The Vanishing at Loxby Manor, Abigail Wilson [best value ebook reader .TXT] 📗

great difficulty hearing and understanding people in crowded spaces. It’s an affliction I’ve suffered since birth. Everyone’s voices jumble together, particularly with the instrumentalists present, until the sounds form nothing but a mess of words and notes. Trust me, when a gentleman did take pity on me and asked for a dance, I hadn’t the least idea what he’d said during the set to make conversation. I must have come across as dull as ditchwater, for I was rarely asked for a second dance. After all, nodding and smiling can only get you so far.”

There was a beat of silence, and then she said dryly, “You poor dear. I do recall you struggling with something of the sort.At any rate, I remember how Avery used to tease you mercilessly when you misunderstood what was said, though you can’t entirelyblame him as you quite often did.”

“Neither of your brothers had much patience with me.”

“Well, the good news is Avery is in as much hot water as me at present. He was rusticated from university just last week.In fact, Piers was so angry he dashed off a letter informing us he means to arrive tomorrow. Can you believe it? With anyluck my little indiscretion with Miles should slip quite nicely under the rug, particularly if I have a certain announcementto make.”

My heart dropped. “Piers will be here tomorrow? I thought he hadn’t returned home in five years.”

How I wished my voice hadn’t cracked, for Seline rounded on me, her eyes flashing. “Don’t tell me you’re still harboring thatridiculous calf-love you always had for my brother.”

“Certainly not.” Not after he’d ended our secret relationship in one cryptic letter, the first and only one I received fromhim. “I was just surprised to hear he was coming home is all.”

She crossed her arms. “It was a shock to all of us, believe me. He’s been hiding for so long at Grandmama’s old cottage outsideLiverpool, we thought he’d never return. At least I hoped he wouldn’t.”

“Why did he go to Liverpool?”

I’d spoken too quickly. Seline darted another knowing glance. “Why, the scandal of course. He can’t face the shame of hispublic disgrace.”

I stifled a gasp. Seline and Avery had written me a handful of letters over the years, and none mentioned one word about a scandal. Thoughts raced through my mind—cheating at cards, an illicit affair, a brawl—but nothing made any sense, not about Piers. He could never stoop to anything of the sort. Of course he had easily walked away from our relationship. Had I ever really known him?

I drew my arms in close. “What do you mean . . . a scandal?”

She glared at me as if testing the motivation for my question. “I suppose you wouldn’t know, isolated as you were. It happenedright around the time you left for Ceylon.” She flicked her fingers in the air. “You remember when Lord Kendal and I got rathersilly that one day, and I allowed him to touch my ankle?”

I dipped my chin. “How could I forget?”

“Well, Lord Kendal had the gauche to boast about our silliness at White’s, and Piers caught wind of it. He got so angry hecalled Kendal out on the spot, only my illustrious brother never bothered to show up for the duel. Kendal declared him a cowardthat very day, and rightly so. Piers wouldn’t even give a reason for his absence. I was never so embarrassed in my life.”

The room blurred. Piers a coward? Why on earth wouldn’t he show up for a duel he’d arranged? I lightly shook my head as astrong chin and a pair of resolute blue eyes came to mind. Surely there was some sort of mistake.

Seline went on, ignorant of the shock coursing through my body. “Piers received the cut direct first in London then everywhere else. He is completely beyond the pale at this point, and I decided years ago to have nothing to do with him. I’m certain Piers’s disgrace is at the heart of why Lord Kendal never offered for me. My brother’s absolute cowardice has left a blight on this entire family. Mama can hardly bear to be in the same room with him. Her hopes are all with Avery now. If only Papa will change his will before the end and leave Loxby to Avery, this family might come about.”

I looked up at the mention of her father. My mother had warned me about Mr. Cavanagh’s accident. “How is your papa?”

She expelled a weighted sigh. “Not well at all. He spends most of his time in bed.” She gave me a sideways glance. “His visionnever did return.”

“I’m so sorry to hear.” Mr. Cavanagh had always been such a kind, thoughtful man. I could hardly imagine him confined to hisbed, blinded by a kick from a horse.

Seline paced the rug as if she anticipated the ceiling to fall, her attention on each wall she faced as she turned. “And whatabout your parents?”

“They are well, extremely proud of the work my brother is doing in Boston. Arthur is a chemist. His work has even been laudedby the government.”

“Oh.” She paused by the window. “Is there a reason why they didn’t take you with them to America?”

“Mama thought I might do better here.” I studied the creases on my palm.

“Or perhaps she thought I might find you a husband and take you off their hands.”

My shoulders slumped. “Something like that.”

“You know, I think it a glorious idea. We have so many eligible gentlemen in the area.” She clapped her hands. “Oh yes. TonyShaw or Hugh Daunt shall do nicely for you. They’ve never been all that picky when it comes to looks. And you do have a littledowry.”

I knew Seline hadn’t meant to insult me, but her words stung. Of course she was right. I could hardly be called pretty. Plain, more like. Mousy brown hair, dull brown eyes, freckles. I was decidedly forgettable. The closest I’d received to a compliment was when old Colonel Baynes had referred to me as a taking little thing. Granted, he wasn’t wearing