reason she’d decided that she’d made a mistake in classing Kelsey with gutter rats. And how was Kelsey supposed to deal with that? She didn’t want anyone thinking she was a lady.
She could just say nothing. Let the woman think whatever she liked. It wasn’t as if she would be staying in this house, where she’d have to deal with her on a daily basis. But there was a chance that Mrs. Hershal might take her guilt straight to Lord Derek to continue her apologizing to him, and that wouldn’t do at all.
So she gave the woman a somewhat weak smile and said, “It’s not what you’re thinking, Mrs. Hershal. It’s true that gaudy dress wasn’t mine, and if I never see it again, I couldn’t be happier. But I’m not gentry, really I’m not.”
“Then how do you explain—”
Kelsey quickly interrupted. “My mum was a governess, you see, and we didn’t have it so bad. She was employed by the same family for most of my life, and we got to live in a nice house like this. I was even privileged enough to get to share the same tutors with the youngladies my mum had charge of—which is probably why you’re thinking I’m other than what I am. Believe me, you’re not the only one to have made that mistake because of the way I talk.”
That lie was getting easier with repetition, but Mrs. Hershal was frowning doubtfully and studying Kelsey’s face as if the truth were written there for any discerning eye to note. In fact, that was exactly what she was still thinking. “That don’t explain the bones, m’lady. You’ve got the fine bones of the upper crust, you do.”
Kelsey thought frantically for a moment, then said the only thing that came to mind. “Well—I’ve never met my father, actually.” And there was no need to try to simulate the blush that came with that lie.
“A by-blow then?” Mrs. Hershal replied thoughtfully, then nodded to herself, seeming well pleased with such a logical, obvious answer. Then sympathetically, “Ah, well, there’s enough of that goes around, ain’t there now. Even Lord Derek, bless him, came out on the wrong side o’ the blanket. ’Course his papa, the marquis, acknowledged him and made him his heir, so he’s accepted well enough by the ton , though it weren’t always so. Had many a fight, he did, younguns being as cruel as they are, up until Viscount Eden befriended him in their college days.”
Kelsey certainly hadn’t expected a history of Jeremy’s friend Derek, and didn’t know quite what to say. His illegitimacy was none of herbusiness, certainly, but since she had just, sort of, claimed to be the same thing, she supposed she should pretend some understanding.
“Yes, I know how that is.”
“I’m sure you do, miss, I’m sure you do.”
Kelsey relaxed then, hearing Mrs. Hershal using “miss” instead of “m’lady.” Mrs. Hershal didn’t look so fretful either, apparently having been satisfied that her mistake wasn’t too far off the mark, so she wouldn’t be getting into trouble for it.
And the housekeeper was quick to conclude on her own, “Having a bit of trouble then, are you, for Lord Derek to be helping you out?”
It was easiest to just say “Yes” and let it go at that, but wouldn’t you know, the housekeeper was too nosy to take the hint.
“You’ve known His Lordship long, then?”
“No, not a’tall. I was—stranded. I don’t know this city, you see, only just arrived and had been lucky enough to find lodging right away, but unlucky enough to have the building catch fire last night. That’s why I was wearing that horrid dress. Someone had lent it to me before my valise was recovered, and—and Lord Derek had been driving by, saw the smoke, and stopped to help.”
Having improvised as she went along, Kelsey was feeling rather proud of creating a fire to explain the dress as well as her presence here. The housekeeper nodded with approval.
“Yes, our Lord Derek is kindhearted, he is. I remember once—”
A knock at the
She could just say nothing. Let the woman think whatever she liked. It wasn’t as if she would be staying in this house, where she’d have to deal with her on a daily basis. But there was a chance that Mrs. Hershal might take her guilt straight to Lord Derek to continue her apologizing to him, and that wouldn’t do at all.
So she gave the woman a somewhat weak smile and said, “It’s not what you’re thinking, Mrs. Hershal. It’s true that gaudy dress wasn’t mine, and if I never see it again, I couldn’t be happier. But I’m not gentry, really I’m not.”
“Then how do you explain—”
Kelsey quickly interrupted. “My mum was a governess, you see, and we didn’t have it so bad. She was employed by the same family for most of my life, and we got to live in a nice house like this. I was even privileged enough to get to share the same tutors with the youngladies my mum had charge of—which is probably why you’re thinking I’m other than what I am. Believe me, you’re not the only one to have made that mistake because of the way I talk.”
That lie was getting easier with repetition, but Mrs. Hershal was frowning doubtfully and studying Kelsey’s face as if the truth were written there for any discerning eye to note. In fact, that was exactly what she was still thinking. “That don’t explain the bones, m’lady. You’ve got the fine bones of the upper crust, you do.”
Kelsey thought frantically for a moment, then said the only thing that came to mind. “Well—I’ve never met my father, actually.” And there was no need to try to simulate the blush that came with that lie.
“A by-blow then?” Mrs. Hershal replied thoughtfully, then nodded to herself, seeming well pleased with such a logical, obvious answer. Then sympathetically, “Ah, well, there’s enough of that goes around, ain’t there now. Even Lord Derek, bless him, came out on the wrong side o’ the blanket. ’Course his papa, the marquis, acknowledged him and made him his heir, so he’s accepted well enough by the ton , though it weren’t always so. Had many a fight, he did, younguns being as cruel as they are, up until Viscount Eden befriended him in their college days.”
Kelsey certainly hadn’t expected a history of Jeremy’s friend Derek, and didn’t know quite what to say. His illegitimacy was none of herbusiness, certainly, but since she had just, sort of, claimed to be the same thing, she supposed she should pretend some understanding.
“Yes, I know how that is.”
“I’m sure you do, miss, I’m sure you do.”
Kelsey relaxed then, hearing Mrs. Hershal using “miss” instead of “m’lady.” Mrs. Hershal didn’t look so fretful either, apparently having been satisfied that her mistake wasn’t too far off the mark, so she wouldn’t be getting into trouble for it.
And the housekeeper was quick to conclude on her own, “Having a bit of trouble then, are you, for Lord Derek to be helping you out?”
It was easiest to just say “Yes” and let it go at that, but wouldn’t you know, the housekeeper was too nosy to take the hint.
“You’ve known His Lordship long, then?”
“No, not a’tall. I was—stranded. I don’t know this city, you see, only just arrived and had been lucky enough to find lodging right away, but unlucky enough to have the building catch fire last night. That’s why I was wearing that horrid dress. Someone had lent it to me before my valise was recovered, and—and Lord Derek had been driving by, saw the smoke, and stopped to help.”
Having improvised as she went along, Kelsey was feeling rather proud of creating a fire to explain the dress as well as her presence here. The housekeeper nodded with approval.
“Yes, our Lord Derek is kindhearted, he is. I remember once—”
A knock at the
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