Chapter 3 – Lady Serrs-Comtess

If her father was a raging storm—all howls, billows, and whipping wind—then Lady Helena Serrs-Comtess, the Baroness of Felder, was an ice storm that crept up the shore in silence and left the world white and bitter. She didn’t yell. She didn’t have to. If she was angry, her words could cut. Thankfully, she used them sparingly.

When Eleanor entered the sitting room, the baroness didn’t stand. All she did was hold up one thick scrap of parchment. Eleanor took it, even though she was fairly sure what it would be, and glanced at it.

It was an announcement.

“Well?” her aunt said. It was a mild slice.

“Yes, we know. Some of our friends mailed them to us this morning. Otherwise, we’re in the dark. Father’s already sent off the reporters—”

“The reporters? From the press?” Her aunt rolled her eyes. “Oh, gracious. What did he say to them?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. I wasn’t here at the time.”

Lady Serrs-Comtess sniffed.

Eleanor regarded her aunt. She had an upright bearing and a thin body that, combined with her manner, made one think of an icicle. To enhance the effect, her eyes were a pale blue and her white-blond hair grew whiter as the years passed. In defiance of this snowy illusion, Lady Helena always wore black. She never bothered to change her ways after mourning for her husband. The contrast of white and black made her seem even more severe.

But Eleanor was used to her severity, as she was used to her father’s temper. In a strange way, she liked her aunt. The baroness often called Eleanor stupid, but each time she did, she never failed to point out the flaws in her niece’s logic. Having her arguments so quickly and brutally refuted made Eleanor feel stupid, but it also proved her aunt was listening.

The baroness was listening now. And she was angry. But Eleanor thought…maybe…maybe it wasn’t at her.

“Has your father done anything else?” Lady Serrs-Comtess asked. “Hopefully, something less idiotic than talking to that bunch of lying japes.”

“He did call the police. They sent over a chief inspector. Father’s talking to him now.”

Eleanor stopped herself from adding, “That’s why he couldn’t come to you.” Her aunt always saw through her efforts at peacekeeping and told her not to lie without good reason or talent.

“Eleanor, do you know anything about this?”

“On my honor, Aunt Helena, I know nothing.” The wave of aggrieved frustration was less powerful this time; Eleanor felt grateful that Haley’s questions had prepared her.

Ice blue eyes stared at her. Then her aunt blinked.

“I believe you, Eleanor. I won’t apologize because it needed to be asked. Young women can be unbelievably stupid at times. As an older woman, I know that well.”

Her aunt’s voice had lost its edge. Eleanor felt her body unwind.

“Sit down, child. I wish I could have stopped Erravold from acting in a temper, but I’d rather talk to you.”

Eleanor pulled a chair close to the armchair her aunt occupied.

“Let me start by saying I’d rather not have Ryce Penn as a nephew.”

This was announced with all the haughtiness such a declaration would warrant, but Aunt Helena observed Eleanor from the corner of her eye, to make sure her niece appreciated she wasn’t being serious.

When Eleanor smiled—really smiled—it was a gentle, quiet thing, much like herself. “Yes, Aunt Helena, and I’d rather not have a thief as a husband. There are politicians, should I get desperate.”

Her aunt shook her head with disapproval. “Eleanor, that snide little sense of humor of yours…”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Helena.”

“What about this policeman? What does he think?”

“He thinks it might be a prank, but he’s worried it might be one of Penn’s tricks.”

“Hmmmm. He sees the range. Maybe he won’t be worthless. Has anything else been done?”

“No. We only found out about it this morning.”

“That, at least, is a mercy.” Her aunt pulled at the layers of her skirts. “I’m afraid it’s too late to do anything about the press, and since Penn is involved, I think calling in the police was an unfortunate necessity. Well, Eleanor, what are you going to do about it?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You must have some opinion.”

After a thoughtful pause, Eleanor said, in a quiet voice, “I wonder if the best choice would have been to do nothing.”

“Explain.”

“We can’t help the fact those announcements were sent. Nor can we change how people will react to receiving them. If we try to answer it in any way, I can only imagine it will prolong the issue. Whereas, if we do nothing, there’s a good chance the joke will quickly run its course.”

Lady Helena Serrs-Comtess made a face. It was brief, but Eleanor was quick to notice other people’s reactions. The complex expression included a hint of sadness, some resignation, but mostly, irritation.

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“That bit of reasoning is you, through and through, girl.”

“I’m sorry—”

“I didn’t say you were wrong. Have you told your father this?”

Eleanor pressed her lips together.

Her aunt’s eyes narrowed. “I see. And what did he say?”

“He said a Serrs never lets an insult pass.”

“And that answer is him, through and through. He never lets an insult pass, and he thinks he’s the whole of us! Now a Serrs will never let an insult pass. The man has no dignity. Only pride.”

Eleanor watched her imperious aunt and tried not to smile.

Her aunt saw it. “Oh, you’ll be thinking something snide, no doubt.”

“I was only thinking that sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart.”

Her aunt made a humph sound. Then she held out her hand. Eleanor stood and helped her aunt to her feet.

“I’m staying, Eleanor. Erravold is the master of this house, and what he decides to do will be done—I can’t stop that. But he isn’t the master of me, and I won’t stand silently by. Someone should advocate for you—”

Eleanor’s heart faltered at the unexpected statement.

“—and since we lost poor Cilia, there’s no one but me to do it.”

“Aunt Helena…” Eleanor’s voice trailed away. Her mix of emotions made it difficult to know how to respond.

The second tempest was planning on becoming a fixture, but this storm seemed to want to take her side. Eleanor felt relieved by the idea that she wouldn’t have to take the buffets of her father’s anger alone.

There was no doubt her aunt would shield her.

There was no doubt it was going to get loud.

“Take me to your telephone, please,” Aunt Helena said. “I have some arrangements I need to make.”

Eleanor stood outside the library while her aunt used the phone. The baroness’s tone of command was a murmur by the time it reached her, but it must have sung along the wires. Eleanor tried to imagine her father’s reaction to this new development. Then she tried to figure out how she could arrange to not be there when he learned about it.

At the same time she heard her aunt replace the receiver, Eleanor saw the door to her father’s study open. The duke motioned for Chief Inspector Haley to go through first. Eleanor stood up from the wall she’d been leaning on and straightened her dress as they approached.

Her father scowled when he caught sight of her. “Eleanor? What are you doing here?”