Page 48 of One Night with an Earl

Penelope leaned close and lowered her voice further. “You should not worry. We will see his lordship soon.”

That was precisely why Ana was concerned. As they continued down the hall of her childhood home, she began to tire. Her back ached between her shoulder blades from the hours in the coach and the stress of returning to Rosedown.

And to him.

As they followed the housekeeper, a maid careened around the corner with an armful of clean linen. She stopped short before crashing into them, brown eyes wide, and curtsied.

“Pardon me!”

She was young and new, but before Ana could reassure her there was no injury, Mrs. Hannings spoke. “Miss White, please see Miss Gardner to her room, and I will take care of our other guests.”

The maid bobbed a quick curtsy. “Yes, Mrs. Hannings.”

“Come along, Penelope,” Lady Malvern said as she followed the housekeeper.

Ana was relieved. The less time she spent in the housekeeper’s presence, the less opportunity for her to recognize Ana. Mrs. Hannings’ loyalty was to the lord of the manor, and she would be compelled to tell Lord Drake the truth.

Ana followed the maid as she led her to a room near the end of the hall, then opened the door. “You have only to ring if you require anything, Miss.”

Ana entered, then halted, eyes wide at the sight of the large room. Painted a pale pink, it was lavishly furnished in mahogany, an ebony fireplace with a malachite stone hearth, the bed canopied with billowy, sheer curtains. The floor was covered in a thick Indian carpet that Ana longed to walk on barefoot. French doors led to a terrace that overlooked the gardens below. The doors were cracked open, and a pleasant breeze blew inside and cooled her cheeks. From this vantage point, she could see the conservatory and the rolling hills beyond. It had been a guest room when Ana had lived here, and it was opulent, far too opulent for a chaperone.

She whirled to catch the maid before she departed. “There must be some mistake. I’m Lady Penelope’s chaperone. Are you certain this room is for me?”

The girl’s face tinged pink. “Yes, Miss. Lord Drake personally saw to all the accommodations. He specifically requested you be shown to this room.”

He had?

What was he thinking? Did he believe they would share a clandestine evening entwined as lovers in the canopied bed?

And why did that thought make her pulse quicken?

Still, the move was very presumptuous of him.

Madame Crescent had warned that a dominant man like the earl would not easily be dismissed. She’d also advised that it was her choice whether to indulge her pleasures once more, but Ana was more unsure than ever. Her emotions were a whirlwind, and whatever had occurred at the Royal Exhibition with their shared kiss had changed the moment the coach rolled to a stop before Rosedown. Their arrival here complicated matters.

She realized the maid was waiting for her instructions. “Thank you,” Ana said.

The girl bobbed a quick curtsy, then departed.

Ana hurried to lock the door, then sat on the edge of the bed. The crinkle of paper reminded her of the letter from Lieutenant Smithfield hidden in her skirt pocket. She slipped it in a slim drawer in an end table. She’d deal with the letter and Penelope later. She removed the bonnet and dug her fingers into her hair at her temples. She was exhausted, emotionally and physically.

Still, her gaze went to the door, and her mind wondered what she would do if Oliver was bold enough to pay her a visit.

Chapter Eighteen

A low knock on the door woke Ana. She bolted upright, startled that she had fallen asleep. The mattress was the softest she’d ever slept on, and she’d succumbed to exhaustion.

A quick glance at the mantle clock revealed it had only been an hour. Who could it be? Was the earl bold enough to visit?

She hurried to open the door to find Lady Malvern waiting. Ana’s brow furrowed, and she rubbed her temple. “Is something amiss with Penelope?”

“Penelope is fine and resting in her room.”

Lady Malvern shut the door and walked inside. Her ladyship had changed from her traveling dress into a green satin dress with epaulettes of lace and a matching emerald necklace. She appeared richly dressed and confident in her position. She eyed Ana’s accommodations, and her arched brow revealed what Ana had feared as soon as she’d stepped into the bedchamber: the lavish room was too much to spare on a companion.

“I thought to use this time to discuss our strategy.”

“Our strategy?”