Kay Springsteen (49 page)

The last of the sun
’
s rays had left the sky hours before, but Gran had insisted a spot of tea in the parlor before the evening meal was just the thing after a foiled kidnapping. That Annabella
’
s cup had an added nip of brandy likely didn
’
t hurt either. At least the stinging in her neck seemed dulled.
Blast that weasel-faced Dawes.

She
drew a slow breath and then
took another sip. Could her mother smell the spirits? She was sitting terribly close on the crimson damask settee
,
but if she noticed, for once she kept her counsel.

“
Thank heavens Mr. Dawes didn
’
t hurt you. I knew he wasn
’
t happy about being relieved of his duties, the blackheart, but
this
.
”
Regina sipped from her milky white teacup. Her face had remained quite pale as she
’
d listened to
Annabella
’
s story. Thankfully, she seemed to be recovering, or perhaps her color had improved in the golden wash of light from the chandelier.

“
I
’
m fine, Mother, really.
”
Thanks to Jon.
Annabella lifted one hand to the bandage covering the scratch Dawes
’
knife had left on her neck.

Regina reached over and touched her on the arm, giving a gentle squeeze.
“
Really?
”

Unable to look her mother in the eye without coming undone, Annabella dropped her hand and gazed at her lap. It was easier to mentally trace the
pattern of the black lace overlay on her
champagne
sarcenet dress than to risk Regina noticing what might show in her eyes.
“
Better than I have been in a long time.
”
And also worse…

Her mother sat up straighter.
“
I must confess, I was beyond furious when I arrived at Grey
’
s townhouse in London—
”

“
You went to
London
?
”
Annabella burst out, tearing her eyes from the lace to stare at her mother.

Sitting in what Annabella had come to realize was the dowager
’
s favorite chair — the sage green velvet one closest to the fireplace — Gran clinked her teacup against the saucer and cleared her throat.
“
Don
’
t interrupt your mother, dear.
”

Devil’s fire!
Not Mother and Gran both lecturing me.

Heat suffused Annabella
’
s face and she
suppressed a groan
.
“
My apologies.
”

Her mother
’
s eyebrows lifted slightly, and she stared at the dowager for several breaths before asking,
“
How did you do that?
”

Gran lowered the teacup a fraction and peered at Regina
over the rim
.
“
Beg pardon?
”

A glowing smile spread across her mother
’
s face as she glanced between Annabella and the dowager.
“
If I ask her to sit up straight with her shoulders back, it generally turns into a week-long argument during which time she slouches half-folded in her seat.
”

“
Honestly, Mother,
”
Annabella said with a sigh
,
allowing her exasperation to
show
even while she silently acknowledged the truth of the statement.

Regina and Gran exchanged glances and then raked assessing gazes over Annabella. She force
d
herself to sit still and not squirm under their scrutiny.

“
Regina, how do you feel about cats?
”

Annabella snorted then hurriedly covered her mouth with her fan, mumbling,
“
I
’
m sorry.
”

Mother furrowed her brow, confusion etched across her beautiful face.
“
I beg pardon, your grace. Cats?
”

Gran waved her hand in the air.
“
Please, call me Gladys. Yes, cats.
Felines.
”

Regina
’
s brow furrowed more, crinkling her forehead.
“
I-I suppose they
’
re all right. I know Annabella detests them.
”

The dowager slapped the arm of the chair.
“
Exactly!
As did my late husband. That was why I had them around — kept him off balance. He never knew when I
’
d
take in another
one, would do most anything to prevent it.
”

Annabella did laugh then. She should have known she
’
d been transparent and Gran had seen through her polite façade when it came to her feline babies.

Her mother scowled.
“
I believe I
’
ve quite missed something…
”

“
No, Mother, you haven
’
t. Truly.
”
Annabella couldn
’
t stop her shudder.
“
Please. Do finish with how you went to London.
”

Regina
’
s cheeks turned a bright pink hue, and she gave Annabella a tentative smile.
“
I felt guilty for not accompanying you to London. And for missing your birthday…
”

Tears glistened in her mother
’
s eyes, and Annabella knew a moment of compassion for the woman that nearly had her bursting into tears herself. She s
e
t her teacup on the drum table next to her and hugged her mother. When had she done that last? She drew in a deep breath, finding odd comfort in the familiar fragrance of lavender.

