Page 8 of The Rise of a Forsaken Lady
Twisting the origin of the voice, Heath spotted a young dark-haired girl with a shy smile. “Pardon me?”
“I assume you need to find the coal cellar,” she said. “It is the last one on the right.”
“Thank you…?”
“Martha Bell,” she replied reservedly. “I am Lady Penelope’s lady maid.”
Relieved, Heath nodded. “And I am Heath Moore. Lord Allerton just hired me as a footman. I would like to stay and talk but I have many tasks to do. Thank you, Miss Bell.”
Nodding his head, Heath strode to the end row and entered. There the thick earthy smell of coal filled his nose. Thank God his clothes were black as the dust from the coal would have blighted lighter clothes. He filled the buckets, went back to the house and made his trips throughout the sitting room. He had to make one more trip and then stopped just outside the coal cellar to brush his clothes off.
A short man with grass stains on his clothes passed by and nodded, “G’ day mister. Brady here, and you?”
“Heath Moore,” he replied. “Lord Allerton’s footman.”
“Welcome then,” Brady said while tugging a glove off to shake his hand. “You look like the good sort.”
“Thanks,” Heath nodded while releasing Brady’s hand. Over the man’s head, he spotted a flash of Lady Penelope’s body walking into fairly-removed stables. “Er, does Lady Penelope visit the stables this early?”
“Yes,” Brady grinned. “The Lady is a big rider. The Lord does not agree, but she is who she is. I think she can ride better than Lady Lade, I’d wager my whole life’s saving on it.”
Heath’s eyes lifted from the gardener to the door of the stables, “Better than Lady Lade you say…”
“Stick around, chap,” Brady grinned. “Sooner or later you will see for yourself.”
With those parting words, the grounds man was off, and Heath hurried back to the house. He got there in time to see Lord Allerton tugging his coat on while a man, dressed in dark trousers and a dove grey pinstripe waistcoat tug his on as well.
“Ah, Mr. Moore,” Lord Allerton greeted. “Good to see you. How are you fitting in?”
“Very well, My Lord,” Heath replied. “Mr. Gastrell has given me all I need.”
They were interrupted by feet thumping down the hallway and Lady Penelope came in, flushed from running. Her hair was escaping from her braid and the tails of her dress were a bit mud stained. “Edward, could you get a—oh! My apologies!”
“Lady Penelope, what a delightful surprise,” the stranger said smoothly. Too smoothly in Heath’s opinion, rather like a serpent. “Forgive me for saying, but disarray suits you as well as neatness does.”
“Lord Hillbrook,” Lady Penelope did not step away, but she did shift her weight to lean away from him and Heath noticed it. Why though? “You’re here.”
“Stating the obvious,” Edward rolled his eyes. “What do you need from me, sister?”
“Um…could you get those honey-flavored gingerbreads I like and a new horse brush for Bessie?” Lady Penelope said directly to her brother. Once again, Heath noted that she deliberately focused on Lord Allerton and not Lord Hillbrook. Why?
“Excuse me,” Heath said and was about to leave when Lady Penelope reached out for him. She touched his arm, but instantly dropped it.
“Mr. Moore, before you go, could you put some coal in my grate…please,” she finished with a blush.
“Of course, My Lady,” Heath bowed and as he came up, Lord Hillbrook’s blue eyes were ice chips and nearly as cutting like knives. Again, what was going on there? Holding his composure, Heath said his partings words to the lords and left to get the coal for the lady.
He went back to the coal cellar and got what the lady needed, decidedly perturbed.Why does Lord Hillbrook look at me that way, like I stole something from him? I do not even know this man…
Chapter 4
Watching Mr. Moore leave, Penelope turned back to her brother and Lord Hillbrook who was smiling at her. Her brother, however, was not as amiable. She swallowed over her sudden irregularly-thumping heart.
“We are going to a horse auction, sister,” Edward said. “Driving halfway across London to Stratford is not exactly in my plans.”
“I understand,” she replied dejectedly. “Be safe and I wish you a safe journey.”
“Oh, come on Dawson,” Lord Hillbrook tutted as Penelope’s back disappeared from the room. “What hardship is there in taking twenty-minutes out of our time to get Lady Penelope’s treats?”
