It wasn’t as if she loved him.
And she had to realize, no matter what happened to him, Willard could no longer hurt Millie socially. She now had the protection of Neville’s name, with or without him.
Cold comfort, but comfort nonetheless.
Chapter Fifteen
Cassie, Millie knew,would do everything she could to keep Millie from pursuing her plan. Cassie was simply too cautious to take the kind of risk Millie had determined to take. And Cassie was not in love with Neville.
Millie begged Cassie’s maid to wait a quarter hour before announcing that Millie had gone. Then, she had Gerard lead her quietly down the servants’ stair and out through the kitchens. Once in the mews, she strode with purpose, pushing her way down toward Asquith House, as the wind whined blustery gusts through the midday cold.
In a sunnier, warmer season, someone might have noticed her as she passed. But on a gray winter day, no one paid her the least mind. Head down, cloak clutched, she had transformed into just another harried footman about his employer’s business.
A short while later, she reached the mews gate of Asquith House.
With a pang, she remembered how she and Eliza had studied the mechanism until they’d learned to silently release the latch from both inside and outside the gate, a talent as handy then as now.
Using a pin she’d secreted into her pocket, she made quick work of the lock and then slipped into the back garden.
She’d brought along some coin, but she hoped she would be able to convince the head groom to hand over Asquith’shandsome new horse without a bribe. He might. She and Asquith had gone riding in the park on any number of occasions; the groom could assume permission on Asquith’s part.
Then again, she’d never taken one of Asquith’s horses out on her own.
And, of course, there was a chance the groom had not yet forgiven any of the Wainwright girls for the time Eliza stole his greatcoat for her own solitary escape into the night last winter. For weeks after he’d mumbled about girl scent whenever he’d handed one of them into Lady Asquith’s carriage.
Hesitantly, Millie opened the door to the stables. Inside, the horses nickered and whinnied, acknowledging her presence, but she didn’t see a single stable hand.Odd.
“Jasper?” She called up the stairs to the area where the stable hands slept. “Is anyone here?”
A great thump followed, then whispered voices.Twovoices.
One of them not male.
Well—she shrugged—if the groom was having an affair, at least she’d have a lever to pry him into cooperation.
“I’ll just wait down here,” she called. She turned on her heel and wandered over to the new horse’s stall. “Hey there,” she softened her voice as she slowly approached. “Remember me?”
The horse’s ears went back. She took that as permission to scratch the beast’s cheek. His calmly blinking eyes indicated a willingness to listen.
“I’m going to need your help, but things could get dangerous,” she said. “What do you say?”
The horse nuzzled her hand. As testament to the quick bond she’d made, the horse remained focused on Millie even as a thunder of footsteps sounded on the staircase.
“Ho there!” Asquith called out. “Step back from my—” He skidded to a stocking-footed stop. “Millie?”
“Manny,” Millie corrected, with a roughened, lowered voice. She bowed. “Newest under-groom in the Harbury household.”
Though Asquith remained frozen, another, lighter set of footsteps clattered toward the stairs but then stopped abruptly. All Millie could see was the swish of a dirty petticoat.
“For shame, Asquith.” Millie shook her head. “Lenora is going to bedevastated.”
A squeak sounded from the petticoated mystery woman.
“This isn’t…” Asquith glanced over his shoulder. “I mean, I can explain—”
“Why your open waistcoat is on inside out?” Millie interrupted dryly.
Asquith cursed as he pulled off the garment.
