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will, M’lady.”

    “You’ll have to tell York you’re going,” Lady Baxter said.

    Ella sighed. She wasn’t looking forward to that, and hoped York would not ask too many questions. But he did.

    “If there are things you need, then I can send another servant. There’s no need for you to leave Lady Ann,” he said.

    “I will be fine, York,” Ann Baxter replied. “Emma told me she has correspondence to send to her father so we can kill two birds with one stone, since I am in need of some ribbon and she knows specifically what I’m looking for.”

    She fixed the butler with a challenging look, and York nodded. “As you wish.”

    Lady Baxter smiled as he left the room. “He may be in league with my husband, but he’s still as servant. It feels good to remind him of his place.”

    Ella thought it felt good to see him reminded of it, but did not say so. There was no need to fan the flames, and she was looking forward to a trip to the village. Billings was more talkative than ever, and asked her how she liked serving at Baxter Hall. Ella told him she was pleased, and did not mentioned her encounters with William or hint at any other problem. Sometimes discretion felt lonely, though, and she wondered if behind the placid faces of the staff there were other stories yet to be told.

    The village was bustling with people. It was market day and Ella distracted Billings with a list of errands she and Lady Baxter had agreed upon while she went searching for information on the rally. To her delight, it did not take long to find it. She found a stack of flyers by a stall and took one.

    “That’s the devil’s work, you know?” a man’s voice said.

    She turned to find a rather severe-looking man with a hawkish nose and missing teeth glaring at her from above his vicar’s collar.

    “Not all would agree,” she said.

    “Are you a maid? Does your employer know you’re here?”

    “Who I am is none of your business,” she said. “Good day.”

    “He’d be ‘shamed of ye, he would!” The man’s voice followed her, but fortunately he did not, and Ella was able to run the rest of her errands in peace. She dropped the letter to her father in the post, telling herself that the next one she sent him would be more honest.

    Billings was by the car when she arrived, a worried expression on his face.

    “I was just about to go look for you,” he said.

    “I can take care of myself,” she said.

    “That don’t stop me from wanting to look after you, if I may say so.” Billings smiled as he opened the back door of the car. Ella was flattered. The driver was nice, and less threatening than the other men at Baxter Hall.

    It was raining when she got back in. The servants were having tea.

    “Been shopping?” Mrs. Pilcher asked.

    “I was sent to pick up a few things,” Ella said. “I should be getting up to Her Ladyship.”

    “Not without a spot of tea first,” she said. “And a biscuit. You’ve missed lunch.”

    Ella laid her things on the sideboard and sat down, politely engaging in chatter but eager to leave. Servants came back and forth, and she caught sight of William and looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.

    She was relieved when finally she was able to extract herself from the respite. Gathering her things, she inquired of Mrs. Pilcher where Lady Ann might be.

    “Upstairs, I think,” she said.

    Ella found her in the room, lying down.

    “You’re back! I feel asleep reading but I’m so glad to see you! Did you find anything out about the meeting?”

    Ella smiled. “I have a flier with the time and the place, everything!” She began to go through the things she’d brought back. It wasn’t there.

    “That’s odd,” she said, frowning. “It must be here.” Ella went through again and gave an exasperated groan. “I must have dropped it. I can’t believe that? How could I be so clumsy?”

    Lady Ann was clearly disappointed. “Do you remember where it is going to