Langton wasn’t one of the servants, after all. And she wouldn’t be in the house long enough to gossip with any of the regular servants. He could, in fact, visit her with none the wiser and be tucked into his own bed by morning. His valet wouldn’t be up to know the difference, since he never kept the man waiting up for him.
Actually, it didn’t take much to talk himself into paying Kelsey a short visit. So it was rather disappointing to be met at the door by Hanly again, even at that bloody late hour, and having that put an end to those plans.
Nosy old coot. If Hanly hadn’t stood there in the foyer and watched him ascend the stairs, every single step of them, Derek might still have gone down to the servants’ quarters to search out the girl. But he didn’t doubt for a moment that Hanly would be lurking about down there, watching for him.
And then Derek’s father would hear about it within the week, and he’d end up called to task about propriety, discretion, and ensuring the servants’ gossip had to do with other people’s households, not one’s own. All for one little tryst with a chit he could have access to at any time—after tonight? Not bloody likely.
But it was deuced hard getting to sleep that night.
8
“It’s my own fault,” Mrs. Hershal mumbled . “Should’ve seen it right off, but I’ll admit my eyesight ain’t what it used to be, “specially at night.”
Kelsey rubbed the sleep from her own eyes as she listened with half an ear to the housekeeper. She didn’t comment, since she didn’t know what the woman was talking about. Obviously, she must have missed that part, having awakened to find Mrs. Hershal taking one of her dresses out of her valise to smooth out the wrinkles.
The room had already been tidied up, not that she had been awake long enough last night to make much mess. And there was fresh water awaiting her, fluffy towels, and what looked like a pot of tea.
She yawned, thankful that she hadn’t awakened disoriented and wondering where she was and who the devil this woman was who was rummaging about in her room. Brown hair twisted into a severe bun, broad shoulders and an overly large bosom making her abit top-heavy, and thick brows that seemed slanted into a perpetual frown.
Oh, yes, she remembered the housekeeper all right—too clearly, in fact, the woman’s contemptuous tsking and disparaging looks that had made Kelsey feel like the lowliest gutter rat. And her parting remark the night before that Kelsey would never forget.
“And don’t be wandering about and stealing anything, ’cause we’ll know who done it, we will.”
It was extremely hard to stomach such disdain when she had never experienced anything approaching scorn in her life, but she’d already figured that she would have to get used to such attitudes. She’d just have to put a shell around her feelings so eventually it wouldn’t hurt or embarrass her as it did now.
Kelsey wished the housekeeper would hurry up and leave. But she was still mumbling to herself, apparently not aware yet that Kelsey was even awake. And then Kelsey changed that opinion when she started listening more intently to what the woman was saying.
“Comes from trusting Hanly’s opinion. But what does he know, I ask you? Tells me you’re a tart His Lordship’s brought home and I go and believe him. My own fault, though. I know it. I admit it. I should’ve had a closer look-see. It’s in the bones, you know. The bones won’t deceive you, and you’ve got ’em.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“See? What did I tell you? You should’ve begged my pardon last night, m’lady, and I’d have known right off that you didn’t belong down here. It was that dress, you see. And my eyesight ain’t so good, like I said.”
Kelsey stiffened, sitting up in the lumpy bed. Last night she hadn’t even noticed it was so uncomfortable. Good God, the woman was apologizing . That’s what all her mumbling was about. For some unknown
Actually, it didn’t take much to talk himself into paying Kelsey a short visit. So it was rather disappointing to be met at the door by Hanly again, even at that bloody late hour, and having that put an end to those plans.
Nosy old coot. If Hanly hadn’t stood there in the foyer and watched him ascend the stairs, every single step of them, Derek might still have gone down to the servants’ quarters to search out the girl. But he didn’t doubt for a moment that Hanly would be lurking about down there, watching for him.
And then Derek’s father would hear about it within the week, and he’d end up called to task about propriety, discretion, and ensuring the servants’ gossip had to do with other people’s households, not one’s own. All for one little tryst with a chit he could have access to at any time—after tonight? Not bloody likely.
But it was deuced hard getting to sleep that night.
8
“It’s my own fault,” Mrs. Hershal mumbled . “Should’ve seen it right off, but I’ll admit my eyesight ain’t what it used to be, “specially at night.”
Kelsey rubbed the sleep from her own eyes as she listened with half an ear to the housekeeper. She didn’t comment, since she didn’t know what the woman was talking about. Obviously, she must have missed that part, having awakened to find Mrs. Hershal taking one of her dresses out of her valise to smooth out the wrinkles.
The room had already been tidied up, not that she had been awake long enough last night to make much mess. And there was fresh water awaiting her, fluffy towels, and what looked like a pot of tea.
She yawned, thankful that she hadn’t awakened disoriented and wondering where she was and who the devil this woman was who was rummaging about in her room. Brown hair twisted into a severe bun, broad shoulders and an overly large bosom making her abit top-heavy, and thick brows that seemed slanted into a perpetual frown.
Oh, yes, she remembered the housekeeper all right—too clearly, in fact, the woman’s contemptuous tsking and disparaging looks that had made Kelsey feel like the lowliest gutter rat. And her parting remark the night before that Kelsey would never forget.
“And don’t be wandering about and stealing anything, ’cause we’ll know who done it, we will.”
It was extremely hard to stomach such disdain when she had never experienced anything approaching scorn in her life, but she’d already figured that she would have to get used to such attitudes. She’d just have to put a shell around her feelings so eventually it wouldn’t hurt or embarrass her as it did now.
Kelsey wished the housekeeper would hurry up and leave. But she was still mumbling to herself, apparently not aware yet that Kelsey was even awake. And then Kelsey changed that opinion when she started listening more intently to what the woman was saying.
“Comes from trusting Hanly’s opinion. But what does he know, I ask you? Tells me you’re a tart His Lordship’s brought home and I go and believe him. My own fault, though. I know it. I admit it. I should’ve had a closer look-see. It’s in the bones, you know. The bones won’t deceive you, and you’ve got ’em.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“See? What did I tell you? You should’ve begged my pardon last night, m’lady, and I’d have known right off that you didn’t belong down here. It was that dress, you see. And my eyesight ain’t so good, like I said.”
Kelsey stiffened, sitting up in the lumpy bed. Last night she hadn’t even noticed it was so uncomfortable. Good God, the woman was apologizing . That’s what all her mumbling was about. For some unknown
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