Freeing Ebony

Chapter 4 - Photo of Ebony

Chapter Four

Henry didn’t attend the opera the next week, or the week after that. He’d taken heed of Ebony’s request for him to stay away, and instead he’d invested the majority of his time in research regarding the ‘she’ that Ebony was talking about.

He didn’t have much to do in the way of work for the estate as there were no new contracts to be drawn up and signed and all the current tenants didn’t yet need to renew their leases.

First he’d started with the basics. He’d searched his father’s library for any history books on the English counties, hoping to learn anything about the ‘Seaver’ family. He ought to have just asked his elder sister, Little J, as she’d read every book in the library cover to cover but she was a busy, working mother now. He scoured the Suffolk pages for hours looking for any trace of her ancestors but couldn’t find anything.

He then decided to write to one of the sitting Earls.

“Papa,” Henry had asked Sebastian two days after he’d seen Ebony last. “Who is the Earl sitting closest to Suffolk?”

Sebastian had peered at him peculiarly. His father looked quite tired as he hadn’t been permitted in his bedchamber with Emilia and he never slept well away from her. They were still arguing at that point. A week or so later though and Emilia forgave Sebastian after his constant grovelling won her over.

“What on earth do you want to know that for?” Sebastian asked.

“A … project,” Henry replied.

“You know you can’t lie well, son,” Sebastian said knowingly.

“It is Ebony’s home county,” Henry admitted. “I’m trying to find someone for her.”

“Do you know, in my day we just asked a girl to a dance and that was that. You were married a few months later and before you knew it you were parents. What has she tasked you with? Find someone for her and she’ll marry you?”

“Did you ask mama to a dance and that was that?” Henry quipped, already knowing the answer.

“That is a different story. Mama was quite bitter when I met her. Don’t tell her I said that. I’m already in trouble.” Sebastian paused for a moment to listen for any footsteps outside the study.

“Not that it’s any of your business but Ebony doesn’t care for me, and nor do I for her. We are just acquaintances … perhaps we shall even be friends when I have found her.” Henry didn’t know whether to say ‘mother’, ‘daughter’, ‘grandmother’, ‘sister’ or ‘friend’. He truly had no idea who he was looking for. He wanted more than friendship though. He wanted to get to know her on a deeper level. He wanted her to trust him and he wanted to see her let go of whatever was keeping her dark eyes cold and hard. He had to show her that she could trust him. He would find ‘her’ and that would prove it.

“Alright, I believe you.” Sebastian smiled. “I don’t know of all the Earls in Suffolk but I know of one – Earl of Pembroke. Lord Christian Dagwood, I believe he is called. I’ve only ever heard of the man, your Uncle Daniel is good friends with him. I hope he can help you.”

Henry had written to the Earl straight away.

Lord Pembroke,

 

I am Henry Alcott, the nephew of your friend, Lord Southerby and the second son of Lord Sebastian Alcott, Earl of Ethridge.

I am writing to you to inquire after a family that live in your county. I am requiring information on a family caller ‘Seaver’. A daughter of the family is currently residing in London and her name is Ebony.