“I hope there’s someone here to let us inside. I didn’t ask my brother if he’d retained the staff from the previous owner,” Nate said as he and his valet hurried up the short flight of stairs that led to a raised portico, leaving the two coachmen waiting with their carriages. They came to a double two-paneled door, pale blue in color, with a lion-faced knocker attached to the right panel. His valet lifted the knocker and rapped several times on the door.
After what seemed like an agonizingly long wait, his valet knockedagain. Only then did the door creak open. A diminutive, middle-aged housekeeper dressed in black swung a lantern in front of their faces and peered at them from beneath her large black bonnet.
“The Honorable Mr. Nathaniel Squires,” Nate’s valet announced. “I assume you’ve been expecting him?”
“Expecting him? At this hour?” The housekeeper narrowed her dark eyes. “I shouldn’t think so. The madam and the misses have already retired to their chambers.”
“What are you talking about?” Nate said. “Would you please step aside? I don’t fancy standing out here in the rain.” He pushed past the housekeeper, his patience having reached its limit, and stepped into a dimly lit but vast hallway.
“Sir! What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’ll need a fire, some brandy, and a hearty meal. As will my valet and coachmen, waiting outside. Show them to the servants’ quarters, will you? And have the stable boy take care of my horses.”
The housekeeper blinked in confusion. Then her face hardened. “Get out, I tell you! The ladies of the house have already retired for the night and—”
“The ladies of the house? What ladies?” Nate frowned. Edward hadn’t mentioned anything about ladies.
“Eliza?” A woman’s voice sounded, and Nate looked up to see a petite young woman descending the stairway. Like the housemaid, she was dressed entirely in black and carried a lantern.
“I’m sorry for the racket, Miss Bridget. This here gentleman seems to be lost.”
“Lost. I don’t believe so. My driver was given a very detailed map of where to go.” Nate spoke with confidence, but in truth, he knew they could well be at the wrong location.
“And where is it that you were wanting to go, sir?” The young lady stepped forward. Butter-blond ringlets framed her lovely face. She had the creamiest porcelain-like skin he’d ever seen, wide, almond-shapedblue eyes, a sweet button nose, and beautiful rosebud lips.
Nate found himself momentarily distracted. He cleared his throat, which had suddenly gone dry. “Villa De Lacey,” he said.
“Then you have come to the right place.” She nodded to her housekeeper, who then moved to close the front door, shutting out the wind and the rain. “What might your business be here at such a late hour?” she asked.
“My business is to move in. Villa De Lacey is my new home.” He drew the deed out of his breast pocket and presented it to the young lady.
She hesitated before taking it with a slightly trembling hand. She held it next to her lantern and scanned the deed but seemed to do more for show than anything else. “I see,” she said, returning the deed to Nate. “Well, then, you’d best make yourself at home. I hope you won’t see fit to turn me and my aunt out tonight. We didn’t realize you’d be coming quite so soon. We are still digesting the news of my father’s death.”
Nate swallowed.Damn Edward.He hadn’t said anything about the house still being occupied, and by the deceased gentleman’s daughter, no less.
“No, of course not, Miss…”
“De Lacey,” she supplied.
“Of course.” He nodded.
“Good. Then we can discuss the situation in the morning. In the meantime, Eliza will take care of all your needs.”
She was trying to be strong, but Nate heard the tremble in her voice, and it made him feel like a criminal. Her father had taken his own life, for goodness’ sake! And now she was to be thrown out of her home.Damn Edward. Damn him to the devil!
“Good evening, sir,” Miss De Lacey said, and before Nate could respond, she’d turned and hurried back up the stairs.
*
Bridget dashed toher room, barely able to hold back her tears before she closed the door behind her. Once she was safely ensconced, the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Sensing her distress, Bijou jumped off his bed cushion and ran to her. She set her lantern onto her writing desk and scooped the little dog up in her arms, pressing him to her chest for comfort. She had known that the new owner would be arriving one day, but she didn’t think he would be coming so soon.
The notion enraged her.How dare he? Her dear papa was only two months gone! Still, she’d been foolish not to prepare. Or maybe she’d avoided doing so because the thought of leaving Villa De Lacey was unbearable. Where would she and Aunt Marianne go? They’d been too busy burying and mourning Papa to think about that awful Squires. She sat on her bed, setting Bijou down next to her, and wept until it felt as though she’d used up all her tears. The terrier jumped onto her lap and licked her, trying to comfort her. She held him, kissed his head, and whispered, “All is well, my love. I feel much better.”
The gesture calmed him, and when she put him back down, he curled up next to her contentedly. Bridget smiled at the pup.How wonderful to be a little dog with no worries in the world.She shook her head and then inhaled deeply.I mustn’t fall apart now. There has to be a solution. All I need to do is calm down and think.
Bridget bent to unlace and remove her boots. Then she stood and paced the length of her room in her stockinged feet, enjoying the feel of the plush cream carpet. Tomorrow, she’d have to speak with Squires—was he a Mr. or a lord? She frowned. It would be important to address him correctly. Didn’t Magistrate Hunt say something about him being an earl? And if he was an earl, surely he wouldn’t want to live at Villa De Lacey. Perhaps he would allow her and Aunt Marianne to take care of the place for him. She bit her lip.
But he likely had servants to do his bidding.The servants! Oh dear! Ihaven’t prepared them for this. They will lose their livelihood unless I do something. I must do something! Especially for Cook and dear Eliza. Villa De Lacey has been Eliza’s home for one-and-twenty years and Cook’s even longer than that!
