practice you should start,” Sinclair suggested from the doorway beyond the housekeeper. “Nettie, you may leave us.”
“Your Grace, she is not properly attired,” Nettie protested.
Sinclair didn’t respond, but his commanding look backed up the instruction and Nettie scurried away.
Carla shook her head sadly. “You would never make it in my world, Sinclair.”
He wasn’t smiling. “And as much as it pains me to say this, you are not going to make it in mine if you do not learn the proper ways of a lady. I have guests coming to dine this evening. These guests are not aware of your arrival from another time. You will conduct yourself as a lady should, with proper manners and decorum at all times.”
Carla tossed the blankets aside once more. “Let me get this straight. Because you don’t want anyone to know that I don’t belong in this world, I’m expected to curtail what I say and do just to please you? It doesn’t work that way. I haven’t been told what I can and can’t do in a very long time. It was precisely the reason I moved out of my parents’ house.”
“Another fact which you will not mention at dinner.”
Carla swallowed a gust of fury. “What are you talking about? Now, you’re going to tell me what topics I may discuss?”
“Do you really want the entire province to learn the means of your arrival? Do you realize what this could spark? We will have people from all over trying to drag your family, your friends into my world.
Do you really want that, Carla?”
Carla bit her lower lip. He had a point. If anyone had to be stuck here, she would rather it be her. A thought popped into her head and she grinned.
“What is funny?”
“I just pictured my mother being dragged into this world. You would be more than happy to help her achieve freedom, I’m thinking.”
“You do not like your mother.”
“I love my mother,” Carla objected.
“But you do not like her,” Sinclair continued in that same observing tone of voice that was beginning to grate on Carla’s nerves.
“Don’t presume to know who I do and don’t like.”
“You will need to control that temper of yours this evening as well. My family would never tolerate a lady of breeding speaking to the Duke in such a manner.” Sinclair walked slowly toward the wardrobe closet.
“What are you doing?”
“Choosing what you should wear tonight.”
Despite the frigidity of the air, Carla leaped to her feet and dashed across the room, wedging herself in front of the cabinet. “I haven’t needed anyone to help me dress in a very long time, Your Grace. You may leave now. I can assure you that I will choose the proper attire when the time is right. For now, I am freezing and I want to throw something on that will stop my teeth from chattering.”
Politely, silently, he moved out of her way and positioned his back to her. “The maids will be happy to assist you.”
“I know, I know, should I need assistance. I don’t.” She tossed the corset atop the blankets and gave it a disapproving look. “That thing is atrocious.”
“It is necessary.”
“For you, maybe, but not for me. I’m not going to wear it.”
When Sinclair spun around, he didn’t look pleased. “You must follow the proper ways of dress as long as you remain in my house.”
Carla clamped her hands on her hips. “Why? What are you going to do if I don’t? Beat me? Chain me up in the dungeon? I’m sorry, Sinclair, but I do not dress like that. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to position those bones away from my hips and now, I’m sure parts of my body are black and blue. I will not wear those things again.”
“My family will be here this evening. They will expect to see a lady of breeding. This—” Sinclair’s hand lifted the corset, “—constitutes a lady of breeding.”
“In your world.” Carla stood her ground.
“You try my patience.”
“And?”
He looked momentarily nonplussed. “Why do you ask
“Your Grace, she is not properly attired,” Nettie protested.
Sinclair didn’t respond, but his commanding look backed up the instruction and Nettie scurried away.
Carla shook her head sadly. “You would never make it in my world, Sinclair.”
He wasn’t smiling. “And as much as it pains me to say this, you are not going to make it in mine if you do not learn the proper ways of a lady. I have guests coming to dine this evening. These guests are not aware of your arrival from another time. You will conduct yourself as a lady should, with proper manners and decorum at all times.”
Carla tossed the blankets aside once more. “Let me get this straight. Because you don’t want anyone to know that I don’t belong in this world, I’m expected to curtail what I say and do just to please you? It doesn’t work that way. I haven’t been told what I can and can’t do in a very long time. It was precisely the reason I moved out of my parents’ house.”
“Another fact which you will not mention at dinner.”
Carla swallowed a gust of fury. “What are you talking about? Now, you’re going to tell me what topics I may discuss?”
“Do you really want the entire province to learn the means of your arrival? Do you realize what this could spark? We will have people from all over trying to drag your family, your friends into my world.
Do you really want that, Carla?”
Carla bit her lower lip. He had a point. If anyone had to be stuck here, she would rather it be her. A thought popped into her head and she grinned.
“What is funny?”
“I just pictured my mother being dragged into this world. You would be more than happy to help her achieve freedom, I’m thinking.”
“You do not like your mother.”
“I love my mother,” Carla objected.
“But you do not like her,” Sinclair continued in that same observing tone of voice that was beginning to grate on Carla’s nerves.
“Don’t presume to know who I do and don’t like.”
“You will need to control that temper of yours this evening as well. My family would never tolerate a lady of breeding speaking to the Duke in such a manner.” Sinclair walked slowly toward the wardrobe closet.
“What are you doing?”
“Choosing what you should wear tonight.”
Despite the frigidity of the air, Carla leaped to her feet and dashed across the room, wedging herself in front of the cabinet. “I haven’t needed anyone to help me dress in a very long time, Your Grace. You may leave now. I can assure you that I will choose the proper attire when the time is right. For now, I am freezing and I want to throw something on that will stop my teeth from chattering.”
Politely, silently, he moved out of her way and positioned his back to her. “The maids will be happy to assist you.”
“I know, I know, should I need assistance. I don’t.” She tossed the corset atop the blankets and gave it a disapproving look. “That thing is atrocious.”
“It is necessary.”
“For you, maybe, but not for me. I’m not going to wear it.”
When Sinclair spun around, he didn’t look pleased. “You must follow the proper ways of dress as long as you remain in my house.”
Carla clamped her hands on her hips. “Why? What are you going to do if I don’t? Beat me? Chain me up in the dungeon? I’m sorry, Sinclair, but I do not dress like that. I spent the better part of yesterday trying to position those bones away from my hips and now, I’m sure parts of my body are black and blue. I will not wear those things again.”
“My family will be here this evening. They will expect to see a lady of breeding. This—” Sinclair’s hand lifted the corset, “—constitutes a lady of breeding.”
“In your world.” Carla stood her ground.
“You try my patience.”
“And?”
He looked momentarily nonplussed. “Why do you ask
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