Page 128 of The Rogue's Last Scandal
Chapter 32
Later, Graciela left the library to change to her traveling gown, and ran into Lady Sirena in the corridor.
She rubbed her belly. “Ah, there you are, Graciela. I’m off for a rest before dinner. Lady Jane has already gone up. She is still tired from the journey and last night’s ball. Are you well? You’ve gone a bit pale.”
She took a deep breath to settle herself. They had agreed they wouldn’t share the plans with the other ladies, lest they decide they must come along. They’d sent word for Mr. Gibson to stand by. Whether he would tell his wife was anyone’s guess. Lord Bakeley was off seeing to some urgent business matter else he would have been involved in the planning, in spite of the fact that he was likely to leak information to his wife.
“Yes, I am fine,” Graciela lied. “I’m looking for Francisca. Is she back in the nursery?”
“She went in to order Reina’s supper, and Perry promised to bring the wee one up as soon as they’re finished picking flowers and making daisy chains.” She patted Graciela’s hand. “She’ll go straight to sleep tonight after all that fresh garden air. Why don’t you go up and rest a moment? I’ll send a servant to fetch Francisca for you.”
In her bedchamber, Graciela ransacked the press until she found the old gown her father had bought her upon arrival in England, the one she’d worn to travel to Kingsley’s country estate. She pulled the book of sonnets out of her pocket and set it aside, then contorted herself to unfasten her dress and was down to her stays by the time Francisca arrived.
“Help me,” she said, “And then go and get Juan and meet me in the library. We need to talk to the both of you.”
Francisca dropped the dress over her head. “What is this about?”
“It’s about Captain Llewellyn.”
Behind her, Francisca went still. When Graciela looked over her shoulder the woman was frowning.
“Hurry. We are laying a trap for him. I need you and Juan to help me.”
“What of the baby?”
“She is staying here with Lady Perry. Go. I’ll go down to the garden and check on her.”
After she shooed Francisca out the door, she hurriedly packed a small valise, found her shawl and a mantle, and stowed her sheathed dagger in her belt.
The sonnets stared up at her from the bedside table, and she slid them into her pocket. She would meet Charley in the library, but first she needed to see Reina, she needed to make sure her little girl was safe.
Outside, the footman standing guard pointed her toward a side garden. Reina sat on a bench next to Lady Perry, swinging her legs and watching while her new aunt strung blooms together into a crown.
Lady Perry plopped the circlet onto Reina’s head and both of them laughed.
“Good evening, my queen,” Graciela said.
Lady Perry jumped up, looking relieved. “You are here. We were just about to go in.”
“No.” Reina screwed her mouth up in a pout.
“Sweetling,” Lady Perry said. “We’ve been out here all afternoon, and it will be dark soon. We must go in.” She glanced at Graciela. “I must speak with Cook. I promised Sirena and Lady Jane I’d see to the dinner plans. And I sent the nursery maid to check on Francisca. She was supposed to come back.”
Poor Perry. A whole afternoon chasing this little one could be exhausting. “I’m sorry. It was my fault Francisca was delayed. Reina, would you like to wear your crown during your dinner? Come along then.”
“No.” The little girl shook her head furiously, the crown flying off. She clambered down from the bench to retrieve it, pushing Lady Perry aside when she tried to rescue it first.
Her little face had fixed in a red scowl. No one at Shaldon House had yet seen one of her tantrums. The least Graciela could do was spare Lady Perry that.
“You go along,” Graciela said. “She is overtired from all the excitement and very hungry. I’ll sit with her for a few minutes, and by the time we go in, her dinner will be ready.”
“If you are sure, Graciela.”
The look of relief that crossed Perry’s face almost made her laugh. “Yes, I am sure.”
Kincaid metup with Charley in the corridor and followed him into the library where Father was waiting. He’d left soon after they’d begun their plotting and now got right to his report.
“We have men in place at the inn, as well as the docks,” he said.
