Page 73 of Nothing But a Rakehell
Glory spun around—and found Lord Keswick standing at the edge of the tables, looking on, and wearing a horrified expression.
“What’s this? What’s happened?” He glanced wildly from her to Miss Vernon and back again.
“Keswick!” Miss Vernon’s manner changed instantly to one of smiling welcome. “You are just in time.”
“Just in time? For what? To see you abuse one of our hosts?”
The girl looked wounded. “She’s not our host. She’s just a guest, no different than you or me.” Her mouth curled. “Although perhaps she will eventually become a permanent guest. Practically another servant. Is that strange limbo not the fate of a spinster aunt?”
“Your sister has two children,” Miss Munroe declared. “Perhaps you will let us know, in the future?”
Keswick looked away, at Glory. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Miss Vernon’s lip wobbled. “Why are you all defending her?”
“No one is defending me,” Glory said severely. “I don’t require a defense. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You did this!” She thrust out her arm, where the welt marked her fair skin, looking red and painful.
“She most certainly did not!” Miss Munroe asserted. Several of the other ladies murmured agreement.
Miss Parscate laid a sympathetic hand on Miss Vernon’s arm. “Let it rest, my dear. This round is over.”
Miss Vernon shot her a dark look, then stalked toward Glory, glaring all the way. “Don’t you dare feel sorry for me! This is merely a battle,” she hissed. “The war is still to come and I have bigger weapons in reserve.”
“There is no war,” Glory told her coldly. “Don’t be absurd. Just do me the favor of leaving me be and I will do the same for you.” She turned to go and found Keswick still watching her.
She marched up to him and stopped. “And as for you,” she said ferociously. “I will deal with you later.” She scowled at him. “When you stop acting so afraid of me.”
With as much dignity as she could muster, she continued on, into the house.
Chapter 16
Laughter and muted conversation drifted up from the parlor. Glory passed the main staircase and went straight for the servant’s stair. She wore an old muslin gown that she normally saved for days spent helping in the stillroom or for rooting around in the attics. The last thing she wanted was to be seen.
She’d had dinner on a tray in her room and had requested apples and sugar cubes to be sent up too. Fortunately, the kitchens were used to her ways. She stuffed a small bag full and made her way to the stables.
The horses were happy for the treats and the extra attention and Glory felt some of the tension ease out of her in the warm and familiar atmosphere of the stables. When all of the equines had been seen to, she took a lantern and hung it next to the empty stall where Grumpet and her kittens lay in state. She swore the barn cat looked relieved and grateful when she entered and took a seat in the straw. The curious kittens had obviously become used to human contact. They swarmed her, climbing into her lap and up her back. Grumpet, abandoned for the moment, stretched and leapt up to the top of the stall door—and disappeared.
“Oh, you darlings,” Glory crooned. “Soon, you’ll be old enough and I can bring you little treats too. A bit of kipper? A dish of cream? How does that sound, my lovelies?” She reached back and detached an adventurous grey kitten from her hair. Several locks came with him, escaping the bun at her nape. A striped tabby promptly attacked the length of hair as it fell across her shoulder. The first kitten scrambled away while the other climbed her sleeve.
“You look like you could use some help.”
She looked up, but she already knew who it was. “Keswick.” Her lips compressed.
“It appears all of the good company is to be had out here.”
“The only company I wish to spend time withlivesout here.”
His face fell. “Does that mean I cannot come in?”
She pulled away another kitten and another strand of hair and considered.
“Will it help if I promise that I’m not afraid of you?”
She rolled her eyes and relented. “Oh, all right. Come in.”
Entering, he closed the door and sat next to her, plucking the grey kitten from her back as he came. Several of the others left her to go and explore the new territory he offered.
