She and Daria stepped out just as Eve O’Doyle climbed out of the traveling coach. She always looked happy. Always. Her bright, silvery eyes sparkled with constant joy. She was quick with a quip and as kind a person as anyone was likely to meet. Nia, the younger of the sisters, stepped out of the carriage as well. The two were nearly identical. They were, in fact, often mistaken for twins. The clearest difference between them was that Nia’s ever-present happiness was a bit more subdued. A tiny, tiny bit.
“You’ve arrived at last!” Daria rushed to them, pulling them both into a warm embrace. No one would ever accuse Daria of being inexpressive.
And no one would accuse the O’Doyle sisters of being timid.
“Have we arrived ahead of Lisette?” Nia asked, rushing over to Gillian.
“You have. Artemis estimates she’ll be here in two more days.”
“And the gentlemen?” Eve walked alongside Daria, bouncing a little. “Have they arrived yet?”
“No,” Gillian said. “They are expected tomorrow.”
With a sigh, Eve said, “I do wish Lisette were arriving ahead of them. ’Tis been ages since we saw her. Having the lads about will mean not having her entirely to ourselves.”
“But ‘the lads’ being here will make Charlie happy,” Daria said, “which will make Artemis happy, which will keep all of us happy.”
They stepped into the entryway together.Keep all of us happy.They were so dear to each other. Looking after one another’s happiness had been a priority from the moment each Huntress had joined the band. Gillian had been first, so she’d been present as each Huntress had been added to their ranks. They mattered to her. She knew their struggles, knew many of their dreams, knew their hearts.
For their sakes more than her own, she closely guarded the secret of her father’s employment. The child of a servant would have no place in Society. To be discovered after having claimed a place among them, all the while having a father who was a butler, would result in far more than being shunned. She would be destroyed. She, and likely Mrs. Brownlow with her. The ramifications of such an enormous deception would touch all who had embraced her and put her forward as a worthy member of theton. The Huntresses would be pulled down with her, every last one of them. Artemis might weather the inevitable storm by leaning on her aristocratic connections, but even she was on a shaky foundation, being secretly a shopkeeper and having married as a result of scandal.
Gillian’s father’s identity had to be kept a secret from everyone. She understood that. But he acted as though it had to be kept secret even fromher. He didn’t, even in moments when theywere alone, acknowledge her as his daughter, speak to her as a father would. She was an orphan, for all intents and purposes. No parents. No family.
And that hurt more than she had words to express.
“I do hope we have plans for causing mischief while we’re all together,” Eve said, pulling Gillian’s attention back to the present.
“We thought of insisting they call us by our actual names, as that would be hilarious to listen to,” Nia said, “but we realized it would only be funny the first few times. Then it would simply be painful.”
“I have practiced,” Daria said. “Aoife. Niamh.” With a pleadingly apologetic expression she said, “I know I’m not saying them correctly.”
Nia, whose given name was in actuality Niamh, waved off the apology. “You’ve said them very nearly perfectly. Most in England won’t even try.”
“I suspect you’re being kinder about my pronunciation than I deserve,” Daria said, “but I’m grateful just the same.”
“No pronunciation pity from me,” Eve said. “Ee-fahandNeev. You’re brilliantly close.”
Daria sighed, the sound more of gratitude than relief. “Being together for this house party is going to be wonderful.”
“Once Lisette is here,” Nia said, “I’d wager ’twill be nearly perfect.Nearly, on account of neither Rose nor Ellie being here.”
Ellie had married her sweetheart earlier that year, and his law studies did not permit him to leave London just then, so she was remaining in Town. Though they would miss her, the house party did promise to be delightful. Assuming the soon-to-arrive gentlemen didn’t make things difficult, as gentlemen so often did.
Brier Hill boasted lovely grounds, and Gillian had fallen in love with the nearby countryside the moment she had arrived.Should the next day bring gentlemen as disagreeable as those she’d encountered far too often in London, she could find ample diversions out in nature to keep her out of the reach of any unpleasantness. But if Charlie’s friends proved a problem, hiding away was likely not Gillian’s best option. Daria was more sensitive and worried a great deal about people and what they might say or think of her. And Lisette was . . . fragile. That wasn’t quite the right word, but it was as near as Gillian could get. Lisette was not weak. She was far from cowardly. But there was a delicacy to her, a web of hidden hurts that made her breakable.
No, Gillian could not abandon her friends, not until she knew they wouldn’t be mistreated.
The four of them stepped into the sitting room. Artemis immediately pulled the new arrivals into an embrace. She’d always been warm and welcoming, but there’d been a guardedness to her over the years that had begun to vanish these past months. She was more open. More at peace.
“Charlie is no longer here. Did he collect his forfeit while we were gone?” Gillian posed the question as if beside herself with worry that the moment of affection between the couple would resume.
“He did, if you must know.” Artemis shook her head. “And I suppose, with Nia and Eve here, I can expect more of the same teasing I’ve had from you and Daria.”
“I’m full offended, I am,” Nia said. “I’ve not come to make trouble.”
“Of course she hasn’t,” Eve added. “Nia alreadyistrouble.”
Laughter rang out among them. Few moments were as delightfully cheerful as those the Huntresses spent together. Gillian would treasure the joviality while she was with them, and she would do all in her power to make certain the joy of this gathering was not marred by the coming arrivals.