had been part of his past, yet she wasn’t sure how deep those feelings had gone. Was it possible that he was still in love with her after all these years?
Theodora released a heavy sigh. “Not that any of that matters now. Benedict has sworn never to marry, and I’m locked up in this house until he decides to let me attend another ball.”
Questions plagued her mind as Livinia thought of what she had witnessed outside. “Did Lady Eleanor ever have any problems with the servants in the past?” She probed a little further, hoping to find some clue as to what Thomas could have been discussing with her.
“I don’t think so. Lady Eleanor would hardly stoop to talking to servants. She isn’t the kind of lady who would concern herself with the lives of those she considered beneath her.
As a matter of fact, Mama had once mentioned to Benedict that she didn’t think she was a good fit for an estate like ours. Running a house as large as ours requires a certain amount of caring from those in charge.” Theodore offered the information up with little to no emotion.
It was becoming increasingly clear to Livinia that Theodora had lived such a sheltered life that she wasn’t aware of anything untoward. All she was certain of at present was that Lady Eleanor’s reappearance didn’t foreshadow anything good. If The late earl and countess had disapproved of her presence so strongly, was it really a coincidence that they had met with an unfortunate end?
Her mind raced with possibilities as she tried to place Thomas in the thick of it all. Did he know something about the past, or was his quarrel with their guest based on something entirely unrelated?
“You know, I don’t think he’s in love with her anymore. Then again, I wasn’t sure why he was ever in love with her at all. Lady Eleanor is a far cry from being a lady, she may waddle and quack like a duck, but she is a wolf and make no mistake.” Theodore offered up the strange comparison with a look of determination in her eyes.
Livinia burst into peals of laughter despite the seriousness of the situation at hand. “Lady Theodora, why on earth would you say a thing like that?” she managed to ask when her fits of laughter had stopped.
“Oh, it’s in this chapter on effective poetry in the book you’re making me read. A hyperbole is often used to show the silliness or exaggeration of a statement that isn’t to be taken lightly.” She held the leather-bound book up in the air and recited the definition and usage.
“While I cannot condone your use of the literary symbolism as your governess, I do think you grasped the sentiment quite nicely,” Livinia said, praising the girl as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. Even in all the uncertainty she faced, she was glad for the rare moment of mirth. Her life had changed so drastically after coming to the mansion that she’d forgotten what it felt like to laugh.
Theodora seemed pleased with herself as she set her gaze on Livinia. Her green eyes held a certain amount of maturity beyond her years. “I wasn’t joking when I said I don’t think Benedict is in love with her anymore. He’s become too closed off to the world to fall in love with anyone like Lady Eleanor, even if she tried to get her hooks into him again.”
The girl’s words left Livinia with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Had she noticed how Livinia had begun to change towards her brother? Or was she simply making a remark she thought was fitting to the situation at hand?
“If Benedict had truly loved her, I don’t think he would have let her slip through his fingers. He may not know it himself, but the fact that he pushed her away when things took a turn for the worse in life says a great deal about what it really was,” Theodore finished speaking after watching Livinia’s face with great interest.
There certainly seemed to be a lot she wanted to say on the subject, but she lowered her gaze and opened her book to where she had been.
Livinia sat quietly for a moment or two as she reviewed the day’s events. Lady Eleanor’s reaction to her certainly seemed as if she held all servants in low regard, but the way she spoke to Thomas seemed to suggest something more intimate.
The way they had been huddled together led Livinia to believe that their relationship was more than it seemed. She began formulating a plan in her mind as her curiosity got the better of her. She needed to know what Thomas knew, and there was only one way she would find out.
She pushed herself up from the chair and walked over to the window. Thomas was busy saddling a horse for his daily trip to the market. She would wait a little longer, but not too long.
Chapter 17
Livinia stood at the window in her chambers overlooking the entrance to the mansion. Her eyes were almost burning from repeatedly staring at the same spot, but she knew that time was of the essence and missing even the small details would delay her plan.
She’d woken up early and given Theodora her reading for the day before excusing herself. The carefully thought-out plan had been set in motion, and there was no backing out now if she wanted to know what Thomas’s involvement was with Lady Eleanor.
Snapping out of her thoughts she realized that Thomas had brought a horse and cart to the front of the house.
He’s leaving.
Her heart began to race with anticipation as she stepped aside and used the drapes to conceal her figure.
Thomas looked back at the house, examining all the windows before climbing onto the cart with the reigns in hand. Pausing for a second, he looked back at Livinia’s window with a scowl as if he were looking for her.
She quickly jumped back and pressed her body against the wall.
Does he suspect something?
Her ragged breathing made her chest heave beneath the confines of her dress. There was more than just a scolding in store for her if she was caught red-handed. Thomas could report her to Benedict, and then she would be out of a position.
She reassured herself that her need to know the truth had more to do with fearing for the safety of Benedict and Theodora than her own nosy tendencies.
The sound of the horse’s hooves beating against the gravel acted as a soothing balm on her nerves. Once Thomas was out of sight, she would have at least an hour before he returned. Glancing out the window, she ensured the cart was no longer in sight before springing into action.
Starting at a sprint, she leapt through her chamber doors, left open for convenience. She had never been to the part of the house where Thomas resided, but she was fairly certain that it was the stairs at the opposite end of the gallery; at least that was where he always stalked off to at the end of each day.
She hurried across the gallery and up the small set of stairs at the far end. If there was an adjoining door between the female servants’ chambers and the men’s, she hadn’t seen it. The half of the house hadn’t been in use for so long that there was no point in venturing that far.
The stairs led to a hallway almost identical to the one with her chambers. It was easy to spot which room belonged to Thomas, as most doors were shut while his was ajar.
Fearing that someone would rifle through his things obviously wasn’t on his mind.
The room was smaller than hers, with a simple wooden frame bed, two bedside tables, and a dresser. The grey drapes on either side of the small window somehow suited his personality. She had thought him quite handsome when she’d first arrived but getting to know his character had drastically altered her opinion of him.
Starting at the one bedside table, she rifled through the books and papers. Most were lists of what needed to be done and things that needed to be purchased for the mansion.
Well, aren’t you just a goody-goody?
She made a mocking face and shut the drawer before moving on to the next. The second bedside table proved to be just as boring and uninformative as the first. She knew there had to be something in his belongings; she just wasn’t sure where he would have hidden it.
Her eyes suddenly fell on the dresser. If she were a man and needed to hide something, she would definitely hide it in her sock drawer. A shiver of disgust ran down her spine. It was a genius plan; who in their right mind would want to scratch in a man’s sock drawer?
