Ravenwood(58)

A knock at the door startled her and her stomach swooped low in dread.

“Yes?”

“It’s only me. I’ve brought some nighttime tea for you.”

Mrs. Davenport, Elinore thought with a relieved sigh, heading over to the door and removing the chair to let the housekeeper in.

“What a lovely thought,” Elinore said as Mrs. Davenport came in the room. Mrs. Davenport set the tea tray down on the nightstand and poured Elinore a cup, watching as Elinore took her first sip. She closed her eyes in happiness. “This is just what I needed to calm my nerves.”

“I thought you might do with a cup. I heard you playing the piano for Mr. Hayter.”

Elinore cringed. “It was horrid, wasn’t it?”

Mrs. Davenport looked as though she would argue the point, but then Elinore laughed and the older woman smiled at her. “Are you certain you’re not tone deaf?”

“I may very well be, Mrs. Davenport. But I daresay, Hayter will not let me use that as an excuse. He’s quite… insistent I play.”

“My understanding is Mrs. Victoria played every night after dinner.”

Elinore took another drink of her tea. “Well, I’m not Mrs. Victoria, nor do I wish to be.”

“Let me take your hair down for you and brush it out,” Mrs. Davenport offered.

“Oh, that’s all right. I can do it myself.”

“I know you can, but I’d like to do it for you.”

She stood behind Elinore and started pulling pins from Elinore’s hair, combing through the strands with her fingers. Elinore blinked, already feeling tired and drowsy.

“He’s almost boorish,” Elinore said of Hayter, finishing her cup of tea. One of Mrs. Davenport’s hands came and took the empty cup from her, the other still working on her hair. “He’s so unlike Caleb.”

“Caleb is more like his father,” Mrs. Davenport replied.

Elinore made a low sound in her throat - feeling extraordinarily sleepy. She felt the brush, now in Mrs. Davenport’s hand, run down the length of her hair, the housekeeper taking great care not to get it caught in any tangles.

“I do appreciate how nice you’ve been to me,” Elinore murmured.

“Not at all dear. A good pack takes care of its own.”

Her words washed over Elinore like a warm lap of water in a tub. Elinore realized her eyes were already closed and she was quickly drifting asleep.

“There you are, dear.” She felt Mrs. Davenport ease her down on the bed and then pull the covers over her. “Sleep well tonight, and do not hear the call of the wolf outside. I’m sure Caleb will be home soon.”

Elinore fell asleep with thoughts of Caleb in her head. Of the fine line of his nose and his sharp cheekbones and the soft, lush curve of his lips. She heard the door closing behind Mrs. Davenport and wanted to get up and replace the chair, but couldn’t rouse herself to. Moments later, when she opened her eyes, she was again in the forest, dreaming. The white wolf stood in front of Elinore with a raven on her back. The she-wolf trotted over to her and the raven leapt up in the air, circling once before coming to rest on Elinore’s shoulder.

“Hello, friends,” Elinore said. She ran her fingers through the white wolf’s fur, so soft and silky. The raven whispered in her ear and Elinore thought she could almost understand it. It no longer sounded like mindless chattering or a hundred voices overlaid on one another. She listened harder. She could almost make out words.

The feral wolf’s howl cut through the night, making Elinore’s head dart up sharply. The white wolf pulled her lips back over her teeth and growled low and fierce.

“I hear it too, girl. Hideous beast.”

The wolf touched her nose to Elinore’s leg, as if in agreement with her. Elinore looked down and asked her the same question she’d asked before.

“Where is the black wolf?”

The white wolf tipped her head back and let loose a long, sad howl. It made Elinore feel lonely and hollow. They both cocked their head to one side to listen for anything in response.

Silence.

The white wolf dropped down to her belly and then rested her chin on the ground. Dejected. Elinore sat down beside her and stroked her hand over the smooth, short fur of her skull. She felt the same way.





Chapter Twelve





Elinore was quite surprised the next morning at breakfast when Mrs. Thistlewaite not only brought out her normal meal, but also handed her an envelope with a wrapped parcel - a book, if Elinore was to guess.

“What is this?” Elinore asked, taking the smooth, creamy parchment and package from Mrs. Thistlewaite.

“One of the stable hands was in Haleton yesterday running errands and this was given to him. For you,” Mrs. Thistlewaite answered, her eyes lit up.

Placing the wrapped book on the table, Elinore turned the letter over in her hands. It was too thin to be from Charlotte and there was no address on it. Her eyes traced over the deep red wax seal - ravens and wolves. The seal of the manor. She cracked it open.

“Oh! It’s from Caleb! Is he back?”

Mrs. Thistlewaite laughed. “Well, don’t ask me, read your letter.” She patted Elinore on the shoulder and then left her alone in the dining room. Her food momentarily forgotten, Elinore sat back in her chair to read.