Kate’s shabby outfit and the long nose twitched almost imperceptibly in disdain.
Kate’s chin rose. “Have you prepared the chocolate?” she asked bluntly.
The stare grew contemptuous. “I am her ladyship’s dresser, not the cook. I will direct Mr Carstairs’s man to arrange for the cook to prepare it immediately.” The cold stare informed Kate that even a guttersnipe would know better than to expect an important personage like Lady Cahill’s dresser to lower herself with the preparation of foodstuffs.
Kate repressed a grin and took two steps in the direction indicated by Smithers. She would have liked to see this woman’s face when she realised there was no one to prepare breakfast for herself or Lady Cahill. Then a stab of compunction halted her. Lady Cahill was an elderly lady who had been exhausted by her journey into the country. And Kate knew that she had eaten nothing at all during the trip.
“Please inform Lady Cahill that I will join her directly. I will see to her ladyship’s breakfast first.”
The eyebrows rose in displeasure. The prim mouth opened. “But her ladyship gave me the clearest instructions—”
“If you would be so good as to convey my message to Lady Cahill,” Kate interrupted in a cool voice which, despite its soft huskiness, left no room for argument.
“Very good, miss.” The woman sniffed disparagingly, but left without argument, hiding her surprise. Despite her hideous clothing, this girl had some breeding in her.
Kate ran downstairs, keeping a wary eye open for the two men, but they were nowhere to be seen. In the kitchen she quickly built up the fire and set the kettle to boil. There was no chocolate to be had. She surveyed the barren storeroom ruefully and shrugged. She’d just have to do the best she could.
She found a large tray and set it with a cloth. In a few minutes it bore crockery, a pot of tea, two soft boiled eggs and some lightly buttered toast. It was not what Lady Cahill was used to, no doubt, but it would have to do. She carried the heavy tray upstairs.
“Ah, my dear,” said Lady Cahill. “But what are you doing carrying that heavy tray, you foolish child? Get one of the servants to do that for you.”
Kate deftly set the tray down on a table beside Lady Ca-hill’s bed. “Good morning, ma’am,” she said cheerfully. “I trust you slept well.”
The old lady grimaced. “In this bed? My dear, how could I?” She gestured towards the shabby hangings and worn furniture. “I suppose I must be grateful that I have a chamber at all, since my dear grandson refused even to see his sister. Thank heavens Smithers had the forethought to pack bedding. I don’t know what sort of place my grandson is running here, but I can tell you—I intend to have words with him on the subject.”
The old lady twinkled beadily at her and Kate found herself smiling back. She poured the tea.
“Tea?” said the old lady pettishly. “I told Smithers chocolate.”
“I fear there is none to be had in the house.”
“No chocolate?” said the old lady incredulously . “ I know the countryside is uncivilised, but this is ridiculous.” She pouted. “I suppose there are no fresh pastries either?”
Kate shook her head. “No, indeed, ma’am. But I did get you some freshly boiled eggs and a little toast. Here, eat it while it is still hot,” she coaxed.
Ignoring the old woman’s moue of distaste, Kate placed the food before her. After some grumbling, Lady Cahill consumed the repast, pretending all the while that she was only doing it to please Kate. Finally she sat back against her pillows and regarded Kate speculatively. “Now, missy,” she said. “I gather you’ve met my grandson.”
“What did he say about me?” Kate asked warily.
The old lady chuckled. “Nothing much, really.”
“Oh,” said Kate. Clearly Lady Cahill did not intend to enlighten her. “ He. . .he doesn’t know who I am, does he, ma’am?”
The old lady noted with interest the
Kate’s chin rose. “Have you prepared the chocolate?” she asked bluntly.
The stare grew contemptuous. “I am her ladyship’s dresser, not the cook. I will direct Mr Carstairs’s man to arrange for the cook to prepare it immediately.” The cold stare informed Kate that even a guttersnipe would know better than to expect an important personage like Lady Cahill’s dresser to lower herself with the preparation of foodstuffs.
Kate repressed a grin and took two steps in the direction indicated by Smithers. She would have liked to see this woman’s face when she realised there was no one to prepare breakfast for herself or Lady Cahill. Then a stab of compunction halted her. Lady Cahill was an elderly lady who had been exhausted by her journey into the country. And Kate knew that she had eaten nothing at all during the trip.
“Please inform Lady Cahill that I will join her directly. I will see to her ladyship’s breakfast first.”
The eyebrows rose in displeasure. The prim mouth opened. “But her ladyship gave me the clearest instructions—”
“If you would be so good as to convey my message to Lady Cahill,” Kate interrupted in a cool voice which, despite its soft huskiness, left no room for argument.
“Very good, miss.” The woman sniffed disparagingly, but left without argument, hiding her surprise. Despite her hideous clothing, this girl had some breeding in her.
Kate ran downstairs, keeping a wary eye open for the two men, but they were nowhere to be seen. In the kitchen she quickly built up the fire and set the kettle to boil. There was no chocolate to be had. She surveyed the barren storeroom ruefully and shrugged. She’d just have to do the best she could.
She found a large tray and set it with a cloth. In a few minutes it bore crockery, a pot of tea, two soft boiled eggs and some lightly buttered toast. It was not what Lady Cahill was used to, no doubt, but it would have to do. She carried the heavy tray upstairs.
“Ah, my dear,” said Lady Cahill. “But what are you doing carrying that heavy tray, you foolish child? Get one of the servants to do that for you.”
Kate deftly set the tray down on a table beside Lady Ca-hill’s bed. “Good morning, ma’am,” she said cheerfully. “I trust you slept well.”
The old lady grimaced. “In this bed? My dear, how could I?” She gestured towards the shabby hangings and worn furniture. “I suppose I must be grateful that I have a chamber at all, since my dear grandson refused even to see his sister. Thank heavens Smithers had the forethought to pack bedding. I don’t know what sort of place my grandson is running here, but I can tell you—I intend to have words with him on the subject.”
The old lady twinkled beadily at her and Kate found herself smiling back. She poured the tea.
“Tea?” said the old lady pettishly. “I told Smithers chocolate.”
“I fear there is none to be had in the house.”
“No chocolate?” said the old lady incredulously . “ I know the countryside is uncivilised, but this is ridiculous.” She pouted. “I suppose there are no fresh pastries either?”
Kate shook her head. “No, indeed, ma’am. But I did get you some freshly boiled eggs and a little toast. Here, eat it while it is still hot,” she coaxed.
Ignoring the old woman’s moue of distaste, Kate placed the food before her. After some grumbling, Lady Cahill consumed the repast, pretending all the while that she was only doing it to please Kate. Finally she sat back against her pillows and regarded Kate speculatively. “Now, missy,” she said. “I gather you’ve met my grandson.”
“What did he say about me?” Kate asked warily.
The old lady chuckled. “Nothing much, really.”
“Oh,” said Kate. Clearly Lady Cahill did not intend to enlighten her. “ He. . .he doesn’t know who I am, does he, ma’am?”
The old lady noted with interest the
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