THE ESTATE owned by the Earl of Kerndall did not shy away from the extravagance of its neighbors: white, bold, and very much imposing.
"How long are we going to wait here, milady?" asked Millie, leaning low to stare out the carriage window.
"Once Sabrina gets here," Angela replied.
"We have been here one hour. I knew we should have come later than planned." Her face painted the same irritation that was simmering inside Angela. "I heard that the American girl gives little regard to time."
Angela frowned. "I never mentioned she is from the Americas."
"I was with my cousin yesterday, milady, see? Her mistress is Madam Maude."
"The modiste?"
"The very one, yes." She leaned closer to whisper, "I heard that Mr Stark ordered more than a dozen gowns for his sister and they are planning for another visit."
Angela turned to stare at Millie when the woman did not add more. She did not like useless gossips, but this time she thought she needed valuable information. "And?"
It took that one question for Millie to spew more. "The Starks are Sutherlanders, but their parents took the entire family to travel the world, and that's how they grew up. Miss Sabrina stayed long in the Americas before she traveled to London a few years ago to join her brother. Something unfortunate happened that forced Mr Stark to return to Sutherland to settle, they say. My cousin said that Miss Sabrina coming here to join him may cause another stir like in London. Madam Maude is eager to see that happen here, saying Coulway needs more scandal."
"What happened in London?"
Millie shrugged. "I'm afraid my cousin never found out. Miss Sabrina is careful with her information, she said. She may seem the blabbering kind, but she is careful, my cousin said."
"Hmm," Angela uttered. "Curious."
"Indeed!"
Angela gave Millie a small smile. "You may spend as much time as you like with your cousin, Millie."
Her lips stretching with a wicked smile of understanding, Millie nodded. "Oh, it shall be my pleasure, milady."
Twenty minutes later—Angela knew for she had been closely monitoring—Sabrina finally drove into the driveway of the Kerndall estate. Soon, Angela's carriage was behind and she joined Sabrina by the door.
"Another important lesson you ought to learn, Sabrina," she said in greeting, "is that you can never be late."
"Oh, it is my brother," said Sabrina. "He has been giving me lectures on—"
"Then he should have known better," she cut in, stiffly turning to step through the doorway that a butler was holding open for them.
"This way, my ladies," the old man said, guiding them down the hall, into another corridor and into a drawing room that opened to the extravagant garden outside.
Leah was the first one Angela noticed. The woman glowed. It was as though she had her own personal reserve of sunshine—warm and magnificent.
She is perfect. Now, Angela only had to prove that the woman had the brains to match. Spencer always appreciated someone smart.
"We apologize, ladies," Sabrina said, gliding into the room as though she had been there before. Angela could not tell whether to be scandalized or proud. The woman could own any spot and steal the limelight, just as she was doing now. Suddenly, Leah's own light had dimmed, giving way to Sabrina's cheerful one. "We will not be late next time."
Grace Blessing, who was wearing a pink chignon, jumped to her feet and excitedly pulled Sabrina to sit beside her. Her sister Charlotte looked up at Angela and patted the space between her and Abigail. The latter was frowning down at the book she held in her hand.
Leah was smiling at them, her hands holding a similar book. She sat separate from the rest in a winged armchair. Next to them was the giant window with the view of the garden, the gentle morning light streaming into the room. If only she was alone and spared of all human noise—breathing very much included—and her mission, Angela would have considered it a lovely day.
"We were just about to start," Leah informed them.
"With much thanks to Grace and Charlotte," Abigail dryly added.
Grace guiltily chuckled. "Charlotte and I had a little misunderstanding earlier."
"Their misunderstanding leading to involve two footmen, a broken teacup, and Grace's button flying across the room," Abigail added, looking at both sisters. "And a few scratches."
Angela's eyes went to Grace's arm. There was a fresh scratch. "You had a squabble?"
Grace and Charlotte looked at each other and burst into laughter. "Oh, she thinks we had the row," Grace said to Charlotte, pointing at herself and then at her sister.
"Then who had the row?" Sabrina asked, innocently turning her head from one sister to the other.
"We did," replied Charlotte, "but it was trivial, a little misunderstanding. Grace's cat, however, became a little sensitive and the real row started."
Sabrina immediately searched the room. "Cat?"
