Page 27 of Dared By a Lyon
Staying here at Ravenswood has been a heartwarming respite. The countess reminds me of Aunt Beatrice, and the earl is truly the Prince Charming of every girl’s dreams.
But there is a little girl here who is now in my heart and shall remain there for the rest of my life. Caroline, who lost both her parents in a tragic accident three years ago, when she was only four years old. Who has not spoken a word since the accident and has reverted to sleepwalking.
I am relieved that I have a little more time with this family, with Caro and the countess and the earl. The house party has been postponed to the weekend, given the weather conditions, but in the meantime, Iwill cherish every memory I make here at Ravenswood. Memories that will live in my heart for the rest of my life.
Dear Diary, I bid you good night, and I shall return with another entry very soon. Until next time…
~A
Just as she was tucking her diary beneath her mattress, Alice rushed into the room with Ashlyn’s freshly pressed dress. “I thought you’d enjoy the yellow chintz dress today. It’ll be lovely with your beautiful hair, Miss Vickers.”
“Thank you, Alice,” Ashlyn said, hoping the maid hadn’t seen her tuck her diary away. It was for her eyes only, even though she was certain she could trust Alice.
“Mrs. Flinters told me that the countess is looking forward to seeing you at dinner.”
“But we have plenty of time before dinner,” Ashlyn said, once again leaning back against the comfortable pillows.
“No, we do not, miss. I want to take my time styling your hair and getting you dressed so you’ll look perfect,” Alice said.
“Thank you. It seems each time I go, it’s a different way. This house is immense.”
“It’s been expanded many times, miss, and according to Eugenia, one of the maids I’ve gotten to know, there are lots of different ways to get to places in here.”
“Nobody can look perfect.”
“Please, miss, indulge me just this once,” Alice said with a hopeful smile.
“Very well. You may do your best to tame these unruly tresses!” Ashlyn giggled.
An hour later, she made her way to the dining room with Alice by her side. Truth be told, shedidfeel beautiful. Alice had outdone herself, Ashlyn saw when she observed her reflection in the looking glass. She was taken aback by her appearance.Alice had indeed worked magic and made her look like a regal princess. Wispy curls framed her face in a half updo resembling delicate lace that complemented her violet-blue eyes. Lovely pearls adorned her neck, while her elegant yellow chintz dress was embellished with small white pearls woven into the bodice.
“Miss, you do look like a princess, I must say. I do excellent work,” Alice said with a wink.
Ashlyn shook her head at her maid’s cheeky comment. “You are nothing if not modest.”
They passed down an unfamiliar hallway on their way to the dining room. “I haven’t been down this way before,” Ashlyn said, in awe of her surroundings as she walked. She looked up at the wall where life-sized portraits of the earl’s ancestors and his immediate family looked down.
“One of the maids showed me this way early this morning,” Alice said. “It’s a more direct way to the dining room.”
Just as they approached the end of the hall, Ashlyn stopped and gasped at a stunning painting that caught her eye. What looked like an older version of Gabriel smiled down at her. “This must be his father,” she whispered. “The late earl.”
The earl’s commanding figure was rendered in dark oils, his broad shoulders draped in a navy-blue coat cut to military precision. A waistcoat of ivory silk gleamed beneath, embroidered with gold thread that caught the artist’s brush as though it shimmered in lamplight. He rested one gloved hand lightly on the hilt of a dress sword, the other placed protectively upon the back of the chair where his wife sat.
The countess, elegant and composed, with a serene smile on her lovely face, wore a gown of sapphire-blue silk with short, puffed sleeves and a high waist, the fabric falling in graceful folds about her lush figure. A delicate gold necklace with a sapphire pendant adorned her slender neck, with matching sapphire teardrop earrings. Her dark hair was swept into asmooth coiffure, adorned with a single diamond-jeweled comb that caught the light. Truth be told, the lady had not changed much since the portrait had been painted.
Standing to the right of the earl could be no one other than Olivia. She appeared to be about fourteen years old, clad in a simple white muslin gown tied with a sash of deep-blue ribbon that matched her striking moss-green eyes—the eyes of her mother. Caro was her likeness in every feature, save for those eyes—hers shone a bright sapphire blue. Ashlyn thought at once that Caro must have inherited her eyes from her father.
On the left of the countess stood Gabriel, no longer a boy but not quite a man, perhaps eighteen. He was as tall as his father, though still lanky, whereas the earl was solidly built. He wore a black coat with gold buttons, the rich color offset by a waistcoat of blue silk that echoed his mother’s gown. Though his hair was neatly combed, it seemed to rebel with a stubborn wave that fell across his forehead. And it was impossible to mistake those eyes—stormy gray, just like his father’s.
Ashlyn noticed that Gabriel was hugging his little sister.
“Oh yes, miss,” Alice said. “It’s the late earl. Mrs. Fitz said he was a kind man, with a ready smile. I’m sure you can tell who everyone else is.”
“Yes…it’s very evident.”
“It’s a right shame what happened to his sister, Lady Olivia, her husband, and the earl’s fiancée, too,” Alice said with a sad sigh. “Lady Caroline looks so much like her mother, don’t you think?”
“She certainly does.” Ashlyn couldn’t help the tightness in her throat. She blinked back tears. From what both Gabriel and the countess had told her, the sibling relationship had been a close one. The portrait reinforced how close the two must have been, closer than most siblings. Considering her own relationship with Elizabeth, she understood it.
