“Yes, you have certainly landed on your feet,” Lady Mansel said to Carina with a sneer. “Howisyour father?”
“Well, I believe,” Carina managed, but she knew Lady Mansel would not remain silent. The malicious gleam in her eyes told her that Papa’s failings, the tale of Lord Durward and the drunken tugboat captain’s daughter, were all about to be spewed for everyone’s entertainment in terms that were bound to reach Lady Grandison’s ears and, worse, Lord Sanderly’s. After tomorrow, he would be legally in charge of the children.
Still smiling, Lady Mansel turned to Lady Sark. “Miss Jasper left Harwich in something of a hurry, you know. When I tell you she is—”
“Ah, there is Sir John with Isbourne,” Lady Sark interrupted without apology. “Are you yet acquainted with his grace, Lady Wolf?”
“Excuse me, I am needed,” Carina murmured, marching toward Lady Grandison with her eyes cast down. She didn’t know whether to be grateful for the distraction or appalled by the unprecedently early appearance of the gentlemen, who included Sir Hugh as well as Lord Durward – two more hurdles to be avoided.
Despite focusing on her own feet, she knew exactly when she passed Durward for he halted and she felt the intensity of his gaze on her skin.
Why is he looking? she wondered wildly.Why is he even here if he didn’t know about the wedding? And why the devil had he brought his little brother? She ploughed on, placing herself at Lady Grandison’s elbow once more. She could be invisible for just a few more minutes, then be useful in serving the tea, and then escape. She could not think further into the future than that, for her head was too sore and her stomach felt coiled into a tight spring.
And yes, here was the tea trolley. Surely the last hurdle of the evening approached.
Lady Grandison was amazing. Despite her apparent vagueness that rarely allowed her to finish one sentence before beginning on the next, she recalled exactly how all her guests liked their tea.
“For Tabitha Sark and Babs Martindale,” she said about the first two cups and saucers. “On the little sofa by the window...” She even understood that Carina did not know the guests and pointed them out to her. She had never expected such kindness in an employer and realized all over again how lucky she had been to obtain this position.
Most of the guests even smiled and thanked Carina, with the notable exception of Lady Mansel who took the tea without pausing in her conversation to so much as look at her. The legendary “Duke of Death”, Isbourne, gave her a singularly sweet smile. He was talking to Lady Sark, Sanderly, and Durward who received the next cup. Again, she knew his gaze was on her face, but she pretended to have no time to look at him and focused on finding Lord Wolf.
Oddly, Durward was there again when she came to Sir Hugh, and Mansel was therefore unable to assault her with more than his eyes as he received his tea. Which was when a late guest was announced.
“Lord Calton, my lady,” said the butler, and a handsome rakish young gentleman ambled in.
“Forgive me, Lady G,” he said bowing over his hostess’s hand. “I’m later than I intended, and I’m afraid I bring bad news. Is Durward here?”
“Yes,” Durward said, his voice oddly hollow. “Give us the worst, Calton.”
The eyes of the two young men met and in spite of her own worries, Carina felt all the ominous darkness of impending doom.
“Foster has relapsed,” Lord Calton said bluntly. “They say he’s about to give up the ghost. And there’s a warrant out for your arrest, Durward.”
The whole room heard that in stunned silence.
Now, Carinahadto look at Durward. His face was blank, like a man absorbing shock. He set down his cup and saucer on the windowsill, and his breath seemed to come out very slowly.
Sanderly’s hand descended on his shoulder. “Best go tonight, my friend.”
A smile dawned that hurt Carina’s eyes, for it seemed to be made of equal parts recklessness and pain.
“Oh, no,” Durward said carelessly. “Tomorrow will do.Afterthe wedding. Providing Sir John doesn’t clap me in irons.”
“WOULD YOU EXCUSE MEnow, my lady?” Carina asked Lady Grandison. “I must make sure Orchid at least is in bed.”
Lady Grandison peered at her. “You are looking a trifle peaky, my dear. I hope you’re not coming down with some ailment?”
“Oh, no, I’m just a little tired with keeping everyone straight in my head. Goodnight, Lady Grandison.”
And then, almost dizzyingly, she was free. She wanted to take the stairs to the nursery two and three at a time, but her legs shook too much. For she wasnotfree. She ached too hard for Durward.
She found Orchid holding court in her bed while Duncan Travis read to everyone from her favourite story book, only he changed every fifth word or so to “steam-pump.” Orchid laughed like a drain, and the other children were vastly entertained,although they all looked guilty when Carina appeared in the doorway.
Duncan grinned at her and carried on reading. Tolerantly, Carina waited for the end before she removed the book from his hands and without being told, the other children all left Orchid to sleep.
“That was so funny,” Orchid confided to Carina.
“So it was. But you have to go to sleep now. You have a big day tomorrow.”
