ANNE ASHLEY - Miss In A Man's World

A considering look took possession of those striking eyes as they followed the valet’s progress across the large room, before it was vanquished by a knowing twinkle.

‘Ah, but you see, Mr Napes, I have no desire to trespass on your domain. I think any skills I might have lie elsewhere, perhaps even here with Mrs Willard.’

‘Oh!’ The valet looked taken aback for a moment, not to say slightly relieved. ‘There’s no need for you to worry yourself on that score, my boy,’ he assured, noticeably less sharply. ‘His lordship demands you await him in the library.’

‘Not quite, Mr Napes,’ the butler corrected when the page had left them. ‘He requested the child await him in the library. Requested, mark you.’

‘Well, that do seem strange, Mr Brindle,’ the cook declared, as the butler, continuing to look perplexed himself, joined her at the table. ‘Mind, the child do have winning ways, I’ll say that for him. Perhaps his lordship has a fondness for the lad.’ She gave a sudden start. ‘Oh, my gawd! You don’t suppose.?’

‘That possibility assuredly crossed my mind,’ the butler admitted, following Cook’s train of thought with little difficulty. ‘But, apart from the hair, the child bears no resemblance to his lordship from what I can see. Nor the master’s late brother, come to that. Besides which, I would have thought he was rather too old to be an offspring of his lordship’s.’

‘Not only that, Mr Brindle, the master were so good natured in his youth,’ Cook reminded him. ‘Never a breath of scandal attached to his name in those days. It was only after he came back from France and discovered what Miss Charlotte had gone and done that changed him.

‘A bit before your time, Mr Napes,’ she explained, when she chanced to catch him frowning down at her, looking bewildered. ‘Miss Charlotte were a close neighbour’s daughter. She and Master Benedict were childhood sweethearts, inseparable they were back in them days. His brother only wanted Master Benedict to finish his studies up at Oxford, then he were happy to give the union his blessing and set Master Benedict up in a nice little property a few miles north of Fincham Park, with a nice bit of land attached to it, too. Well, no sooner does Master Benedict finish his studies than he goes jaunting over to France to help his friend Mr Gingham rescue a cousin, or some such. Wicked goings on over there at the time, Mr Napes, murdering all their betters. Wicked it were!

‘Master Ben were away quite some few weeks, I seem to remember,’ she went on, quickly returning to the point of the story, ‘and when he came back he discovered Miss Charlotte had spent some time in London with an aunt or some such, and had upped and wedded Lord Wenbury.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘He were never the same after that, were he, Mr Brindle? Cold, he became, cold and distant.’

‘He certainly became less approachable,’ the butler was willing to concede. Then he shook his head. ‘But that child seems to have stirred something within him again. I swore I heard him laughing earlier, shortly after I’d shown the lad where his lordship’s dressing room was located, and I was about my duties on the upper floor. I haven’t heard him laugh like that in many a long year.’

‘But where did the young fellow come from, Mr Brindle, that’s what I’d like to know? Ever since he came into the title, his lordship has always trusted your judgement when it comes to hiring staff,’ Cook reminded him. ‘So I don’t think he came from any agency.’

‘I’m sure he didn’t. Just as I’m convinced he’s never been engaged in service before. All I can tell you is his lordship brought him back with him yesterday. No doubt the young fellow will reveal more about himself when he comes to know us better.’

His lordship, seated at his desk in the library, was of a similar mind, and had decided not to bombard his unusual page with questions, but to bide his time in the hope of discovering more.

Only just detecting the light knock on the door, he bade enter and watched the girl come shyly into the room. The glance she cast him was brief in the extreme, before she resolutely stared at the floor, her heightened colour visible even from where his lordship sat. Clearly she was still highly embarrassed over the incident in the dressing room. But it was no more than she deserved! his lordship decided, hardening his heart.

‘Come in and close the door, child, I wish to discuss your duties with you. No, over here,’ he added when she remained where she stood. ‘I have no intention of shouting and becoming hoarse.

‘You may sit yourself down,’ he invited when she had finally managed to edge her way across to the desk, though seemingly still unable to meet his gaze.

Wisely, she had betrayed a certain wariness towards him from the first. Clearly she mistrusted him now, and he didn’t like it—no, not at all. If he was ever to discover the truth about her present circumstances he would, quite naturally, need to win her complete confidence. He was determined to do so and not merely in an attempt to satisfy his curiosity.

‘I understand from my valet that you managed to find your way down to the kitchens this morning. I assume, therefore, you realise there is a dog in the house.’

At long last she met his gaze, albeit briefly. ‘Yes, sir—Ronan.’

‘Ah, so you have become acquainted already—good! I hope you got along. He is not always at his best with strangers, especially those of a young age.’

‘He was all right with me. I gave him a bone, which helped, of course. Your cook wasn’t best pleased, because she wanted it for the stockpot. But she forgave me when I offered to help shell the peas.’

Never in his lordship’s entire life had a servant ever attempted to regale him with a catalogue of goings-on below stairs. Yet this outrageous little madam seemed to consider it the most natural thing in the world! Far from annoyed, he was both amused and intrigued by her attitude and decided to tease her a little.

Leaning back in his chair, he feigned a look of amazement. ‘I never realised until today that peas came in shells. I thought only oysters and certain other sea creatures arrived at the house in such hardened coverings. Which only goes to prove one is never too old to learn.’

It was only by exercising the firmest control that he prevented himself roaring with laughter for the second time that day at the look of mingled disbelief and dismay he received. Even so, he couldn’t prevent his shoulders shaking in his effort to contain his mirth, which instantly alerted his engaging companion to his true state of mind.

‘You were jesting, of course,’ she said, with just a trace of peevishness in her voice.

‘Indeed, I was, child,’ he confirmed. ‘But not about Ronan. I am delighted to hear you both took a liking to each other, because I wish you to take charge of him for most of the time, when he isn’t with me. Take him out for walks, but keep him on the leash whilst anywhere near traffic. I should not be best pleased if harm came to him. And for pity’s sake do not release him in Green Park anywhere near the grazing cows! I do not wish to suffer a visit from the authorities informing me that you have stampeded the herd.’

She gurgled at this, a delightfully infectious sound that brought an answering smile to his own lips. Striking eyes then appeared to consider him intently for a long moment before lowering and staring down at the desk.

‘And are those my only duties, my lord?’

‘No, I shall require you to accompany me out from time to time.’

An arresting look flickered across delicate features. ‘Shall you, sir?’

‘Of course, otherwise I shouldn’t have said so,’ he returned, reaching for his quill in order to begin his correspondence. ‘But until you have acquired new clothes, you may concentrate your efforts on looking after Ronan.’