They made their way toward Berkeley Square, where Worthington House was located. It seemed strange that by the end of the Season it would no longer be her London home. Nor would Worthington Place be her home. She had never thought it would bother her to leave home. None of their older sisters had minded having their own houses and estates. Still, the thoughts kept popping into her mind.

Suddenly, a boy ran out into the street, waving his hat and shouting at something. Eleanor’s mare shied, but she was able to maintain control. What in God’s name had that been about?

“Eleanor, are you all right?” Her twin was at her side, and the boy was nowhere to be seen.

“I am fine.” A small tremor shook Eleanor’s hands.

Alice’s brows drew together and Eleanor shook her head. There was nothing they could do without questioning the lad.

Jemmy, her groom, rode up. “That weren’t no accident, my lady. He was standing quiet until he saw you.”

“Thank you, Jemmy. You have confirmed my thoughts. Come, Adela, let’s go home.”

The horses’ hooves clattered to a stop outside the house, and their grooms came forward to take the mares.

“Good morning.”

Eleanor glanced around to see their sisters, Charlotte, Marchioness of Kenilworth, and Louisa, Duchess of Rothwell, strolling toward the house holding their children’s hands. Charlotte, Louisa, and Grace all had children in the five-year-old range.

“You must be joining us for breakfast.” Eleanor leaned down for kisses from the children.

“We’re going to spend the day with Gideon and Elizabeth,” Constance, Charlotte’s daughter, informed them.

“I still think they should be our cousins and not our aunt and uncle,” Hugh, Constance’s twin grumbled.

“You are just being silly,” Louisa’s daughter, Alexandria, opined. “It doesn’t matter. We are all friends.”

“I agree,” Madeline said, taking Alexandria’s hand. “Let us break our fast.”

“I am not sure where Grace is,” Eleanor said as the children raced up the stairs to the nursery. “Or the dogs.”

“Her ladyship and the Danes are with the twins in the babies’ room,” Thorton, their brother’s butler, informed them.

“We will go to her,” Louisa said. “Alexandria loves Posy.” Sadly, Duke and Daisy, their old Great Danes, had died three and two years ago respectively. Pets never lived long enough. Now they had Zeus and Posy who were wonderful Danes with their own personalities.

“We will see you in the breakfast room.” Eleanor followed Alice and Madeline to the back of the house, where they had separate bedchambers as well as their own parlor.

Jobert was waiting for her when she entered her room. “We are going to have a full table this morning.”

“So Mrs. Thorton, the housekeeper, said.” The maid had already laid out Eleanor’s clothing for the morning.