Mrs. Hamilton had finished brushing Sarah’s hair, and Sarah stood and made her way over toward the bed. “Don’t worry. I have every hope for him next Season. And I shall be there to help him.”
Mrs. Hamilton sighed again loud and long. “I hope it’ll work, my lady. I can’t wait till I hear the pitter patter of little feet in this house again.”
“I shall do my best to help him,” Sarah said, swallowing the unexpected lump in her throat. “Because I am his friend.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A grand traveling coach arrived midway through the next morning. Two gorgeous ladies—one with black hair, one with blond—alighted from the conveyance. The black-haired lady wore a gown of bright emerald silk. Sarah could see the hem peeping out from under her coat. The blond lady had on a lavender gown with a beautiful silver coat over it. Sarah watched, fascinated, through an upstairs window as Lord Berkeley marched out across the icy gravel to meet them in the biting wind.
The ladies and their trunks were deposited in their rooms in short order, and the two of them made their way back down to the drawing room to meet Christian. Sarah stole quietly behind them. She listened at the door to the drawing room in front of the house while Lord Berkeley spoke with them.
“Dear God, Berkeley, when is the last time you’ve shaved?”
Sarah winced. Clearly Lucy (if that was indeed who was speaking) wasn’t one for subtlety.
“I’ve been a bit preoccupied of late,” Christian replied. “And my valet went to visit friends in York. He wasn’t expecting me.”
“Yes, well, as to your ‘preoccupation,’ all you said in your letter was that you needed my help restoring the name of a young woman who was under your care,” the same female voice said.
“That’s right, Lucy,” came Christian’s voice.
“That’s precious little to go by,” Lucy replied. “Couldn’t you have expounded a bit? Besides, Cass and I nearly died of anticipation. Who is it?”
“I’ve sent up a note,” Christian said. “Mrs. Hamilton should be bringing her down any moment.”
Sarah jumped. It was clearly time to stop listening at doors and make her appearance. Just then, Mrs. Hamilton arrived at her side. “Go on, then,” the housekeeper prompted. “Mustn’t keep Her Grace waiting.”
Sarah gulped, and her eyes widened. “Her Grace?”
“Yes, Lucy Hunt, the Duchess of Claringdon.”
“You mean to tell me the Duchess of Claringdon is in that room?” The Duchess of Claringdon was the epitome of style and grace as far as thetonwas concerned. Young, beautiful, dashing. With a war-hero husband and a set of the most fashionable friends, she was a darling of the Quality.Shewas Christian’s friend Lucy. Sarah could wring his neck for not mentioning it before.
“Yes, along with the Countess of Swifdon.”
Ah, yes. Cassandra was the countess’s first name. And rumor had it that she and the duchess were thick as thieves. Now it all made perfect sense.
Very well. No use hovering outside the door like a timid little mouse. If these great ladies had traveled all this way to help her, Mrs. Hamilton was right. She mustn’t keep them waiting. Sarah quietly pushed open the door and stepped into the room. “Your Grace,” she said in a quiet voice, looking at the duchess. “My lady,” she said, turning her attention to the countess.
Both beautiful ladies in their grand skirts turned immediately and gave her a once-over. She’d never felt more out of place in her maid’s clothing. She could tell right away they recognized her, too.
The countess gasped.
The duchess’s eyebrows shot up. “Berkeley, you mean to tell me you’ve had Lady Sarah Highgate, the subject of some of the most intense gossip London’s ever heard, with you this entire time?”
Sarah bit her lip.Oh, no. The gossip was already bad. This plan was hopeless.
“No,” Christian replied. “Not this entire time.”
The duchess nodded to Sarah. “We’ve met, but only briefly. Good to see you again, Lady Sarah. I simply cannot wait to hear this story.”
“Yes,” the countess said as Oswald brought in tea. The countess crossed to Sarah and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You must be scared half out of your wits, you poor dear. Please tell us everything.”
“Thank you, Lady Cassandra. It’s good to see you both,” Sarah replied tentatively. “I regret that we are meeting again under such inauspicious circumstances.”
“Never mind that, dear. Come. Sit down. We’re here to help.” Lucy patted a spot next to her on the sofa. Sarah quickly made her way over to it and sat. A bit of the tension left her shoulders. She felt strangely comforted knowing these two ladies had left London and traveled here expressly to help her. Well, actually they were here to help Christian, but by association, her, and she was grateful to have their help at present. She settled into her seat.
The duchess was a gorgeous woman, with black curly hair and two different-colored eyes (one blue, the other green). The countess was perhaps even more beautiful, with soft honey-colored hair and bright cornflower-blue eyes. They both looked at her with great kindness and interest as she began to speak.
