Page 38 of A Naughty Proposal for His Winter Countess
“Harriet Augusta Bradford,” Emma said strictly. “You will go to that musicale, so help me.”
“Augusta?” Daniel said behind her.
“Yes, Augusta, I fancied myself the descendant of Caesar.” She turned back to Emma. “Are you sure?”
“Very.” Emma said, “Lord Barkley, please keep an eye on her, would you.”
Daniel laughed, “I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter Twelve
After giving his regards to Miss Bradford, Daniel guided Harriet back to the coach, and they started off to London. Harriet was uncharacteristically quiet, and Daniel knew why, she was worrying for her sister.
“If you want; I can send a doctor for her,” Daniel offered.
Harriet gave him a thin smile, “No, I’ll have Martha do it. Please, don’t trouble yourself.”
“Your sisters are special to you, aren’t they?” Daniel said. “Ben only told me that they all took care of you.”
“Against all odds,” Harriet replied. “Sacrificing their opportunities to give me mine. They took care of the house and everything else so I didn’t have to worry. That was before Martha married; our fortunes changed after that. I went to finishing school and started a season at seventeen. I don’t think I would be happy or healthy now if they hadn’t done what they did.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Daniel replied. “If pressed, I’d have to give that honor to my tutors and an old housekeeper who made sure I ate something sensible.”
“I feel incredibly sorry for you,” Harriet said, tenderly. “With your Father who passed and your estranged Mother, you had no one to rely on.”
Touched by her sympathy, Daniel felt his heart warm—but he gave an unconcerned shrug. “Living and depending on myself is something I grew into.”
“Still, that is no way to live,” Harriet said.
Offering her a tight smile, Daniel turned the conversation to the last of Lady Carrington’s balls, to which Harriet went a bit quiet. With a little prodding, Harriet said, “Something strange happened last night. I was passing by their door and I heard Lord Carrington insulting Martha. She didn’t leave her rooms this morning, and her maid said she was resting, so I didn’t get to speak with her. But I’m worried. I have never heard them fight before.”
Frowning, Daniel asked, “How can that be? You live in close quarters; shouldn’t you have seen something?”
With her face tinting pink, Harriet replied, “I had not been paying close attention. I always thought that they have the faultless marriage. He’s always so kind to me and so generous with my family. But he sounded very cold and cruel last night.”
Stretching out his legs, Daniel responded, “Perhaps he was just angry. He is allowed to be irritated once in a while.”
“I can accept that but that does not give him an excuse to call Martha worthless. She’s been working herself to exhaustion caring for his home and life. Martha told me that entering his life meant entering into his chaos. As the Baron had lived in Mayfair townhouse for a while, the Manor was run down. There was dust, crumbling plaster, yellow furniture, and stained carpets, not to mention the servants. She made that home livable and for him to reward her by calling her worthless is despicable.”
Reaching over to hold her hand, Daniel replied, “Ask her about it when we get back. She’ll probably give you a reasonable explanation.”
“Or, she’ll probably deny it,” Harriet grumbled, sagging into her seat with her eyes straying to the window.
Attempting to shift her attention, Daniel said, “Have I told you how lovely you are in that dress?”
Harriet gave him a twitching smile, “No you haven’t, and I’ll take the implied compliment, but you will not change my mind from worrying about Martha.”
It did not take them long to arrive at the Marquess’ home, and after stepping out, he helped Harriet out as well. She took his arm, and at the door handed in his invitation. The musicale had not started yet and, as Daniel had predicted, there were many richly garbed women and impeccably dressed gentlemen.
Her dress, a thick satin of deep green and trimmed with lace, was the simplest dress in the room. Daniel saw so many flounces, lace and ribbons that he dryly decided, could supply the entire nation of England and France combined.
“Oh, drat,” Harriet whispered.
Twisting to her, he asked, “What is it?”
“Misses Temperance Nottingham, and Antoinette deLuc,” Harriet said, nodding to two women who were seated near each other. “My childhood tormentors.”
At first glance, Daniel decided they were pretty enough, with blond hair coiffed in the current fashion and simple jewelry, but something about how they looked at the other women, with barely-hidden scorn and contempt showed him their horrid character.
