Through Gypsy Eyes by Killarney Sheffield Page A

small, yet well-received raise. From what Teresa told her the wage she paid each employee was well above the norm, so what reason did they have to steal from her? It did not make any sense.
    Something rattled at the far end of the barn aisle.
    Pivoting, she faced the direction the sound came from. “Is someone there?”
    A slight rustle in the straw made her reach for Jester’s harness.
    “Hello?” Perhaps it was a rat out scavenging for bits of grain left from the horses who used to reside here. Footsteps approached from the opposite direction. She spun around wondering if two people might be in the stable with her.
    “Miss Daysland?”
    A sigh of relief slipped from her lips at the maid’s call. “I am in the stable, Teresa.”
    The servant’s footsteps crossed the wooden floor boards. “What are you doing in here, miss?”
    “Nothing.” Delilah reached for the harness and tugged it to cue her guide she wanted to go back to the house. “Jester and I were just taking a walk.”
    “Well come on back to the house. We have only a few short hours to get you ready for the earl’s dinner party.”
    Despite the unwelcome thought, Delilah submitted to the maid’s escort back to the house, the noises in the barn forgotten.

Chapter Nine
    Delilah forced herself to sit still while the maid fussed with her hair.
    “You look beautiful, miss.”
    “I shall have to take your word for it, I suppose.” Though she tried to keep the vexation from her voice and brow, she did not succeed. Pressing fingers to her forehead she smoothed away the telltale wrinkles and sighed. The slight headache that nagged all morning still lingered in wait behind her temples. It threatened to become a full force skull pounding, which experience foretold would lay her low for a day at least.
    A knock on the door announced the arrival of Lord Frost. Getting to her feet, she fixed a smile to her lips as the maid opened it. The slight brush of material upon material and minty scent alerted her to the earl’s presence. “I am perfectly capable of walking down the stairs by myself, my lord.”
    “As is every lady; however, I thought to show my support and ease any nervousness you might have.” His tone switched from teasing to admiring. “You look lovely in that mauve dress — it brings out the shine in your black hair and color of your eyes to perfection.”
    “So glad you approve, my lord, not that your approval or my outwardly loveliness will matter to anyone downstairs.” She brushed past him out the door, both irritated she couldn’t see for herself her appearance and annoyed his praise made her want to. She was content in her dark world, for the most part, until he showed up. Why all of a sudden she cared what she looked like was a mystery. Besides, her appearance was not going to attract any attention from the opposite sex. The earl’s ridiculous little dinner party was going to be a horrendous flop. Descending the stairs, she stifled the sudden urge to return to her room and don the shapeless dress she used for her midnight escapes. The earl’s footfalls close behind left little doubt he would refuse to go along with her charade.
    A murmur of voices drifted down the hall from the large parlor. It irked her that the parlor she used as a music room because of its marvelous resonance would be the scene of her humiliation. Pausing, she took a deep breath and willed her shaky legs to move toward the sound. The breath caught in her chest and panic began to eat its way to her very core.
I cannot do this.
“I am sorry, I did not mean to make light of your kind compliment. I am not used to dressing for dinner or my appearance mattering. It is just … I cannot do this, I mean, strangers, in my music room. They will stare and whisper … ” She gasped when the earl took her hand, his action catching her off guard.
    He placed the palm of her hand on the arm of his velvet dinner jacket. “Relax. Take a deep breath. Every man in there will