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James poked his head out the door, watching as she disappeared into Agatha’s sitting room. Then he shut the library door, crossed the room, picked up the book, and began to read.
Chapter 9
“You want to do what?”
Elizabeth stood in front of Lady Danbury, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
“I told you, I’m going to take a nap.”
“But you nev
er take naps.”
Lady Danbury raised a brow. “I took one just two days ago.”
“But—but—”
“Close your mouth, Elizabeth. You’re beginning to resemble a fish.”
“But you have told me,” Elizabeth protested, “time and again, that the hallmark of civilization is routine.”
Lady D shrugged and made a fussy little chirping sound. “A lady cannot take it upon herself to occasionally change her routine? All routines need periodic readjustment.”
Elizabeth managed to shut her mouth, but she still couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“I may take a nap every day,” Lady Danbury stated, crossing her arms. “I say, what the devil are you looking for?”
Elizabeth, who had been tossing bewildered glances around the room, replied, “A ventriloquist. These words couldn’t possibly be coming from your mouth.”
“I assure you they are. I’m finding afternoon naps to be prodigiously refreshing.”
“But the one you took the other day—your single previous nap since childhood, I might add—was in the morning.”
“Hmmph. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t.”
“It was.”
“It would have been better in the afternoon.”
Elizabeth had no idea how to argue against such illogic, so she just threw up her arms and said, “I’ll leave you to your sleep, then,”
“Yes. Do that. And shut the door behind you. I’m certain I’ll need absolute silence.”
“I can’t imagine you’d require anything less.”
“Sly girl. Where is all this cheek coming from?”
Elizabeth threw her employer a scolding look. “You know very well it comes from you, Lady Danbury.”
“Yes, I’m doing a rather good job of molding you, aren’t I?”
“God help me,” Elizabeth muttered.
“I heard that!”
“I don’t suppose there is any chance that your hearing will be the first of your senses to go.”
Lady Danbury laughed out loud at that one. “You do know how to entertain an old lady, Elizabeth Hotchkiss. Don’t think I don’t appreciate that. I do care for you a great deal.”