"He is in the carriage at the moment to reflect on his behavior," said Charlotte. "He scratched Grace. Then he climbed over my back, hanging on my dress by his paws."
"They danced around the room like crazed animals. One woman with an actual animal hanging on her back and another trying to tear the cat from the dress," Abigail said, painting a vivid picture with her dry tone.
"And that is when the footmen came in," said Leah.
"And the teacup?" Angela asked.
"I threw it on the floor to distract the cat," said Abigail.
"It worked," Grace said, grinning proudly.
"Then how did Grace's button fly across the room?"
Grace and Charlotte blinked in confusion for a moment before they burst into laughter. "Oh, we meant Button, my cat," Grace explained. "Went swooshing across the room when the teacup shattered, jumpy old thing that one is."
Sabrina's laughter rang around the room while Charlotte said, "Thank goodness the earl is not home. Right, Leah? He would have kicked us out of the estate. The last straw after the last one."
Leah nodded. "He will be home next week, ladies. I hope that this will be the last Button will misbehave. The last time was the last straw, I'm afraid." To Sabrina and Angela, she explained, "Button shredded one of my father's books."
Angela studied the clock. "Are we not going to start?"
Sabrina was suddenly excited. "What book are we reading today?"
The members of the Shelf Absorbed looked at each other. Then Leah said, "We might have missed one important detail."
"What?" asked Sabrina and Angela in unison.
"You should have already started the book. We are to discuss the first five chapters today."
Sabrina leaned over her lap to stare at Angela. "Perhaps we should ask your maid to buy us the books?"
Angela nodded. "That can be arranged, although I do not think we have much to contribute today."
Sabrina turned to Leah. "Tells us what the five chapters are all about," she said. "Then we can continue on with the rest once we have our copies."
Leah frowned, looking unsure. "We will be happy to retell the beginning of the novel, but I still suggest that you also enjoy the pleasure of reading it."
Angela saw Sabrina nod. But it was the kind that meant to satisfy rather than agree. She knew then that Sabrina would not read the first five chapters later. In fact, she could sense that the younger Stark would not even touch the book. She may try, but she would fail.
"The novel starts with our heroine, Miss Johanna Goodhart, overhearing a gossip," Leah started.
"She is a young notorious gossipmonger, see," said Grace, eyes wide with excitement. "She has started countless gossips and caused many scandals that ruined reputations, her cousin one of them."
"What about her cousin?"
"She caused a gossip that forced her cousin's fiancé to back out."
"What gossip?"
"That the woman is keeping a lover."
"Her gossips are rarely right," Abigail droned.
Charlotte nodded. "But this time in a ball she was attending, she escaped to the garden."
"To harvest gossip?" asked Sabrina.
"Yes. But this time, she uncovered a very vicious plot. Now, the man and woman she came upon were unknown to her. She did not recognize them, hearing only their voices. They were not lovers as she initially thought. They were plotting something evil."
"What?" asked Sabrina.
"A murder," Grace dramatically replied.
Sabrina gasped, eyes growing wide.
"Whose murder?" Angela could not help but ask.
"A new duke," Leah answered.
Then Grace sighed. "Lord Percy Towle, Duke of Ellingham."
Then Charlotte dramatically added, "Johanna's cousin's former fiancé."
"Oh, this is delicious!" Sabrina squealed.
"And?" Leah asked, eagerly watching Grace. "What happens next?"
"Johanna went to the duke, of course, despite the fact that he hates her."
Grace did not continue, so Angela and Sabrina raised their brows in question.
"That is the end of the fifth chapter," Leah said with a smile.
Sabrina's face fell with disappointment while Angela was already thinking of how the story would end.
Her eyes were on the book Abigail was holding. She waited until she could get an unobstructed view of the cover.
"What is the title of this book?" Sabrina asked the question Angela could not.
Leah laughed. "Oh, forgive us. It is called The Gossip."
"Shall we move on with the discussion?" asked Abigail. "I will go first. I think the first four chapters are a bore save for the fifth."
"But it sounds interesting!" Sabrina said.
"It drags the main conflict for five chapters. The first chapters talk about everything Johanna has done to her cousin and many other ladies, all of them horrible. If we did not pick up this story for our reading, I would have thrown it out by the first three chapters. Johanna's character is despicable. It was a pain to be in her head."
