Page 21 of The Good Duke
The mole-less man—Jordan—froze, and she went motionless along with him.
Jordan’s pale eyebrows climbed to the tip of his white powdered wig. “What isthis?” he cried.
And as he proceeded to stomp her way, a sickening dread threatened to swallow Persephone right up.
Oh, hell, she’d been discovered.
Chapter 4
One wrong step gets a girl caught…
Persephone braced for the hue and cry to follow that would bring constables crashing down on Simon’s townhouse.
Through the clamor of panic in her brain, she had but one thought—did they hang a womanbeforetalking to the master of the household? Or did they save that messy business until after the crime had been reported?
The duteous servant continued sailing rightpastPersephone and her hiding spot.
“Thewindowis open.”
There came the heavy slap of fabric.
Relief brought Persephone’s eyes sliding shut. She’d, of course, feel vastlymorerelieved were the two servants to find another part of the household to attend to. Simonwouldhave outrageously attentive servants, even when the household was closed up.
Click.
“There, you are assured there are no intruders and can safely retire for the evening,” Warren said on another laugh as the pair headed back for the front of the room.
“A footman’s work is never done.”
“…actually it is…and that is when thesecond-butlersteps in, which is my…”
As the disputatious pair quit the room and their voices grew more faded in the hall, Persephone remained locked to her spot on the floor.
Hunched and afraid to move, Persephone kept her awkwardly dipped gaze on the bronze ormolu mantel clock. She followed that slow-moving handle until eleven minutes had passed and then scooted out from her cramped position.
Every part of her ached. Parts of her she didn’t even know could hurt,hurt. Those muscles which hadn’talreadybeen strained from her miserable journey from Mrs. Belden’s and her recent fall joined in a symphony of suffering.
Persephone stretched out on the thin Aubusson carpet and splayed her arms wide, welcoming the feel of the solid floor under her back.
She closed her eyes.
That felt deliciously wonderful enough that she lay there, unable to bring herself to care if Warren or Jordan—or anyone else for that matter—made another appearance.
Alas, Persephone made herself climb to her feet for a second time since her break-in. After all, she didn’twantto be caught sneaking about. That would make for some deuced uncomfortable explaining to the constable and then, worse, to Simon Broadbent, the Earl of Primly.
Tiptoeing to the front of the room, Persephone ducked her head out, strained her ears, and listened for more of the earl’s servants.
She’d been in the late earl’s London home just once, and only when she’d been a girl of nine. As such, her recollection of the layout of the enormous townhouse were small. But shedidremember all the hidden areas Simon had showed her. The palatial residence, with its sprawling parks, had space enough for her to avoid any overeager staff,especiallywith the master away.
The ring of silence proved the only sound in the corridor.
Collecting the hem of her cloak and skirts, Persephone headed down the hall and for the main staircase. As she moved quickly up two flights of stairs, she hung close to the gilded wrought-iron handrail. She searched her gaze as she went for signs of more servants to hide from.
Dutiful staff, however, would never dare travel along anything but a servant’s stairway. And having heard the servants’ exchange, there could be no doubting Simon kept a tightly run household.
Which was also very in keeping with the earl.
The earl.
