Chapter 25
Mary had been locked away in her room for nearly two days, allowed out only for meals. Otherwise, she spent her time on the balcony, reading the novel she and Lord Hanbrooke intended to read along with one another.
After she had approached Charlotte, Lady Rachel came to Mary, stating that she heard Mary had plans to escape that evening to be with her lover. The only way for them to protect the family and stop Mary was to confine her to her bedroom.
It was infuriating and humiliating, but no matter how much Mary argued, no one would listen. Not even her own father.
Her heart was still completely broken by not knowing if she would ever be believed by her father. Would she ever see Lord Hanbrooke again? Would he ever tell her that he cared for her? Would she ever have the chance to express her love?
She tried to push her thoughts aside, not wanting to spend more time worrying about it. For now, what mattered most was ensuring that she did not lose her mind while stuck in her room like this. It grieved her that she had no option but to remain there, hoping that others would find a way to convince her father that this was all unjust.
Mary looked out over the gardens from the balcony. She could not see anything at the front of the house but was glad that she could at least look down on the beauty below. Would she be able to walk out there again soon? Would she be allowed to smell the flowers?
There was a knock at the door and Mary heard the key turn. Miss Lilly, the maid, entered her room with a trey that held a teapot and cup as well as sugar and milk.
“Lady Mary? Would you like your afternoon tea?” she offered.
“Yes, thank you,” Mary said, going to sit at her vanity.
Miss Lilly set the tray down and made the tea just the way Mary liked. It was clear that the maid had something on her mind, but she was struggling to find the right words to say it.
“Is there something bothering you, Miss Lilly?” Mary asked.
She hesitated at first, but then nodded and took a deep breath. “I know that it is not my place to say anything, but I wish you would know that I am devastated to see how you are being kept away like this, Lady Mary. We all know that you are not at fault. No one would listen if we spoke up, but that does not mean we are blind to what is happening.”
Mary was touched, utterly grateful that Miss Lilly had been willing to say that—it was a great risk to her, trying to come to Mary’s defence. Nevertheless, Mary knew that there was nothing more that could be done about it. Her stepmother would be furious to learn about a maid speaking against her decisions.
But Mary was not alone. This was a pleasant reminder of that. More than anything, she wanted to be heard and understood through all of this. She had been forced apart from those who would hear her—she had not seen Sarah, and she had lost Miss Anne. At least this maid was there for her.
“I also thought you may like to know that the Duke, Lord Hanbrooke, came to speak with your father. Again, I know that it is not my place, my lady, but there was a terrible row between them. Your father was furious, but Lord Hanbrooke appeared rather desperate to come to your aid. I just thought you may like to know it,” Miss Lilly said.
“He came here? He spoke with my father?” Mary asked, leaning forward in surprise.
“He did. I think he was so intent upon seeing your rescue that he spoke against your father’s trust in your stepmother. It was quite clear that he wants to see you free, and I think he will do whatever he must to secure that freedom. You may rest assured that you are not alone in this. There is a gentleman who cares for you very much,” she continued.
“Oh, thank you, Miss Lilly. I needed to know this. Truly, it is so wonderful to hear,” Mary said.
“Of course, my lady. I am glad to be able to give you some hope through it all. While I understand that there is a lot still coming against you, I think that there must be hope as well.
Otherwise, your father would not have been so upset. Lord Hanbrooke pushed against everything he said and truly attempted to reason with him. Miss Harriet agrees that your father has been too harsh with you, but she is also quite annoyed by your Lord Hanbrooke,” Miss Lilly said, adding the last part about the housekeeper.
“Oh? Why is that?” Mary asked.
“Because he takes away the peace when he comes. He has caused your father and stepmother to get in many rows over whether or not Lady Charlotte has been honest,” she said.
“What do you mean? I thought my father believed her implicitly,” Mary said.
“My lady, this is only my opinion—and I am a simple maid who is rarely heard—but I think that your father wants to believe her because it is easier for him. But in his heart, I believe he knows this is all false.
And while I wish he would not take so long to overturn these nonsensical rules under which you are living, I do believe he will eventually bring them to an end. Your stepmother will not be pleased by that,” she answered.
Mary was deeply relieved to hear this. If her father had doubts, there might be a chance that he would finally be willing to see the truth. He was proving himself to be a lazy, uninterested man as it was, but that did not mean he would never learn to care, did it?
“Now, if you please, I am going to leave the tray. There is something for you underneath the sugar bowl and I ask that you ensure it is not found after I leave. Not by anyone,” Miss Lilly said.
“Thank you,” Mary said, wondering what could be under the bowl.
“Shall I forget to lock the door on my way out, my lady?” she asked.