“Of course, Miss Georgie. They were both very happy to have someone help them with their toilette. I had hoped to provide you similar assistance. Have I offended you?” Martina’s brow wrinkled.
“Oh, no! I’d love your help. It’s just that one maid for three women is a lot of work.”
“I’m bred for hard work. And the three of you managed with no one at all, though how you could is beyond me. I’m here to make everything better.” She headed to the clothes press, looking through the new gowns with a practiced eye.
“I thought I’d wear the blue one today,” Georgie ventured.
Martina shook her head. “That one’s old and shabby,” she announced, pulling it out of the pile and tossing it on the floor.
“Yes, but I’m not going anywhere today. I wanted to save my new dresses for more important occasions.”
“New dresses, eh? Where did all these come from?”
“Rafferty,” she said, and Martina raised one delicately arched eyebrow. “That is, Madame Racette, of course, but Rafferty arranged for her to extend us more credit and apparently she had some of my gowns already made up and...” Words trailed off as she began to realize how unlikely just such a thing was.
But Martina simply nodded. “Rafferty’s very good at persuading people. And he told me I was to give you the majority of my time.”
“He must think I need it,” Georgie said in a disconsolate voice.
She almost missed Martina’s understanding smile. “No such thing, miss. I expect he just thinks you’ve been left out in the past. You deserve as much attention as anyone.”
Georgie said up straighter in the bed, pushing the breakfast tray away. “Have you known Rafferty a long time?”
“A long time,” Martina said, and Georgie waited for the familiar tickle of jealousy. Martina was very pretty—of course Rafferty would be attracted to her. Maybe they were even lovers in the past. Maybe they still were.
“Now what are you looking so gloomy about, miss?” Martina chided her. “This rain’s going to let up and you can have a lovely walk in the park this afternoon in the...rose dress,” she said, pulling it out from the others.
“Oh, no, that’s my favorite,” she protested.
“Exactly the reason why you should wear it. Pretty things are made to be enjoyed.” She swooped in and removed the tray.
“And I can’t walk in the park—I don’t have a chaperone.”
“Me or Rafferty will do the trick,” Martina said. “In fact, it’ll probably have to be Rafferty since I’ll be helping your sister get ready for the Ormonds’ ball tonight.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide her surge of happiness.
“Still want to wear the blue dress?”
Georgie glanced at the soft rose fabric. “No, I expect you’re right. The blue is too shabby.”
“Of course. if you’d rather go with me, we could go earlier in the day. I’d be too busy in the afternoon, but if you want to go out as soon as the rain stops...”
“Oh, I’d much rather walk in the afternoon,” Georgie said hurriedly. “Though of course I’d love to have you as company.”
Martina coughed something under her breath, and it sounded suspiciously like “liar.” “You don’t have to worry about my company, Miss Georgiana. I’m here as your servant, not your friend.”
“Can’t you be both?”
Martina’s smile was crooked. “Society frowns on that sort of thing. Makes the servants too familiar.”
“I don’t give a hoot about what Society does or does not want. Rafferty’s my friend, and there’s no reason why you can’t be one too.”
“Oh, he is, is he?” There was a decided twinkle in Martina’s eyes. “Then I can hardly object.”
Georgie scooted back in bed, fixing Martina with a determined expression. “So, tell me about Rafferty.”
Martina rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that’s proper, miss.”