"But I disagree," said Grace. "I like being in her head."
"What say you, Leah?" asked Charlotte.
Angela turned to the woman with interest. "I agree with Abby that the first few chapters were a bore and that Johanna's character is distasteful. But I think it is necessary."
"Why?" asked Charlotte.
Leah shrugged. "The author wishes to establish Johanna's personality and why most women in her station are wary if not furious at her. Instead of pleasing us, the writer wants us to develop our own opinions of Johanna, which we did. And I believe she intends for those opinions to change in the next chapters."
Angela slowly nodded, a little impressed. Leah was putting herself in the writer's mind instead of the characters.
For the next hour, the ladies discussed how they thought the story would progress, what Johanna's move would be, and the consequences of her past actions against her goal.
"I think she will undergo the biggest change," said Charlotte.
"I think her reputation will be redeemed," said Leah.
"From a notorious gossipmonger?"
Leah shrugged. "Yes. I have a feeling the author is still not telling us something."
"Such as?"
"Why Johanna did what she did to her cousin. We have to agree that it was the most harmful of all. It cost her cousin a fiancé, after all. The lady was forced to marry someone she did not want."
"I think I will not like this Johanna now that you mentioned that," Sabrina said. "What do you think, Angela?"
Angela was surprised that they sought her opinion. "I think we will have a typical end to a romance novel." When the ladies merely blinked, she added, "Obviously, the duke will not die. He and Johanna will end up together."
Leah smiled. "How can you be certain?"
"I am quite certain that is what will happen, considering the author is a renowned romance writer."
"But not all romance end happily."
Angela frowned. Then she blinked. "Not all?"
"Yes, of course!" Grace and Charlotte chorused.
"Including the works of this author?"
"Yes! She wrote one or two that did not end well."
"Hmm."
Sabrina chuckled. "What does that mean?"
"I did not know that."
The ladies laughed.
"Do not tell us that this is your first romance novel, Angela."
"It is my first novel, in fact."
Even Abigail turned her head to gawk at her. "You cannot be serious."
"I do not enjoy reading fantasies."
"No, darling, romance is an adventure!" Grace said. "Now, now, we should convert this one," she said to Leah.
Leah smiled and nodded. "I believe this book shall."
Angela's odd pride made her want to say that she would never like this story, but she was also surprisingly curious about the story. For one, she wanted to know how the duke would handle the news from the gossipmonger.
While the book was intriguing, Angela had to remind herself later that day that she had other things to prioritize. After another hour of tea and biscuits with the Shelf Absorbed members, she told everyone that she had to leave. They all gracefully bid her farewell.
Sabrina stayed a while longer, which was fine with Angela. A part of her wanted to stay as well, but she would rather be alone again. At the moment, her bedchamber in her brother's villa was far more inviting.
After procuring the two copies of books for her and Sabrina, Angela ordered the carriage to drive by the venue for the Season Fair.
"It is humongous," Millie said with awe as she gaped at the giant poster being hauled over the entrance of the Ramsbury Circus. Angela couldn't care less. Her eyes were on the closely guarded iron gate at the side of the entrance. "I can already imagine a magical experience."
"Me too," she absently replied as the carriage rolled by the giant gates. Her heart quickened. She had not even started with her plans yet, but the thrill was already making her feel ecstatic and anxious at the same time.
If she succeeded, this mission would be her life's greatest achievement. And she wrote this to Edward that same night.
It has not yet commenced, Edward, but I believe that with good planning I will succeed. I simply need to pinpoint the exact time and place to do it. It cannot be in the city as it shall be disastrous. For the meantime, I will use the entire duration of the Season Fair to plan the best plot. I need to study the behavior of the circus first.
Until then, wish me the best.
If you can spare the time, I will appreciate you leaving your forest to join us in Coulway. I have much to tell.
Yours,
Angela
She smiled with satisfaction after sealing the paper with a wax.
She looked out the window.
The unprecedented dilemma about Spencer was proving to be useful. Along with the rush of the season and the Stark siblings, it was an added distraction for Jonathan.
Angela could not have her brother find out that the Ramsbury Circus would soon lose all its animals, and his own sister would be behind it all.