“
I
’
m to take it you were quite surprised to learn Annabella was
not
in London?
”
Gran frowned as though trying to piece together the puzzle.

Oh, I know you already have it right, Gran.
Hiding a smile,
Annabella shook her head. Thank goodness for Jon
’
s grandmother or she and Regina might not have been so cordial.

When she
released her mother, Regina pulled a handkerchief from her reticule
and
dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
“
To say the least. I was furious.
”
She leveled her gaze on Annabella.
“
And worried sick.
Especially when I returned to Wyndham Green and you weren
’
t there either. And then that maid thought you
’
d gone and married Vicar Hamilton…
”

Married the vicar! Annabella shivered.

“
I-I
’
m sorry. Things didn
’
t exactly turn out as I
’
d planned…
”
Was it too much to long for a convenient rock to crawl under? Or perhaps a distraction in the form of a French
invasion
…

“
So
I
’
ve gathered.
”
Regina compressed her lips briefly as though the thought of continuing pained her.
“
I won
’
t lie to you. I wanted to dismiss Juliet
on the spot in London
.
”

Annabella let out a gasp and muttered a curse under her breath.

The two older women sent her twin glares of censure, but Annabella ignored them.
“
Mother
!
Y
ou didn
’
t, did you?
”

Gran sat forward, her eyes bright with interest.
“
Who is Juliet?
”

“
She was Annabella
’
s ladies
’
maid,
”
Regina
said
, sighing.
“
The daughter of my housekeeper.
”

Was?
The room started spinning. A knot lodged in the pit of Annabella
’
s stomach, and she squeezed her eyes closed to dam the tears.
Was?
Sheridan Dawes had at least
told
the truth about that. Her beloved Juliet had been sent
away.
Oh, Juliet. I
’
m so very sorry. You have no idea. I will find you, my darling.

“
Why, yes, as
‘
twould be unseemly for her to continue with her duties now. She and the duke are to be married in three weeks
’
time.
”
Annabella
’
s mother smiled.
“
Did I forget to mention that?
”

Gran jumped to her feet, her face red, her dark eyes dancing.
“
Did I hear you correctly? The Duke of Wyndham is set to marry a ladies
’
maid?
”

“
Yes, your gra— Gladys, you did hear me correctly. He
’
s quite taken with her.
”
Regina smiled and sipped the last of her tea before setting her cup next to Annabella
’
s.

“
And Juliet? Does she love him?
”
Annabella could barely choke out a whisper.

“
Very much.
”
Regina took Annabella
’
s hands in hers.
“
I was
quite
wrong about him. He
’
s a kind and generous man.
”

Annabella
’
s mouth fell open.
“
The duke? Generous? Kind?
”
And
yet,
hadn
’
t Jon told her as much?

“
Yes.
”
Regina stared off, a faraway look in her eyes.
“
Just like his father.
”
She cleared her throat
and turned her smile on Annabella
.
“
And I have other news!
Aunt Harmony
was married not long ago. To Grey
’
s Uncle Lucien.
”

“
Harmony got married!
I never thought she would—
”
Annabella fell back in her seat, unaccountably choked with emotion. So much had happened while she
’
d been away.

“
I must admit, I was as surprised as anyone to learn of their nuptials.
But
according to Aunt Charity, Lucien and Harmony were found in… um… quite
a…
compromising position. Aunt Charity swears they were… they were…
”
Regina
gave a delicate cough.

The dowager leaned forward and lowered her voice.
“
Yes, yes. Do go on. They were… what?
”

“
They were found in a closet… in a state of undress…
”
She trailed off, her face a dark shade of scarlet.

“
Ha! Caught with their drawers down, were they?
”
Gran sat back
,
a satisfied smile lighting her face.

All three ladies burst out laughing.
But Regina
’
s gaze held a fair
amount
of speculation as she held Annabella in her regard.
Was she thinking of another hasty wedding?

“
Yes, that is exactly what happened. So,
the duke
…
”