"You will be sure to take care while I'm gone," Lord Basset must have asked me for the millionth time. I merely kept my composed smile and nodded my head. "Yes, my lord. I shall take very precaution." Still seemingly unsatisfied with that, his grace turned to Lady Danbury, who gave him a reassuring nod as well. "Don't worry, Simon. I'll watch over everything here, just like always." "Thank you, your ladyship; I appreciate it," she and I watched him mount his horse's saddle. His grace had business to attend to out on his estate today, farther out than he'd been expecting.
This would the furthest we'd been from each other since the day he returned to the manor….
Admittedly sad to see him go, I did my best to hold in my emotions and keep wearing a grin for his sake. I don't know why…. but I always felt safer whenever he's nearby. Heh, funny for a human to think that about a vampire, isn't it? But it's genuinely how I felt, and I had a sneaking suspicion that his grace caught on.
Lord Basset mounted his beast and looked back toward us now standing close by. His gloved hand picked up the reins. "I shan't be long. Mind you lock all the doors and do not open them for anyone." "Yes, sir," both of us ladies replied uniformly. "I'll be back by sunrise tomorrow, if not sooner." I smiled for real this time up at him, the corners of my eyes narrowing ever so slightly. My hands clasped together out in front of my dress. "Have a pleasant journey, your grace. Do be careful." His lordship looked me straight in the eye and for the faintest of seconds, I could swear I saw a flicker of reluctance….. Reluctance to leave me just then. But this vanished when he quickly blinked, straightened his back up, and spun his head forward. "Until tomorrow, Lady Danbury." "Safe journey, your grace," she gave a slight bow. He sucked in his lips a bit before addressing me for the final time that day. "Until tomorrow… Miss Bridgerton." "See you tomorrow, Lord Basset," I did a light curtesy. His horse took off without another word or glance, leaving us there by ourselves. Lady Danbury's eyes scrolled over to me, which I didn't notice because I was too busy staring off in the direction his grace had disappeared to.
Her ladyship smiled my way. "He'll be fine, Daphne. Lord Basset is very efficient when dealing with property affairs." "Huh?!" My shoulders perked up at the sudden sound of her voice, as if I'd forgotten that I wasn't there alone. I looked over at her, only to find her grinning back at me. Her soft expression made my face also relax a little. "Oh…. Oh, yes; of course. I know he'll be fine," he would be. This was Lord Basset we were discussing, after all. Her head bobbed up and down in agreement before she motioned for me to follow her back inside. "Come. Let's take tea in the parlour." She said this, but she meant that I'd be the only drinking tea. She'd be drinking something else…. I followed suit without a word, checking one last time where Lord Basset vanished to.
I sat in my usual chair while Lady Danbury took rest in hers. She drank from her goblet full of sheep's blood while I sipped some herbal tea. It was still fairly early in the evening and I wouldn't be heading to bed for some hours now. Still, it felt weird being here just the two of us, despite our doing so several times before the duke first arrived. For a long time neither of us said nothing, only drinking our beverages and staring into the fireplace in contemplation. But eventually, her ladyship set down her chalice and gazed over in my direction. She leaned back in her chair casually.
"So, any news from your uncle?" "Huh? Oh! Yes! He's in very good health, I'm happy to report. He's keeping me appraised of all that in his letters, of course." "Of course," she nodded understandably. I took another sip of my tea, my eyes wandering about a bit. I could feel Lady Danbury watching me again. "You must miss him." "Oh, very much so. I'm looking forward to seeing him again soon. I'm still holding out hope that he might persuade Anthony to sell me to him, but….." I had to pause here, glancing downward at my teacup. Her ladyship eyed me for a moment long before breaking the pregnant silence. "But you doubt such will ever be the case?" "Exactly….. unfortunately," I breathed.
She peered back at the fire, taking a sip of blood. Her tongue ran along the red stains on her lips. "You're not…. unhappy here, are you, Miss Bridgerton?" "Oh no! I'm very happy here. I love being here with you and… and his lordship," I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eye as I said this. This knowing smirk crossed her lush lips. "You and his grace have formed quite a friendship." "If it is not too indecent of me to say so….." My hands were clinging to my teacup and saucer by this point. She chuckled. "I shouldn't think so. Simon's gotten rather attached to you these past few months." "Lady Danbury!" I cried, scandalized. But she merely shook her head. "Come now; no need for such modesty. We are women; let's not pretend to notice when a man carries our favour." "But your ladyship, I'm a human! It's improper to discuss such…. such intimacies between species." Her lips let out a chuckle again. "Just because you legally cannot get married does not mean that you cannot love. Even if it goes no further, you and the duke are allowed to cherish the time you have together now. It shan't last, so enjoy it while you can, my child." "Lady Danbury…." My eyes lowered onto hers. "The time in-between now and when your brother comes to collect you belongs to you too.
You're allowed to treasure it."
Somehow, after hearing her say this out loud, I did feel a bit better. I grinned, finally leaning back in my seat and finishing off my tea. She's right, isn't she? I'll never live under the same roof as Lord Basset again, so why not enjoy it while it lasts? Only… he's not here right now. It's just here alone…. By ourselves…. Without him. My smile must have vanished because Lady Danbury suddenly blinked to me concerned.
"What is it, dear child?" My shoulders perked up. "Oh! Oh nothing, I was thinking of….. of nothing," I lied, which she must have known. But she didn't to change the topic nonetheless. Her stare drifted back toward the flames. "Is there anything you want to do in particular while it's just the two of us?" "Y-You don't have to do that. It's just for a day and a bit; I'll survive," I forced a grin. But she was having none of it. "Don't you and his lordship usually take walks in the garden in the afternoon?" "Er, yes. But I know you like to go to bed early and wouldn't want to disturb that, my lady." She shook her head. "Nonsense! We could go out for a small stroll. A little fresh day air won't kill me." "I…. I appreciate that, Lady Danbury. But I think his grace would be uncomfortable with me going outside without him," my mouth said before my brain had time to realize what I was saying. Oops. Lady Danbury gazed over to me in surprise and I rapidly shook my head from side to side. "W-What I mean is Lord Basset…..!" But she stopped me by lifting up one of her gloved hands. "I know precisely what you meant.
I know."