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“Now, would you be wanting your breakfast, sir? Mr. Drake, my Ian, as is, is just getting some eggs from our best hen—a regular good layer, that she is, although unlike you, sir, she’s not overfond of being disturbed in the morning, and is rather inclined to peck at one, should one be overfamiliar, if you know what I mean, sir.”
He nodded as if he knew, but truthfully had found her accent and manners of speech rather hard to follow at times. “I am not especially hungry, so I need no breakfast at the present.”
“Oh, but sir, we should fatten you up! A man of your occupation must be strong and hearty, and I won’t have the likes of Annie Brigham saying we don’t feed you enough here.”
He swallowed a smile. “And who is Annie Brigham?”
“The cook over at Stapleton Court. Always thinks she can look down on me because she is employed by a general, not a mere mister, like it was when Mr. Mannering—God rest his soul—was in charge here. But I don’t mind telling her the next time I see her thatI’llbe the one serving one of England’s heroes, and then we’ll see what she has to say about that!”
“I did not realize such things were so serious. I assure you I have no desire to be the cause of, or to get into the middle of, any trouble for you.”
“Oh, but you could never cause no trouble for me, sir.”
He smiled. “I believe you are being most generous when you say that, when it is most apparent that I have caused you no end of extra work.”
“Whether I be troubled or no’ is for me to decide, if you don’t mind me saying so, sir, and I am of the opinion that it is no trouble,” she said firmly. “Now, what can I be getting for you for breakfast, sir?”
“A piece of bread should suffice for now, Mrs. Drake.”
“At once, sir. If you’d like to attend to the dining room, then?”
“Forgive me. Which room is that?”
She hastened to a door in the corner and opened it—well, shoved the door with her shoulder—and invited him with a gasp that he be pleased to sit.
He obeyed, but as soon as she left, pushed to his feet again and moved around, studying the room’s dusty furnishings. Clearly some attempt to clean had been made here. The silver was not all tarnished, and there was a vase of faded flowers. Perhaps it was simply the guest bedchambers that had seen so little attention in recent years, and those rooms more likely to see public notice had been cared for.
He shifted to the frayed curtains and looked out on a side garden that was clearly overgrown. He might not know much about gardens, but he could spy what looked like roses and the yellow heads of daffodils, currently being trod over by a peacock displaying his feathers to advantage. Daniel could barely recall the state of the gardens from his previous visit, but he was sure things hadn’t seemed so unkempt. Perhaps this was another instance of preserving energy to attend to those more public spaces that would be seen by visitors. His lips tweaked. Much like some people he knew, all handsome peacock show but hiding attitudes and circumstances they wanted none to see. People like James Langley, who for many years had owned the manners of a rakehell but was hiding the brokenness of a misunderstood family. How blessed his friend James was to have found a real family and love with someone like Sarah.
Daniel shook himself from such musings—how his fellow officers would laugh to know the battle-hardened bachelor was thinking on such things—and moved back to his seat just as Mrs. Drake opened the door carrying a tray. A moment later, a plate of buttered bread and a hot cup of coffee was deposited in front of him.
“I’ll be fixing the rest of your meal now, sir.”
“Please”—he held up a hand—“I have no wish to be a bother.”
“Oh, ’tis no bother at all, sir. I be that glad to serve one who has seen the King hisself. Did you speak with him? What did he say? What was he like? Is it true he be a tad totty-headed?”
He smiled at the expression. “He was all that was pleasant.” And officious. And grand. Much too grand for the likes of a boy raised in the small Wiltshire village of Melksham. “I will confess that I found it all a little overwhelming.”
“Did you really? And you so brave and all! Well, I never.” She collected the tray and moved to the door before pausing. “Are you sure that be all, sir? You don’t require nothing else?”
“I’m perfectly satisfied,” he declared, before memories from earlier made him add, “Although I’m afraid the sheet in my bed now has a slight tear in it. Well, more than slight, I’m sorry to say.”
“Oh, dear.” She shook her head and sighed. “I’m so sorry, sir. That room hasn’t been used in an age, and I plumb forgot about the state of the linens. I’ll be sure to deal with that immediately.”
“There’s no hurry, although I wouldn’t like to make matters worse.”
“You’ll be in fresh bed linen tonight, sir,” she promised. “Now, is there anything else?”
“Thank you, no.”
She bobbed a curtsy and exited.
His plans for the day remained nebulous. Yes, he needed to return to Stapleton and see his niece and begin the task of slow persuasion to return to London. He had little wish to encumber the Stapletons with her care any longer. And he supposed he should make himself known to those in the village who needed to know of his presence, little as he might desire it. But it was only right that the solicitor, the doctor, and the church minister be paid the respect of a call. Especially as he wished to know a little more about how exactly matters stood for the Mannering family, and more particularly, those matters concerning his niece.
But a visit to the squire could currently not be had, given he was on a journey. How long could Daniel forgo making himself known in that particular quarter anyway?
