“That man needs a woman to soften him,” the duchess said, still looking through the titles on the huge bookcase before her.
Clearly she saw nothing odd in being in the Deville brothers’ household while somewhere a long-lost cousin was being tended by the family.
“We should leave,” Dimity said, standing. “It is not right that we are inconveniencing them further with our presence.”
“Not yet.” The duchess showed no concern over having her companion tell her what to do. Directness, Dimity had found, was always the best path. “There is still the lower half of this shelf to view. The Deville brothers have excellent reading material, but I beg you not to tell them that.”
“Dimity?” Hogan appeared in the doorway. He and Dimity had become friends when she had worked for the earl.
“Hogan.” She hurried forward, noting the look on his usually smiling face. “What has happened?”
“I need to speak with the earl urgently.”
“What has happened? Is it his sister?” Cold dread gripped Dimity.
“No.” He shook his head, reaching for her hand. “She is well.”
“Well, then what is it?” The duchess arrived.
Hogan shot her a wide-eyed look. He’d heard stories from the staff about the duchess’s behavior when he’d visited Dimity and taken tea in the kitchens.
“I—ah, need to speak with Lord Raine, Your Grace.” Hogan bowed deeply, clearly nervous. “He needs to come to the kitchens at once. Tell him that, Dimity. At once!” Hogan didn’t wait for an answer but ran from the room.
“I never thought the earl would run such a shabby household,” the duchess said, leaning to look out the door. “Stray cousins turning up, and now servants demanding he come to the kitchens. All very odd,” she muttered.
“The earl runs a very well managed household,” Dimity said, still looking at the now empty doorway. Something was very wrong for Hogan to behave as he had.
“Your Grace, I am dismayed your tea has yet to arrive. If you will excuse me, I shall endeavor to see what is keeping it,” Dimity said.
“Good” was the duchess’s reply as she wandered back to the bookshelf. “I shall send the earl there when he shows his face. Or one of his brothers. I find it hard to believe men who are extremely mouthy most of the time are silent as a ghost in their own home!”
Dimity ran along the hall that led to the stairs that would take her to the kitchens. Hurrying down, she made her away quickly along the hallway. She heard raised voices as she approached. Stepping into the kitchens, she found Mrs. Wood with a large ladle in her hands. She was holding it aloft.
“How could you wish to harm the man who has been so good to you, boy?”
Dimity took in the scene. Mrs. Liall, the housekeeper; Fairfax; Hogan; and Mrs. Wood, the cook, had formed a half-circle around the stable boy, Henry, who was often found in the kitchen eating. He and Dimity had become friends when she worked here. She’d gone with him once to visit his mother on his day off.
The lad looked terrified, cowering in the corner.
“Talk to us, Henry,” Hogan said in a gentler tone. “The master will know about this. If you come clean, we can speak on your behalf.”
“I’ll not speak on his behalf!” Mrs. Liall scoffed. “He tried to poison the earl with Mrs. Wood’s pudding.” Clearly indignant, she shook a fist at Henry.
“Hello,” Dimity said, making them aware of her presence. “I came to see if the tea tray is ready for the Duchess of Yardly?”
Mrs. Liall’s lips tightened as she saw who spoke. She’d never really liked Dimity, because she was outspoken and often stood up to the woman.
“We have a situation, Miss Brown,” she snapped.
“I can see that. What has happened?”
“That is none of your business.” The woman sniffed. “You no longer work in this household.”
“Please do not speak to Miss Brown that way,” Fairfax said.
“I’ll speak as I want to her,” Mrs. Liall said. “She always thought she was better than all of us. But we know different now. We know she strayed above stairs, just not which bed she slept in, if not all of them.”
“I have had no cause to question your employment within my household until now, Mrs. Liall.” The earl walked into the kitchens with Michael Deville on his heels. “That appears about to change.”
