Page 59 of With Good Grace
‘I played dumb.’
Jake chuckled. ‘That shouldn’t have been too hard for you.’
Parker sent Jake a scathing look. ‘Told him I worked with a maid in a big house who asked me to deliver a message from Sir Hubert to the man guarding his warehouse. I described Molly and Norris nodded.’
‘Not so dumb then.’ Jake clapped Parker’s shoulder. ‘Did he know her?’
‘He must do. He said that would be Molly, but when I asked him where he’d seen her, he downed his drink and said he had to be getting back to his duties.’
‘So, we now know for sure that Molly’s up to her grubby little neck in this and we also know that Grantley’s still in England.’ Jake rubbed his chin between his gloved fingers. ‘The question is, where is he now?’
‘I honestly don’t think Norris knows. Sir Hubert is cunning as a fox. Well, he has to be, I suppose, given his circumstances. He must know that half the world’s looking for him; most of whom he owes money to.’
‘We shall just have to hope that Olivia has heard something. It goes against the grain to do business with blackmailers but a child’s life is at stake. So, we will just have to give Lady Marchant’s letter to Grantley, get Tom safely restored to his mother, andthenensure that Sir Hubert pays for his misdeeds.’
Parker nodded. ‘I had a feeling you might take that attitude,’ he said.
?
Olivia stared at Molly; or at least a young woman who looked facially identical to the prim miss who took care of Olivia’s clothing and needs, maintaining an air of Christian martyrdom, silently disapproving of everything Olivia did. But this Molly was transformed into a confidant female in her own right; one who fixed Olivia with a look of searing contempt, her features rendered ugly by a combination of envy and spite. How had Olivia not noticed that the girl was a hollow sham who resented having a sought-after position as a lady’s maid and hankered for something more, not caring how she went about getting it? She had been with Olivia for two whole years and it was only recently that she had started to have doubts about Molly’s integrity, which gave Olivia a whole host of reasons to doubt her own judgement.
‘Come along then,madam.We ain’t got all day.’
‘I am not going anywhere with you until you assure me that Tom is all right.’
‘He’s fine.’ She paused, her expression vindictive. ‘For now.’
Olivia shuddered at her steely tone; convinced now that Molly would harm Tom out of spite if Olivia tried to get the better of her. She could easily do so, of course. Molly did not knoweverythingabout Olivia and was unaware of her skill at hand to hand combat. All she knew was that her mistress was proficient with a rapier; one of her many sources of disapproval. However, overpowering Molly was out of the question; at least until Tom was safely restored to her.
‘I cannot leave the house,’ she said. ‘One of Lord Torbay’s servants will prevent me if I attempt it.’
‘You are the mistress here. Exert your authority.’
‘I am a guest.’
Molly sent Olivia a scathing look. ‘Is that what they’re calling it this week?’
Olivia was now well aware that Molly was in no position to cast aspersions upon Olivia’s character but refrained from saying so. ‘It is obvious that you timed your return to coincide with Lord Torbay’s absence,’ she said instead, ‘but you have overlooked the possibility that someone from his household will follow us if I insist upon going out. I feel sure he has left strict instructions to that effect.’
‘Because he adores you.’ Molly rolled her eyes. ‘Every male on the planet is entranced by the beauty and fragility of Mrs Olivia Grantley, falsely accused of murder and rescued at the eleventh hour by a dashing earl.’ Molly sniffed disdainfully. ‘If you looked like a battle axe everyone would have assumed you were guilty and left you to your fate.’ Molly subjected Olivia’s person to an insolent perusal. ‘Ask me, your hands ain’t completely clean and your conscience ain’t clear neither. You might not have done the deed but what’s to say that desperation didn’t put Mr Grantley in danger’s path in order to keep you in the manner he thought you deserved.’
Which, Olivia thought, was a telling statement and went to show just how little Molly actually knew about the real situation at the time of Marcus’s murder. What she did know—half-truths and outright lies—had obviously been fed to her by Hubert, and the silly girl had accepted it all as gospel.
‘If you say so,’ Olivia replied.
‘Don’t treat me like a simpleton!’ Olivia’s refusal to show fear or anger, or to enter into discussion of any sort with Molly, preferring to maintain a dignified distance between them, infuriated the girl. ‘Of course your husband wanted to live up to your expectations, just as your lover is trying to protect you now. Don’t imagine we didn’t anticipate that he would.’ Molly tossed her head and smirked at Olivia. ‘But we won’t allow that to keep you from Master Tom, will we now? We shall just have to sneak down the servants’ stairs and out the back door. Don’t worry, I am familiar with the route. Now go and put those damned breeches on. Oh,’ she added casually, ‘and collect Lady Marchant’s letters, too.’
Olivia could not, she realised, but it was probably not a good idea to tell Molly they were locked in Jake’s safe.
‘They are downstairs, in Lord Torbay’s library. I will go and fetch them.’
Molly laughed. ‘I already told you not to treat me like a fool. You’d love the opportunity to warn them downstairs that I’ve pulled the wool over the eyes of the lot of you and, in truth, I’d like to see their prim faces when you do.’ Molly puffed out her chest. ‘But, that’s not possible so we’ll go down together and get those letters.’
That would have to do, Olivia decided. Reed was bound to be hovering; if not he then someone else. Olivia would give them a sign, somehow. It would seem odd that she and Molly had ventured downstairs again so quickly, and that would put Reed on high alert.
Infuriatingly, the ground floor was deserted. Presumably Molly’s return was remarkable enough to require discussion in the servants’ hall. Molly grinned at Olivia, but there was spite rather than humour in the gesture.
‘Seems I’m quite a sensation, don’t it. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in that kitchen right now.’ Molly’s grin faded as quickly as it had arrived. ‘Quick now, get those letters and don’t try anything stupid. Just remember what’s at stake here.’
