She nodded and let Bened lead her back into the parlor. After she finished the tea, she joined Dob and Lilybet out in the gardens, thinking they nearly rivaled her uncle George’s. When she said as much to Dob, the woman blushed with pleasure.
“This is made for Modred mostly, for it can calm his poor mind after a bad day, although I discovered I loved doing the gardening.”
“You do a great deal for the duke, I think.”
“He needed me at a time when I needed to be needed. We healed each other. We have servants, you know. ’Tis just that they all have this afternoon off for a wedding of one of their family. That is the problem with taking one’s servants all from just two families.” She laughed. “There are times when we wonder how we manage but we do. I know the Pughs will have work at the place Bened is going to. There is a couple already there with a fine home in the gatehouse.”
“Bened was pleased to hear how well they are working for him.”
“So when are you going to marry that boy?”
“One needs to be asked first.”
“One could nudge a bit.”
“I want to be asked when he knows for certain it is what he wants.”
“Reasonable, but kill that bitch of an aunt of yours first. Best not to be marrying and bringing new ones into the world while someone like that is still running about free.”
“Agreed. I am going to tell Simeon all I have recalled.”
“Get him to tell you about his beatings and a few other things,” Lilybet said. “He is suffering a lot of guilt and it is because he knew things and never said. He also wonders if he could have saved his father just by telling what he knew. Guilt. Both of you have it and neither deserve it.”
“How do you know? Did he tell you?” asked Primrose, wondering if there was something about Lilybet and her brother that she had missed.
“Did not have to. I can sense emotions.”
“I thought you saw things, the future and all.”
“I also can feel the emotions of a lot of people. One occasionally leads to the other.”
“Oh. That must be unpleasant at times. Not everyone is experiencing pleasant emotions all the time.”
Dob studied Lilybet. “I could teach you how to close the door on that now and then.”
“I just might want you to when I get more settled.”
“Well, time to get back inside, for dinner will be served soon.” Dob patted Primrose on the back and added, “And it is not rabbit.”
Primrose laughed and knew she would recover from the shock of this last memory just fine.
Simeon stared at his sister in open-mouthed shock. “She did what?”
“Please do not make me repeat that. ’Tis bad enough knowing the memory has now been freed inside my head and could be pulled forth at any time. Yet, I feel horrible. Modred says it was just my mind protecting me but by hiding the truth it put us all in danger for we did not see just how truly evil she is.”
Simeon hugged her. “If it had crushed you, crippled your mind, no one would have paid any attention to what you had to say.”
“That is what Modred says.”
“Modred, is it? You now call a duke by his proper name?”
“Once you meet him it becomes harder and harder to think of him as The Duke. He is so young.”
“And he can read minds?”
“Something like that. He was so happy to meet more people with high walls, as he called them, that one would have felt very rude asking him specifics about his gift. But when I got so upset, no, hysterical, he knew it even before I screamed. He also knew what I had seen. It was all right at that time because he was being comforting and helping me. But when I thought on it later, I realized that he is a rather scary young man. Oh, and thanked my puny mind for having big strong walls.”
“I wonder if I have walls?”
“It may well be something that runs through a family. He says he can read none of his own, none he has met, anyway. I thought that was interesting. And, you could see that he was thoroughly enjoying having company that he could not read, to just be a normal young man having a normal conversation and telling silly jokes. I think he is alone too much.”
“That is sad. A young man with his title and money should be out learning how to be as bad as he can without actually breaking any laws or losing his place in society.”
“I am certain that is what all young men aspire to.”
“So what do we do now?”
“What everyone says we must do. Find our aunt and end her.”
Chapter Fifteen
“I think it might be best if you started back home,” said Lilybet as she walked into the dining room the next day.
“Good morning to you, too, Lily,” said Simeon as he put some ham on his plate.
“I mean it,” she said as she got a plate and began to fill it with some of Frederick’s excellent cooking.