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“I could not disagree more. A loyal, well taken care of staff is critical to the successful management of any estate.”
There was another moment of silence, before Cassandra suddenly spoke.
“My Lord, if that is the case, why have you had such turnover?”
I watched Lord Marsden look at Cassandra. In the candlelight, she looked even more beautiful than usual, with red curls glowing against porcelain skin. I wondered, for a moment, if the Lord would fall in love with her. She rivaled Juliana Pembroke in beauty, that was for certain.
Lord Marsden looked at her for a moment, but his expression betrayed no emotion.
“Terrible management, Miss Radcliffe.” He said simply. “I cannot remember the last time I was at Rosehill. It might have been when Miss Allen still lived here, in fact.” He looked over at me, and our eyes locked for the briefest moment.
“I suppose you had plenty of important things to occupy your time.” Lady Radcliffe said, a hint of disapproval in her voice.
We all knew she was hinting at the Lord’s reputation for misbehavior, but of course, she would never say it explicitly.
Marsden raised his eyebrows; it appeared as if he was almost about to laugh.
“Indeed. Drinking and stealing the virtue of half of the eligible ladies of the ton is something I do deem to be ofgraveimportance.”
The dining room fell completely silent.
Cassandra looked over at me, her shock barely concealed, and I stared back at her, at a loss for words. I knew we were both thinking the same thing, and it had less to do with the Lord’s rakish behavior than it did with his complete disregard for decorum.
We all certainlyknewLord Marsden was a scoundrel, that was no surprise. But for him to admit it so brazenly, and right in Lady Radcliffe’s face…
Well, I couldn’t help but find it a little bit funny. Though shocking and immoral, to be certain.
“Speaking of which,” the Lord continued, tipping over his empty wine glass, “I need a drink, and there’s apparently not a single drop available at Rosehill. I shall have to excuse myself, but I hope you find the rest of the dinner to be to your liking.”
His tone was sarcastic. The Lord stood, his tall, strong figure sending a shadow across the table in the flickering candlelight. Before anyone had a chance to react, he strode out of the room, leaving the three of us to finish eating alone.
Cassandra and I made eye contact again, and we couldn’t help but laugh. The situation was justsoabsurd.
“My word, I can’t believe-” she began to exclaim, still looking at me, before her grandmother interrupted.
“Cassandra, if you dare speak a word, I will never let you return to London again.”
My friend dropped her fork with a small clatter, and silence filled the room once again.
Therestoftheevening passed as they always did. Lady Radcliffe observed Cassandra and I at our embroidery, occasionally insulting my work.
Every few minutes, she would lament about how unfortunate it was that we had to stay the night at the home of such a villainous figure as Lord Marsden. Cassandra and I would nod gravely in agreement, but whenever she was distracted, the two of us gossiped in whispers about the dinner’s events.
“I daresay, he is even more handsome up close, do you not agree? Though terribly wicked, to be sure.” Cassandra said with a conspiratorial grin, after her grandmother had excused herself for a bit of air.
I laughed darkly.
“Indeed. And rather moody, it seems.”
“That’s certainly true. I think he might have been drunk.”
“That would not surprise me. I am half surprised he didn’t fall in love with you, though. You looked so beautiful at dinner.”
Cassandra laughed, shaking her head.
“You are too kind, Amelia. But I did think he looked longer atyouthan he did at me.”
My cheeks grew red again.
