Lady Tremaine thought she would like to be there now to see Sir Richard off. She imagined he looked dashing in his hunting clothes. “And the ladies? What will the ladies be doing today?” she asked as Rebecca placed the coffee tray on the bed.

“The gentlemen will be joining the ladies for a picnic this afternoon after their hunt,” said Rebecca.

Lady Tremaine thought that sounded lovely. “And how is Mrs. Bramble?” she asked, taking a sip of her coffee. “Have you seen her this morning, Rebecca?”

“Yes, that’s how I knew you wished for nothing but coffee this morning,” the young maid said, smiling. “She seems to be feeling much better and is quite eager to attend her lady. But I’m not sure she’s ready to return to her duties.”

Lady Tremaine wondered if she shouldn’t just send Mrs. Bramble back home. “Tell her it is my wish that she continue to rest—that is, if Lady Prudence can spare you. I wouldn’t like to deprive her of her lady’s maid.”

Rebecca looked pleased. “Lady Prudence is being well taken care of. I am entirely at your service. Unless you’d prefer Mrs. Bramble?” she said, taking Lady Tremaine’s dressing gown out of the wardrobe.

The fact was, she didn’t prefer Mrs. Bramble. Lady Tremaine was enjoying this change of pace, without her daughters and the servants who knew her well. She felt it was a chance to start fresh, to regain her old self. There was an ease to being cared for by Rebecca and the rest of Lady Hackle’s servants. It was all entirely civil, without the overfamiliarity she had fallen into at home. She liked feeling that everyone knew their place, and with that she realized that she, too, had found hers.

“No, Rebecca, Mrs. Bramble should rest a while longer. I think she is well where she is. Now let’s decide what I will wear to the picnic. I assume my dear friend Lady Prudence has some ideas on the matter?” she asked teasingly.

“As a matter of fact, she did give me a few dresses for you to choose from. Shall I show them to you now?” Rebecca held out a long black silk robe with vivid pink flowers for Lady Tremaine to wear while she made her selections for the day. “I asked one of the maids to come up and run a bath for you. Why don’t we take a look at the dresses while we wait?”

Just then a dainty young woman in a black-and-white maid’s uniform came into the room.

“Rose, please run a bath for Lady Tremaine. We will be in shortly,” Rebecca said.

The slight girl nodded and quickly went into the adjoining bathroom without another word.