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Tia knew no one would care if she had an affair with him. Except, quite possibly, Jonathon. He had warned her about his brother’s reputation with the ladies of the Society. She smiled, remembering how he had warned her about his own reputation. Not that she had anything to worry about with him.
If it came to it, could she let Middleton make love to her? God knew the man was handsome enough for any woman. With his dark looks and darker clothing, he lent the impression of a devil ready to strike. She closed her eyes and imagined him caressing her body—his fingers playing roughly with her nipples before working their way down her belly to split her folds. Just thinking such lurid thoughts made her wet with desire.
What would be the worst thing that happened if she let him make love to her?
She blinked her eyes open with that horrific thought. She could be more than ruined. She might end up with child. His child. His heir, quite possibly. And while back at the estate no one would mind much if she had a bastard child, she’d never wanted that for herself. She wanted love, marriage, a friendship that lasted like her parents’ marriage.
Those things would never be possible with Middleton.
Tia finally put away her musing and walked to the linen press. What did one wear to a gaming hell? She had no idea. Emily had bought her two day dresses and the one silk gown Tia had worn for the party. Emily had wanted to buy her more, but Tia refused to let her spend any more money on her. Even the day dresses were too fancy to wear out at Middleton Park when she called on the tenants.
She pulled out the silk and held it up to her. Was this too extravagant? Perhaps the yellow day dress would be best. Reluctantly, she placed the silk back into the linen press and withdrew the yellow muslin. It was far prettier than most of the dresses she’d owned prior to Middleton destroying them out of an insect fear.
Staring into the looking glass, she smiled. The yellow would be perfect. She walked over to ring for Mrs. Abbott, when the door to her bedchamber swung open. Without even a quick knock to bid entrance, Middleton strolled into her room with his hands full.
“Just as I expected,” he said, seeing her muslin dress on the bed. “You have nothing to wear. Well, I have solved that dilemma.” He placed the packages on the bed. “Miss Barnes, please come in.”
Miss Barnes? “Middleton, what is going on? You walk into my room uninvited and toss packages on my bed.”
He turned to her with a smile. “Actually, all those things are mine. I’m just letting you use them.”
Tia shook her head. “What?”
He pointed to the bed. “The bed, the room, the packages. They are actually all mine.”
“Of course they are.”
“Miss Barnes, please come in here. Don’t be shy.” He ambled toward the threshold. “I know she sounds like a termagant, but she is really not that horrible.”
“Who sounds like that?” Tia demanded with her hands on her hips.
He glanced back at her with a smirk. “You have to ask?” He walked out of the bedchamber and returned with a young girl of no more than twenty. “Tia, this is Miss Barnes, your lady’s maid while you are staying with me.”
Tia’s mind spun at dizzying speeds. He hired a servant just for her. Guilt overwhelmed her. “My lord, you shouldn’t have done such an extravagant thing. Mrs. Abbott—”
“Is the housekeeper who needs to focus her attention on the duties of the house. Miss Barnes worked as a lady’s maid before, so she shall do just fine. I actually borrowed her from my cousin, Alistair. His oldest sister, Constance, married earlier this year, so he didn’t need two lady’s maids.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Barnes.”
She bobbed a quick curtsy. “And you, ma’am.”
“I shall leave you two to get ready. I would like to leave by eight.” Middleton nodded and then left.
“What should I call you, ma’am? Lord Middleton didn’t explain things to me.”
“You may call me . . .” What did a maid call a woman in these circumstances? “Tia.”
The girl shook her head violently. “I can’t do that, ma’am. It’s not proper.”
“Then Miss Featherstone.”
“Very good, Miss Featherstone. And you may call me Mary.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mary.” Tia hesitated for a long moment. “I?
??m honestly not used to having a maid.”
“I understand, ma’am.” Mary moved the bed and unwrapped the packages. “Oh my, Miss Featherstone.”
