Page 74 of Mending the Baron's Sins
“Good. I’m so glad to hear it.”
“You reading your old diaries?” He disentangled his hand from hers and took the diary from her. She tried to snatch it back, but he was too quick. “You always were one to cling to the past, weren’t you?” He shook his head. “I thought you would grow out of it when you got older.”
“What do you mean?” She at last managed to snatch it back from him, before he could read anymore.
“Well, you had such ambitions too, didn’t you?” Thomas shrugged. “I always knew you would travel somewhere, go off and be this amazing woman, a trailblazer.”
“Ha! You think a little too highly of me, brother.”
“No, I don’t.” He smiled at her. “I always thought you’d travel further than Lancashire though.”
“You did?” she asked, hesitating, but he nodded. “An opportunity has come up,” she whispered. “I may give me the chance to travel further still, but I fear…”
“You fear what?”
“Being so far away from you all. What then?”
“Funnily enough, Orla, our parents have done quite well for themselves. They can look after themselves.” He chuckled at her.
“You know what I mean,” Orla whispered.
“Aye, I do.” He slumped down against her bedhead. “But funnily enough, Orla, we’re all prepared for you to travel someday. We’re excited to see who you become.” He winked at her. “Just make sure you write to us and tell us of your successes when you do go.”
She laughed at him, stunned that Thomas could read her mind so well when she had scarcely said anything at all.
“So, what’s the opportunity?”
“Baron De Rees wants to go to London. He’s offered to take me with him, to give me the opportunity to try and study midwifery there.”
“That’s wonderful!” Thomas clapped his hands together warmly. “Come, let us tell our parents.”
“Thomas, I haven’t decided quite yet–oh!” Yet she was tugged off the bed by him, and the next thing she knew, they were hurrying down the stairs together toward the shop, ready to tell her parents her news.
***
“Good evening, Miss Byrne,” Adam said as Orla stepped into the house. He had some of the papers in his hands relating to the tenants and was hurrying through the corridor, clearly intent on business.
Ingleby will be safe in his hands. Aye, I do not doubt it.
“Good evening,” Orla said to him in return. “Has Lord De Rees asked for me at all?”
Adam paused in his quick walk and shook his head.
“No. He’s spent the afternoon in his chamber. I think he’s resting.”
Orla thought this was strange. It was a long time since Horace had spent this amount of time in his own chamber, not stirring or asking for her.
“Worry not. He was very well when I saw him earlier today,” Adam assured her. “How was your journey? Did you enjoy seeing your family?”
“Very much.” She nodded, unable to keep the smile from her face. When she had told her mother and father, to her delight, they had been thrilled for her, so excited that she could at last be getting her dream. Perhaps as Thomas had predicted, Sarah was merely insisting on having news from her in regular letters, but they did not mind the prospect of her moving so far away. “Have you seen Esther at all?” she asked, trying to shift her mind to other things. “She and George were supposed to collect me, but only George picked me up.”
“She’s been working today, I believe. I’ve seen her attending to the fires.” Adam gestured to the nearest fireplace. “They’re all gathering for supper now if you wish to join them. I need to get these papers sent off, if you’d excuse me.”
Adam bowed to her. She hastened to curtsy, wondering why Adam had bowed at all. She was certainly of such a low positioncompared to him that he shouldn’t have bowed to her, but she didn’t have a chance to ask him, for he hurried off so fast.
Orla made her way down to the kitchen for supper where she found George was as quiet as he had been on their cart ride back to the hall. He prodded at his food, not looking up or engaging in conversation with anyone. At a distance across the table, Esther sat in equal silence. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying, but when Orla sat beside her, she showed no sign of stirring.
“Esther? What’s wrong?” Orla asked in a hushed tone, picking at her own food. She looked about the table, not wanting to be heard by any other staff. “Did you and George argue today?”
