A part of Leonora felt awful for lying to her sister in such a way, and yet, she could not imagine what else to say. Fortunately, Lord Gillingham took his leave after expressing his regrets over her injury as well as offering his well-wishes. Lord Pemberton, too, took his leave. Nevertheless, Leonora could almost feel his eyes upon her throughout the rest of the evening. He was like a guardian angel, and she knew she had to find some way to keep him close.
Even after the house party ended.
Especially after the house party ended.
Chapter Six
Through the Hedge
London, early January 1803 (or variation thereof)
Leonora had never quite believed in fate or destiny or whatever people wanted to call it. Neither was she certain she believed in God for her rational mind constantly argued against such a theory. What Leonora did believe in was cause and consequence. She believed in probability, something that could be calculated. Calculations helped her to form reasonable assumptions and allowed her to make predictions.
When they had left Lord Archibald’s estate after the house party had come to an end, it had only been reasonable to assume that she would not see Lord Pemberton again. After all, their paths had not crossed thus far, and from what she had gathered, he and Phineas had never been the closest of friends. Years had passed since they had last spoken to one another. Therefore, it had only been reasonable to assume that his calming presence would be lost to her the moment they departed Windmere Park.
The world, however, once again chose to teach her an unexpected lesson. Only this one did not send terror through her heart, but instead eased the pain in her soul. For she did not only find Lord Pemberton in attendance at her sister’s wedding celebration, but also learned that he had been the gentleman to buy the townhouse next door after their long-standing neighbors had been forced to sell it due to Lord Hartmore’s staggering gambling debts. What on earth had been the odds of the world throwing them together like this? Objectively speaking, Leonora knew they had been almost nonexistent. And yet, here she was, in her family’s London townhouse as her sister, the new Lady Barrington, stood arm in arm with her new husband, accepting well wishes from friends and family alike…
…while Lord Pemberton lingered just across the room, the stoic expression upon his face the same as always. The look upon his face suggested that he did not care for these kinds of gatherings. Nevertheless, he was in attendance, which in turn suggested that despite the years that had passed since their last meeting he seemed to value Phineas’ friendship.
“Are you all right, my dear?” her mother asked, jarring Leonora out of her observations.
Blinking, she willed a smile on her face. “I’m perfectly all right.”
The look on her mother’s face suggested that she did not quite believe her daughter. Leonora thought to glimpse concern there as well as the desire to inquire further. Fortunately, not a word in that direction left her mother’s lips. Instead, she heaved a bit of a sigh, a soft smile coming to her face, before she lifted a hand and gently tugged a stray curl behind Leonora’s ear. “I shall miss her as well,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at Louisa and Phineas. “I am very happy for them, but I shall miss her.”
Leonora nodded, realizing only in that moment that she, too, would miss her sister dearly. As different as they always had been, somehow, they had still always found a way to stand side-by-side, to walk through life hand-in-hand. Especially now, Leonora needed Louisa to be there. Still, she knew she could not stand in the way of her sister’s happiness. “Oh, she shall not be far. Knowing Louisa, she will spend more time here than we might like.”
Her mother chuckled, brushing a gentle hand down Leonora’s arm before giving her hand an encouraging squeeze. “I shall very much hope so.”
The moment her mother strode away to see to their guests, Leonora found her gaze straying back to the spot where Lord Pemberton was standing…or rather had been standing.
Now, it seemed a void had opened up in his place.
Leonora’s eyes flew open, and her heart picked up its rhythm as she craned her neck to try and catch a glimpse of him. Why it upset her so to lose sight of him was a question she had asked herself countless times. Her reaction was irrational. It did not make any sense, and that frustrated Leonora to no ends.
When she finally spotted him, he was just then taking his leave from the newlyweds, inclining his head kindly, but uttering no more than a few polite words. Then he strode from the room. Still, before he vanished, those watchful gray eyes met hers for a split-second as though he too could not bring himself to leave without once more acknowledging her presence.
Nevertheless, the result was the same. He was gone while she was still here. In a room full of people. People she had known for years. Some were family. Some were friends. Some were acquaintances. Some she would trust with her life while others…
Of course, Leonora had always known that not every smile spoke of happiness and kindness. Still, the depths of evil that could be hiding behind such an amiable gesture had shocked her, had made her doubt everything she thought she knew. More than that, it made her look at each and every smile and wonder what may lie beneath. Who could she trust? And whom should she doubt?
Perhaps it was the simple fact that Lord Pemberton had not smiled at her that had made her trust him. Because she did trust him, did she not? That, too, was irrational, and yet, it was true. Had the world turned upside down? Why was it that only very few things still made sense?
Finding herself alone once more, Leonora willed herself to inhale one deep breath after another. Her eyes flitted over the attending gentlemen, and she could not help the thoughts that sprang up in her mind. Thoughts that recalled the night of the masquerade. Thoughts that whispered of an attacker whose face she had never seen. Thoughts that whispered.…he could be anyone.
Perhaps even someone she knew.
Even someone she trusted?
Out in the country at Whickerton Grove with only her family around, Leonora had almost been able to forget what had happened. With her family, she felt safe. Their family interactions had brought back a sense of normalcy she had not felt in London. Leonora had cherished these moments. Deep down, she knew that the reason why she did not confide in her family was not because she did not trust them, but because she worried about how they would look at her if they knew and how that would make her feel. Now, they treated her as they always had and Leonora needed them to. But what would they do if they knew? They could not help her. They could not change what had happened. They could not magically determine her attacker’s identity and give her peace of mind. The truth was, that no one could help her. Somehow, she had to find a way to conquer this fear despite the danger that might lurk around any corner. The only question was how?
Stepping up to the window, Leonora looked down into the icy garden, her gaze trailing along the path that ran alongside the hedge on the border to the townhouse next door. His townhouse.
Lord Pemberton’s.
In all likelihood, he had returned home upon leaving their house. Was he there now? In his study perhaps? Leonora felt the sudden, inexplicable urge to leave, to leave her parents’ house and…
Her gaze fell on the gap in the hedge through which Harry and Chris had often sneaked when they had wanted to meet up with Lord Hartmore’s daughter, Sarah. Sarah, too, had frequently used that secret path to visit the sisters over here. It had been there for as long as Leonora could remember, and it still was.