Chapter 25
Miraculously, after a night spent hiding in her room with a headache, having her supper brought to her by one of Nancy’s maids, Alice found that the heavens had finally closed.
The morning began to a grey yet rainless dawn and when the breakfast gong was rung, the sun had finally begun to shine. Again, she ate breakfast in her room, relieved that her mother did not press her to join them in the breakfast room as she had every morning since their arrival.
By midmorning, the great lakes of floodwater that had drenched the estate were becoming nothing more than puddles and Nancy’s maid returned with news that Lady Skeffington had decided it was time to leave.
The news was both a great relief and a terrible disappointment to Alice. Though she had spent practically the last twenty-four hours hiding in her room, she could not help but feel a twisting in her gut at the thought of leaving, having to say goodbye.
“The carriage is already being prepared for you and your mother, Miss Skeffington,” the maid explained when Alice asked how long it would be before they departed. “I cannot imagine it shall be more than an hour. Your mother requests that you join her downstairs to say your farewells.”
“Thank you.” Alice nodded her acceptance of her mother’s request and turned to prepare herself.
“Can I help with anything, miss?” the maid asked, not immediately determining that she had been dismissed.
“No, thank you, you may go.”
Alice did not want anyone around to see how torn up she was, how red-rimmed her eyes were from lack of sleep and fighting tears. The maid did not try to offer anything else and turned, leaving Alice alone once more. Alice was not sure what was worse, feeling heartbroken and forced to smile through it in a crowd full of people or being left alone with her heartbreak with no reason to keep holding it in.
It took longer than it ought to have for her to prepare herself for going downstairs, most of her preparations mental, knowing that she would be forced to smile and speak through her pain to say farewell to every guest Nancy had invited for the week.
How am I to say farewell to him?Alice thought stubbornly and with a great aching chest.
There was no way around it. She knew it and she was certain he would too. Though she was not sure if he would feel the same way about it that she did.
By the time she made it downstairs, Alice found that everyone was gathered in the entrance hallway, many of the guests already prepared to leave. The crowd already appeared thinner than it had been several days earlier, and Alice guessed that some guests had left at the earliest opportunity, eager to return to business.
Yet one face was still amongst the crowd, and Mr Gouldsmith made no attempt to wait to say farewell, hurrying to meet her at the bottom of the stairs with a hand to help guide her down the last few steps. Stiffly, Alice took hold of his hand so not to be rude and offered him a grateful smile at the bottom of the stairs.
“Thank you, Mr Gouldsmith,” she said with a small bow of her head, “Were you just about to leave?”
She hoped he could not hear the relief in his voice at the thought of his finally leaving her alone. Though the man had been quite pleasant and charming in the first few days of their time at Kendall Hall, Alice had quickly grown tired of him and the way he seemed to cast a spell over everybody else.
She could not help but feel as though she saw a slightly more sinister side of him, though she also could not put her finger on what it was, even now.
“I am, unfortunately, Miss Skeffington,” Mr Gouldsmith responded. His hand lingered upon hers but the moment he released her fingers, Alice slipped her hand into the folds of her dress, hoping to avoid his touch for the rest of their conversation. His hand was clammy and left hers feeling moist, even with her lace gloves on. “Though I do hope to see you soon at Skeffington Manor. I have already been in contact with your father.”
Alice winced inwardly, hoping that Mr Gouldsmith would not see her reaction. She forced a smile and said, “I am sure my father would be happy to have you stay on your way through town for business, sir.”
“And it would be no hardship to spend some time with you either,” Mr Gouldsmith pointed out as if he hoped to get something more from Alice. She would not give it to him.
“Perhaps, sir,” she said with another forced smile.
Seeing he would get nothing else, Mr Gouldsmith swept an arm in front of him, bowing low in farewell, “It has been my honour to spend this week with you, Miss Skeffington.”
“Mr Gouldsmith,” Alice responded with a curtsey, relieved when he did not linger any longer. She did not watch him leave. Instead, she turned and glanced around the hallway, hoping to find her mother. She was stopped by the gentleman who stepped eagerly into her view and offered her a flourish of a bow.
“Oh, Mr Tulk, you frightened me half to death!” Alice exclaimed, clutching her hand to her chest.
“Forgive me, Alice,” Philip said, reaching for her hand to kiss her knuckles before she could think to protest or speak, “It was not my aim. I merely wished to say farewell for now.”
This promise to see him again was not nearly so unwanted as Mr Gouldsmith’s. Alice was always happy to have Mr Tulk at her home. As Nancy’s cousin, he was always welcomed by her entire family, and she was more than a little glad at the thought of sharing his company.
“Hopefully, we shall see each other soon than the last time, Mr Tulk,” Alice said, remembering how before this week she had not seen him since Nancy and Owen’s wedding.
“I shall do my best to pop in and see your dear father,” Mr Tulk announced, a playful and mischievous glint in his gaze. Alice scolded him playfully in return with a click of her tongue against her teeth and a tap of her fingers upon his forearm.
Her playfulness was dampened the moment she heard someone clearing their throat behind her. The blood turned to ice in her veins even before she turned to find Lord Warrington standing behind her.