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Chapter 5
“Miss Moore?” Arnaud paused with the brushing, frowning at Isabel in the mirror. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Arnaud.” Isabel brushed stray strands of hair out of her face. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Did I ask you to comment?”
Arnaud arched an eyebrow without response and continued to brush Isabel’s hair. Isabel had given up trying to brush it herself a while ago as she couldn’t get the knots out, so Arnaud had taken up that task. It did hurt when she came upon a knot or two, but at least she could sort them out.
And tonight, just the mere brushing was making Isabel’s head hurt. The headache she had been sporting since this morning had never really gone away, nor had the hard knot in her stomach. Isabel was surprised that she managed to eat anything, although it tasted like she was eating paper. But she didn’t want to upset Cook by not eating anything, especially when Lady Dunley just sat there staring at her plate. She was in a worse state than Isabel.
They were living on borrowed time. Neither of them expected to be thrown out of the house Lady Dunley had known as her home since she was seventeen and where Isabel had been born. They had expected to live in it for the rest of their lives.
Daniel had shown no indication that he wanted the house when he had his own. The viscountcy could be used anywhere in the country, and Daniel could manage the estate from where he was. They had an estate manager who could answer to him instead. There would be no need to throw them out.
Mr Joyner said Daniel wanted his family to be settled before the new baby arrived, but what about the family already living there? Didn’t they matter? Did he really see his aunt and cousin as disposable? Apparently, he did.
“You’re worried, aren’t you?” Arnaud said quietly.
“About what?”
“About leaving here and going somewhere new.” Arnaud’s expression softened as she glanced up from Isabel’s head to meet her mistress’ gaze in the mirror. “It’s a shock for everyone, and I know the other servants are upset about you leaving. Nobody wants you to go.”
“What about you, Arnaud? Are you upset?”
“I’m upset that you’re being forced out, but I’m coming with you.” Arnaud shook her head as Isabel started to protest. “I’ve already spoken to Lady Dunley. She wants me to stay with you, to have at least one maid for the two of you, and I agreed. I’ll be coming with you when you leave.”
Isabel hadn’t realized that her mother had done this. She stared.
“But what if we can’t pay you? I doubt the new Lord Dunley will give us enough to pay for the household staff.”
“It doesn’t matter what my pay is; I’m going to come with you.”
“Can you afford it?”
“Probably not.” Arnaud’s mouth twitched. “But I would rather be with you and Lady Dunley than with the new viscount and his family. From what I’ve been told about him by servants who have met him, he’s not the best of people. And his wife is a little high and mighty. I don’t like that, and I’m sure I’ll be dismissed for arguing back to her.”
Isabel blinked.
“You would argue back with an employer.”
Arnaud lifted her chin.
“Nobody gets to be high and mighty around me. Besides, once the new Lord Dunley finds out that I’m French, he’ll more than likely dismiss me. Apparently, he has a bit of a dislike for the French.”
“I didn’t know about that.”
“Well, I don’t want to be around to find out.”
Isabel found that awful. She knew about the war against the French, and she didn’t like it, but she didn’t see all French people the same. Every single person in France didn’t go up in arms against the English, and not all shared the same views. Arnaud had left France because her own country was getting dangerous, and her family was threatened. Isabel’s parents had taken her in very quickly. She couldn’t think of her future without her French maid.
“May I ask a personal question, Arnaud?”
“You may.” Arnaud put the hairbrush down and then moved towards the bed. “Although whether I’ll answer or not is another matter.”
“That doesn’t help.”
