Angel of Mercy

Chapter 9

Emma was returning to her room in the servants' quarters after seeing Lord Salisbury. He had had a difficult morning complaining of nausea and a pounding headache. She plied her special tea and left him with a cool cloth on his forehead. He hadn't vomited, which gave Emma some comfort.

Huxley stopped her just as she reached her room.

"You received a letter, Miss Rhodes."

"Oh wonderful," Emma replied, taking the thick envelope Huxley extended toward her. It had to be another missive from her family.

Once inside her room, she quickly opened it and began to read. But it wasn't a chatty, descriptive note of family antics and town news.

Her worst fear had come true. They were losing the farm. They were months behind on the rent and couldn't keep up with the taxes. Her mother said no one could take them all in so some of them would go to her Aunt Enid's and the rest to the Lewis's, friends from the village.

Emma hated the thought of her family breaking up, but she knew there was no other way. They didn't have the money. It had been inevitable.

She placed the letter in her drawer with the others. The letter was dated two weeks ago. Which meant any day now they would have to vacate? She should be there; it had been her home too and now she wouldn't even have a chance to say goodbye. Though she tried to stop them the tears came sliding down her cheeks against her will staining the letter in her hand.

An hour later she returned to check on Lord Salisbury.

"How are you feeling? Any improvement?" she asked, trying to keep the shaky quiver out of her voice.

Lord Salisbury removed the cloth from his eyes and looked at her.

"What's wrong with you?" he demanded.

"How do you mean?" Emma asked, cleaning up the tea tray.

"You look sad. What happened?"

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar. Now tell me."

Emma turned to face him. "Not that you care but I've just received a letter from my family. We've lost the farm."

"Oh. I'm sorry." And he genuinely did appear to be so.

Emma nodded.

"What will they do?"

"They'll have to be separated. No one has the room to take in seven people. Now do you require anything else?"

"No."

Emma left.