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In a panic after she was unable to locate her in or around the tavern’s environs, Lissa finally went to Lord Partington’s London townhouse. Though she was in danger of losing her place if her truancy was discovered, she loitered under the plane tree across the road until, finally, she caught the attention of the younger girl, Hetty, who had her nose pressed to the window.
Succumbing, obviously, to curiosity, Hetty came into the garden and for the first time Lissa properly made the acquaintance of her other half-sister. Immediately, she liked her. Hetty was sweet and unassuming, where Araminta was venal and calculating. It was hard to imagine they could even be related, so different were they.
Lissa was indignant on Hetty’s behalf when she learned the full story of Araminta’s deviousness in going behind Hetty’s back to get Jem to hand over the letter. She was glad to tell Hetty that Araminta hadn’t had the money on hand to secure it.
The girl’s smile at this piece of information had transformed her into a beauty. “So Jem still has the letter? Why, all is not lost then!”
But all seemed lost for Lissa, and any possibility of a future with Ralph Tunley, she reflected dolefully after she’d traipsed home.
Mrs. Lamont was shouting for her and the nursery maid, whom she had begged to cover for her, was in tears.
“Oh miss, where have you bin? I’ve told ever so many lies about you being took sick of a sudden and going to visit your aunt for some remedy.” Clara had the youngest child on her lap while the elder was demanding that her governess do drawing with her. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lamont’s heavy footsteps were pounding up the stairs, and soon both she and Master Cosmo were in the room, their fearsome expressions suggesting what it must feel like to be confronted by an enemy battalion.
Oh, but she hated life here.
An image of domestic felicity with Ralph floated up before her but was dissolved by Mrs. Lamont’s fierce, “Perhaps I shall dismiss you on the spot, Miss Hazlett.” Her multiple chins wobbled and her ringlets bobbed as her son glared malevolently at Lissa from behind his mother’s shoulder. “Leaving the house with not a word! Why, Nellie was beside herself when you were not there for her usual drawing lesson. What possessed you to show such blatant disregard for the kindness this family has shown you?”
The knowledge that for the past six months very little regard had been shown to her by this family welled up in Lissa’s breast, and for once banished all common sense.
“Very well, I shall go then!” she declared angrily, brushing past the gathered group and intending to go to her tiny attic bedchamber. At least her mother could use her help during her advantaged stages of pregnancy. She’d not cost much to keep.
“Pray, have a thought for the girls who need you.” Cosmo’s fingers were digging into Lissa’s shoulder, and when he turned her to face him, his expression was both angry and frightened. Mama...”
He turned to his mother, who was trembling with an excess of emotion and who seemed unable to articulate the tumultuous state of her thoughts.
“Miss Hazlett has taken grave advantage, it is true. However, her imminent departure will cause far more disruption than is warranted, and although she is an ungrateful creature, she should be offered one final chance.” He lowered his voice and there was a clear subtext in his expression as he added, “So that she might see there are...benefits to realizing the error of her ways.” He put his lips close to Lissa’s ear. “We will discuss this further when we are alone.”
The idea of being alone with Cosmo was repugnant so Lissa ensured she was with Nellie and Harriet for the rest of the day.
Inevitably, though, he came, indicating for her to leave the girls to their drawing so he could speak to her in private as he led her to the window alcove.
“I have spoken to Mama, and you don’t have to go, Miss Hazlett. I have two commissions and you’re to have them all completed by Friday,” he said without preamble.
Lissa waited for some kind of conciliatory addendum, or at least an indication that he was grateful and recognized his rising reputation was purely due to her.
Finally, she asked boldly, “How much will that earn me?”
Fury clouded his brow. “I ensured you kept your job. How dare you ask me now for money? If you wish to remain under this roof and enjoy my family’
s hospitality, you will need to show a little respect.”
His cold, angry eyes were suddenly right in front of her nose. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, Miss Hazlett. You have a young man, don’t you? Well...” He looked gloating. “I have a good deal more influence than the specimen you clearly favor, so if you want him to continue to enjoy his fruitful employment, I suggest there be no more talk of something so unsavory as payment for doing only what you owe this family.”
Lissa raised her chin with a fury to match his and was about to hiss a suitable response when suddenly she turned, nursing her right hand as if it gave her great pain.
“Ah, but I knew it would come to this, Master Cosmo,” she whimpered, massaging the limb and pretending great sorrow. “As an honest and virtuous servant of this household, I feel I must go and confess all to your mother. I have deceived her, and both my conscience and the hand I use for sketching, are smiting me.”
He looked confused. “Miss Hazlett, really, I don’t think...”
“No, you really don’t think, Master Cosmo, do you? Otherwise you’d not bite the hand that feeds you,” Lissa flung back at him. “Are you so pudding-headed that you can’t imagine I would happily tell the world of our little arrangement before going elsewhere? You think the lack of a good character from your mama might hamper my employment chances? I’m confident I have the proof to back up my testimony that I am the artist, not you. The only reason I remain is because I need you to secure the commissions. So why not reconsider the merits of honoring your pledge to pay me as agreed? Then we can put this unfortunate episode behind us.”
She’d never spoken so forcefully but she’d been emboldened after watching Araminta conduct business.
And Lissa knew that she was cleverer than Araminta and more talented than Cosmo.
Chapter Seven
Highway robbery or a clever legal plan. These were the two choices which faced Ralph. Although he felt the former a more exciting option, and an antidote to his misery in Lord Debenham’s employ, his steady common sense ultimately favored the clever legal plan.
