table and spoke to him in low accents.
W hatever he said was not well received; the man ’s expression turned ugly.
“ Imbecile! ” he roa red, a f lush spreading over his neck and face. “ I said half an hour and no more. ”
“ S orry , Mr Melville , but one of the horses was lame and we’ve had to find a replacement, ” replied the boy, cowering in the face of this sudden fury. “ ‘t ’ will be but a short while now and you can be on your way again. ”
Mr Melville got to his feet. He towered over the lad, who was trembling in his boots.
“ I expect better service than this . ” He thrust his nose within inches of the boy ’s face.
The lad recoiled. “ We ’ re doing our best, sir . ”
“ I doubt it. ” Melville ’s mouth twisted mirthlessly. “S uppose my money ’s not as good as the Quality ’s , eh? You ’ ve been bribed to deal with some fancy mort ’s cattle before mine! ”
The post boy hurrie d to correct this . “ N-No i ndeed, s ir! Every customer at t he Castle is important. It ’s as I said— ”
He got no fu rth er. Sophie watched in horror as Melville swung his fist, catching the lad on the side of the head with a sickenin g thwack and sending him flying across the room. He landed by the wall where he lay stunned , a vivid circular weal already emerging on his cheek .
Appalled, Sophie hurried over and fell to her knees by the boy.
His eyes were closed, but he mumbled a faint, unintelligible comment. Indignation and anger swelled in Sophie ’s breast . S he had always detested injustice in any form. After telling him to lie still, sh e stood up and rounded on his assailant.
“ How dare you treat the child in that way? ” she said, eyes blazing.
Melville threw her a scornful look. “ He ’s a servant and I ’ ll deal with him any way I choose . I told him I wanted my carriage ready in good time and he failed. H e ’s got his reward now. W hat business is it of yours how I treat th e miserable little snipe ? ”
“ I can ’t see you strike him in that disgusting way and remain silent! Whatever your grievance, it cannot justify such treatment. ”
He came toward her a little unsteadily . “ Quite the firecra cker, aren ’t you? ” he leered. “ I like spirit in a woman. Thought you were a prime article the moment I saw you. ”
Sophie willed her heart to stop hammering so hard again st her ribs. If she could keep him talking a moment longer, someone must come in. “ Keep your observations to yourself and help the boy. ”
His ugly smirk revealed a set of stained teeth . “ I ’ ll do nothing of the sort. It will teach him not to disobey his betters in future. What ’s your name? I ’d like us to get acquainted and since your beau h as abandoned you— ”
“ He will return at any moment. ”
He sniggered, sending a waft of wine-laden breath into Sophie ’s face.
“ M aybe he will, but there ’s no need to be coy in the meantime. You can spare Josiah Melville a kiss before he comes back. There ’s no one else to see. ”
Shuddering, Sophie scuttled behind a chair. “ You must be mad, drunk or both ! I t ’s the middle of the afternoon and someone is bound to come in. ”
“ B ut rarely do I find myself alone with such a taking little piece and I ’ ve a mind to make the most of it. First bit of luck I ’ ve had in weeks! ” He edged closer , giving her a lupine look . “ One kiss is not too much to ask, is it? Or maybe you ’ re too grand for the likes of me. ”
Sophie glanced at the door to judge whether she could make a dash for it. She kept her face blank, refusing to let him see her growing alarm. “T he b oy … he needs attending to . ”
Melville ’s hand shot forward, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her wrist. “ Not yet, ” he said, tugging her towards him.
In reply, Sophie stamped on his foot, grinding the heel of her boot into his toes. At the same time, she swung her reticule. The coins it contained gave
W hatever he said was not well received; the man ’s expression turned ugly.
“ Imbecile! ” he roa red, a f lush spreading over his neck and face. “ I said half an hour and no more. ”
“ S orry , Mr Melville , but one of the horses was lame and we’ve had to find a replacement, ” replied the boy, cowering in the face of this sudden fury. “ ‘t ’ will be but a short while now and you can be on your way again. ”
Mr Melville got to his feet. He towered over the lad, who was trembling in his boots.
“ I expect better service than this . ” He thrust his nose within inches of the boy ’s face.
The lad recoiled. “ We ’ re doing our best, sir . ”
“ I doubt it. ” Melville ’s mouth twisted mirthlessly. “S uppose my money ’s not as good as the Quality ’s , eh? You ’ ve been bribed to deal with some fancy mort ’s cattle before mine! ”
The post boy hurrie d to correct this . “ N-No i ndeed, s ir! Every customer at t he Castle is important. It ’s as I said— ”
He got no fu rth er. Sophie watched in horror as Melville swung his fist, catching the lad on the side of the head with a sickenin g thwack and sending him flying across the room. He landed by the wall where he lay stunned , a vivid circular weal already emerging on his cheek .
Appalled, Sophie hurried over and fell to her knees by the boy.
His eyes were closed, but he mumbled a faint, unintelligible comment. Indignation and anger swelled in Sophie ’s breast . S he had always detested injustice in any form. After telling him to lie still, sh e stood up and rounded on his assailant.
“ How dare you treat the child in that way? ” she said, eyes blazing.
Melville threw her a scornful look. “ He ’s a servant and I ’ ll deal with him any way I choose . I told him I wanted my carriage ready in good time and he failed. H e ’s got his reward now. W hat business is it of yours how I treat th e miserable little snipe ? ”
“ I can ’t see you strike him in that disgusting way and remain silent! Whatever your grievance, it cannot justify such treatment. ”
He came toward her a little unsteadily . “ Quite the firecra cker, aren ’t you? ” he leered. “ I like spirit in a woman. Thought you were a prime article the moment I saw you. ”
Sophie willed her heart to stop hammering so hard again st her ribs. If she could keep him talking a moment longer, someone must come in. “ Keep your observations to yourself and help the boy. ”
His ugly smirk revealed a set of stained teeth . “ I ’ ll do nothing of the sort. It will teach him not to disobey his betters in future. What ’s your name? I ’d like us to get acquainted and since your beau h as abandoned you— ”
“ He will return at any moment. ”
He sniggered, sending a waft of wine-laden breath into Sophie ’s face.
“ M aybe he will, but there ’s no need to be coy in the meantime. You can spare Josiah Melville a kiss before he comes back. There ’s no one else to see. ”
Shuddering, Sophie scuttled behind a chair. “ You must be mad, drunk or both ! I t ’s the middle of the afternoon and someone is bound to come in. ”
“ B ut rarely do I find myself alone with such a taking little piece and I ’ ve a mind to make the most of it. First bit of luck I ’ ve had in weeks! ” He edged closer , giving her a lupine look . “ One kiss is not too much to ask, is it? Or maybe you ’ re too grand for the likes of me. ”
Sophie glanced at the door to judge whether she could make a dash for it. She kept her face blank, refusing to let him see her growing alarm. “T he b oy … he needs attending to . ”
Melville ’s hand shot forward, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her wrist. “ Not yet, ” he said, tugging her towards him.
In reply, Sophie stamped on his foot, grinding the heel of her boot into his toes. At the same time, she swung her reticule. The coins it contained gave
Similar Books
