“Please do.” Adalyn got out of bed and headed for the screen in the corner of her chamber. “Milk only, please.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
The tea was excellent and Jane offered a few suggestions about her choice of garments for the day, suggesting a lavender shade of ribbon to replace the pale grey.
Adalyn agreed, and blinked at the sudden thought that time was passing. It was going on three months since Sir Ridley Wilkerson had passed away and precipitated her into this amazing adventure.
“Is the walk to get here in the mornings acceptable, Jane?” asked Adalyn over her teacup. “Not too far?”
“Oh no, Ma’am. Ten minutes at a brisk pace. And I like to keep a brisk pace.” She smiled from eyes as blue as a spring sky.
She was quite lovely, tall and shapely with excellent posture and hands that could be described as delicate. Mr. and Mrs. Barnsley were to be applauded. Jane was a wonderful creation. Except, of course, for the scarring. Adalyn prayed it would fade slightly as time went on, for surely it would be the first thing anyone noticed about her, and that was just wrong. She now understood why the young woman had needed to defend herself, and sighed at the sad tale. That might have been her own lot, had she been forced into service by circumstances beyond her control.
Her toilette completed, Adalyn left Jane to her chores and walked downstairs to the parlour for breakfast.
There she found Daniel and Giles talking with Evan, who was laying out several dishes of food on the sideboard.
“Good morning,” she said, walking up to them. “I trust everyone slept well?”
Their greetings were somewhat subdued. “Indeed, my Lady.”
“Thank you, Lady Adalyn.”
She helped herself to toast and walked to the table, taking her seat. “Very well then. Sit down and tell me what's going on.”
“My Lady?” Giles raised an eyebrow.
“Giles,” she said, after sipping her tea. “I have been here for almost a quarter of a year. In that time I have come to know you all quite well. Quite well indeed. So cut line. Something is not right this morning. Jeremy is not here, and neither is Trick. Now one or the other of you may have work that needs to be done, but seldom are two of you absent while the rest of you act as if nothing were happening.”
Daniel shook his head. “You are too observant, Adalyn.”
She gazed at him. “You are all so very dear to me. If something is wrong I need to know.”
“She’s right.” Jeremy walked into the room. “And it’s my fault.”
“It’s nobody’s fault, lad,” Giles sighed. “But perhaps it’s best for us to talk this through.”
“Trick?” asked Evan.
“On his way,” answered Jeremy. “And yes, I believe the time has come to talk about what has occurred.”
“Are you all right, Jeremy?” Adalyn tried to keep her concern out of her voice, but failed. If something was wrong and judging by the faces around her, something definitely was, she had to worry.
Trick rushed in. “Sorry, I had to check on the mare. She kicked out a slat in her stall last night. No damage though, just a broken panel. She’s fine.”
“Well, at least something is going right.” Adalyn buttered her toast, trying to ready herself for whatever lay ahead. “And Jane Barnsley has joined our staff. She arrived early this morning.”
“She is acceptable?” Giles glanced at Adalyn as he took his seat at the table.
“Indeed yes.” She nodded. “I’m sure you’ve seen her though. And you understand why she cannot work elsewhere?”
Trick spoke. “Jane is a lovely girl. I used to see her quite frequently before she left the Barnsley cottage. It’s a damned shame what was done to her…pardon my language, Adalyn.”
“No pardon necessary. I feel the same way, Trick. And I’m glad she will be able to work here because I know we can cope with her wounds without comment, and with friendliness. I could not vouch that she would receive either at other houses.”
“Indeed.” Giles nodded in approval.
The others settled themselves, and a brief silence fell.
