Page 79 of The Confessions of a Lady
I suppose I shall find out.
But she would be damned if she’d give Coggins the satisfaction of confessing her crimes. Stepping forward, she snatched the letter from his hand. He spun, his face turning red with rage. ‘How dare you?’ he seethed.
Penny held the letter out of his reach. ‘You found this in my room. Under my bed, I’d wager. A letter from Reynard Renquist. Something that does not belong to me. And you are hoping to catch me in an act of theft. Is that about right, Mr Coggins?’
He sniffed, his nose tipping as he looked down on Penny. ‘That’s exactly correct.’
Liam crossed to Penny’s side. He held his hand out and she gave him the letter. His gaze quickly scanned the text. Nerves wrapped bony fingers around Penny’s throat.
‘I took it the day after you arrived. You accused me of stealing something from you. You were right. I didn’t realise it was your brother’s letter. I thought it belonged to you.’ Penny watched Liam’s face for any indication of his thoughts.
‘She is a filthy little thief, my lord. It would seem her morals are lower than I first guessed. Obviously, she is trying to trap you in her seductive web while she rummages through your personal belongings, for what, I can only begin to imagine. Blackmail, I’m guessing. I will happily throw her out right now unless you’d rather we involve the law.’ Spittle caught in the corners of Coggins’ mouth as his shrewd gaze flicked from Penny to Liam and back again.
Liam folded the letter and tucked it in the pocket of his robe. Turning his full attention to Coggins, Penny couldn’t read his expression. ‘You are suggesting we throw Miss Smith onto the streets, or even better, into a cell?’
Coggins’ eyes flashed with cold victory. ‘Exactly so, my lord.’
Liam turned to Penny. ‘Well, I see only one way forward.’
Penny held her breath.
‘As the soon-to-be mistress of this house, the staff will be under your direction, my love.’
Coggins gasped in a breath before coughing hard. ‘M-mistress?’ he whispered, his eyes widening in horror.
Mischief danced in Liam’s eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted. ‘Do you wish to dismiss yourself, Penny? Or perhaps it is time we consider a new butler?’
The tightness in her throat eased as a relief washed through her. ‘I think a new butler is just the thing, dearest.’
The week rushed by in a buzz of activity. With so much at stake – and Penny’s role as servant being necessary for the next step in their game of cat and mouse with the leaders of the Devil’s Sons – the last thing they needed was for word to get out of Penny’s soon-to-be-changed circumstances.
Liam made Coggins swear to keep the news of Liam’s proposal to Penny a secret or risk being dismissed with no letter to recommend him. Coggins was a slimy arse, but he was also devoted to his own survival. He needed Liam’s recommendation, or he wouldn’t even find work as a stable boy. His loyalty was promised and with his own livelihood at stake, Penny was reasonably assured he would keep his word. It helped that Liam also threatened Coggins with bodily harm ifhe whispered a word about it. They agreed that Coggins would tell the staff he was leaving to find better prospects elsewhere. It wasn’t a total lie. He had no hope of finding happiness in Liam’s household.
Penny was able to visit with her mother and after many tears and an overabundance of tea, sandwiches, and sleep, Harriet was regaining her physical strength and making plans for a future. Something she’d never been able to do in the past. And it was all due to Liam’s support. His country estate had a dowager house on the grounds boasting eight bedrooms, a library, a sumptuous garden including a newly renovated greenhouse, and a small staff. It would be perfect for Harriet, and plans were in place to move her there after Liam and Penny’s wedding.
Hannah, Millie, and Ivy had all come to visit with Drake and Killian. They met in the front parlour and Penny was asked to serve them. Instead, she sat with the ladies and nibbled on tea cakes while feeling like a total imposter.
‘Don’t worry, Penny. You’ll get used to it. The first time I was called “Your Grace”, I almost choked on my ratafia.’ Hannah sipped her tea, scrunched her nose, then poured another splash of whiskey into the cup. She sipped again. ‘Ah. Much better.’
The ladies discussed strategies for Penny to protect herself in her upcoming confrontation with the Devil’s Sons while Killian and Drake quizzed Liam on his work with the Queen. Drake puffed on a cheroot, the smoke tickling Penny’s nose. Liam and Killian sipped on port and made disparaging comments about the smoke Drake blew in their direction.
‘I know Liam will be there, but I think it’s important you’re prepared.’ Hannah went through all the weapons Penny could conceal on her body and made sure Liam was able to procure them on such short notice. While brass knuckles and hat pins were all well and good, daggers and pistols were far better. Even if Penny wasn’t adept at aiming, in close range, she wouldn’tneed to be an expert marksman. And while the Devil’s Sons would expect Liam to come armed and would more than likely check him for weapons, they would hardly think his maid might be concealing firearms and blades.
‘Yes, quite. I know when Drake and I had to confront poor Reynard at our wedding party last year, it was my skill with throwing knives that saved us.’ Millie shook her head sadly. ‘I still wish we could have found a different path forward.’
Drake caught Millie’s gaze from his place by the fire. He hitched his chin up and gave her a small smile. Knowing that Liam was aware of the true cause of Reynard’s death, and that he understood why it happened, had relieved much of the guilt and tension between the men. But Millie confided in Penny that it still plagued her. The red-head’s expressive skin flushed crimson and she shifted in her seat. ‘He worries about me. But I am learning to live with my choices. Justice comes at a cost to everyone, not just the guilty. But it’s worth it, to protect the innocent.’
Ivy’s pale cheeks grew even whiter. ‘I can’t imagine. Even after my training sessions with the Duchess, I would never have the courage to put myself in such danger.’ She had the haunted look of a victim. Penny had seen the same wide-eyed fear in some of the inmates in prison. Penny felt the urge to wrap her arms around Ivy and protect her from whatever demons the girl clearly fought within herself.
Millie did what Penny could not and wrapped her shapely arm around Ivy, who sat next to her on the settee. She squeezed her friend close. The women couldn’t be more different. Millie’s voluptuous body spilled out of a sprigged muslin gown. Her wild, red curls were piled on top of her head in an artfully messy coiffure. In contrast, Ivy’s pale, thin form was covered from throat to wrist to ankle in a simple blue frock. Her hair, so fair it almost looked silver, was twisted in a simple chignon at the baseof her neck. Where Millie was the colour and fire of a summer sun, Ivy was the cool, pale moonlight on a winter’s landscape.
Their conversation moved on to Penny’s mother and her health before circling back to Ivy and her new work with the foundling home being organised by Lady Olivia Smithwick. It was a wonderful afternoon and when the guests left, Penny returned to the kitchen with the empty tea tray feeling lighter than she had in ages. She might not know how to step into her new role as marchioness, but she knew she would have friends to help her navigate the treacherous landscape of the beau monde.
‘You’ve got a note.’ Mrs O’Brian winked at Penny. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think a secret admirer is courting you.’ She handed the letter over with Constable Sweet’s familiar scrawl. Penny kept her expression neutral, though Mrs O’Brian would keel over if she knew how close she was to the mark. Just with the wrong man.
Constable Sweet had returned from Bath. She would need to update him on the happenings over the last few days. How he would marvel at the drastic changes of Liam’s transition from key suspect to intended groom.
The clock drawn onto the paper showed midnight once more. Her last clandestine meeting with her old friend. But wouldn’t it be a special treat to invite Constable Sweet and his lady-wife into her home as guests once she married Liam?
