Page 78 of Sacrificing the Untamed Lady Henrietta
She flung the letter away from her as though it were poisoned. A few of the other diners glanced at her in bemusement, but she did not care. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she attempted to make sense of the note. Seth must have known that she had visited with his family. He must have found out that they were onto him.But how? Who told him?
Just then, Aaron appeared in the doorway to the dining room, his face ashen. He espied Henrietta at once, making his way towards her. He had not even reached the table when she saw the letter in his hand. Without him saying a word, she knew he must have received a similar note. His scared face said a thousand things.
“You got one too?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.
He nodded. “It arrived in the morning post.”
“What does it say?”
He handed her the letter, before sagging down onto the opposite chair. By the looks of him, even before the letter, he had not slept a wink. She felt a pang of sorrow for him. Despite their misgivings, he was still her father, and that love would never disappear. Her forgiveness would be harder to gain back, however.
She held the letter in trembling hands, reading what their mutual ‘Friend’ had said to Aaron:
General Aaron Oliver,
Did I not tell you that all was not well with your beloved daughter? She has defied direct orders and, I imagine, your fondest wishes for her. She is rather fiercely spirited, is she not? Indeed, I should hate to have to break that spirit. Although, I assure you that I will, if you cannot rein her in. Your arrival does not mean that she is safe, you may assure yourself of that.
These ghosts are getting louder, and they will not be held back for much longer. Do not think to send your daughter away, either. Wherever she goes, I will be watching.
Genuinely,
A Friend
His note was more terrifying than her own. Clearly, Seth had figured out that her father had come to Scarborough. Indeed, his first letter had made it impossible for Aaron Oliver to remain at home. She wondered if that was the point, though she did not say so aloud.Why would Seth want father here, unless he means to punish us all in one fell swoop?The thought gave her an outbreak of goosebumps.
“Seth knows we are here,” Aaron said, stating the obvious. “He must have someone working for him at home—someone he has instructed to pass word to him when we departed.”
“Who?”
“I do not know. I thought my staff to be loyal.”
A thought popped into Henrietta’s head. “Molly…”
“Pardon?”
“Molly—maybe Molly is the one who is working for Seth. After all, she has plenty of reason to wish revenge upon me, just as Seth may wish revenge on you. I dispensed with her, remember?”
He tapped his chin in anxious thought. “But she seems like such a sweet girl. Surely, it cannot be her?”
“Is she still at the house?”
“Yes.”
“And has she been herself since I sent her away?”
He frowned. “I pay little attention, Henrietta. Your mother will know more than I do.”
“Perhaps that is what has brought us to this point in the first place, Papa, your lack of attention, especially where your staff are concerned.” She could not hide the bitterness in her voice, for she blamed him. There was nobody else she could blame, aside from herself. Then again, all she had done to Mr. Booth was speak her truth; he had been the one to speak out of turn.
“I know you are angry and frustrated by the situation, Henrietta, but I will not have you use that tone of voice with me,” he replied coldly. “Even if I am to blame for this, do not think that our roles have somehow altered. I am still your father, and you will show me the correct respect.”
She sat in sullen silence, trying hard not to stare at the letters on the table. Every time she looked at them, they filled her with terror. What was Mr. Booth plotting now? If past experiences were anything to go by, then these were an omen of things to come. It would not be long before something bad happened; she could sense it.
“If this letter is correct, it would appear that you have not ceased in your endeavors to become a physician,” Aaron muttered bitterly. “It is ludicrous, you realize that? You will bring shame upon all of us if you persist. Who knows, maybe Seth is simply trying to spare us all that particular embarrassment.”
Henrietta stared at her father in disbelief. “Are you blaming me?”
“I am saying there may be more than one reason for this.”
