She changed out of her muddy gown and into a slighted dated but clean dress of ivory muslin with eyelet trim. Then she saw to the care of her blisters and went to check on Mrs. Culpepper. She found her friend awake, dressed, and eager for both company and a spot of breakfast. Happy to see to both, Anna had trays brought up to the room. While they worked their way through a well-prepared meal of eggs and fish, Anna explained the changes in their circumstances. To Anna’s great relief, Mrs. Culpepper had already ascertained for herself what was going on and took the news of their unexpected stay at Caldwell quite well. She was, she professed, in no hurry to be inside that dreadful carriage once more. Mrs. Culpepper then proceeded to ask a seemingly endless number of questions about Engsly, and Anna spent the next hour doing her best to answer them all. But not once did Mrs. Culpepper mention Max, leaving Anna to believe that no one had yet mentioned Lord Dane to her. Not eager to be the first, Anna said nothing of him during their meal and conversation, nor afterward when they fell into the easy midmorning habit of settling in with their books of choice.
