“Did you see the count?” she asked.
“Not once. Nor have I sought him out to plead your case. Patience, Nora.”
She sighed and dropped his hands. Her tongue darted out to wet her lower lip. He stared at her mouth hungrily. Memory of the one time he kissed those lips pushed all other thoughts out of his mind.
“You have the oddest expression,” she said. “What is it?”
“You,” he said, “your, uh, dress. Is linen this year’s fashion?”
She gave her skirt a twitch. “This is the dress of a good English housewife doing honest work, thank you very much.”
“I met one maid. How many did you hire?”
“Four so far. Two maids of all work, and two temporary, although one of them may work out as a nursery maid when Isabella comes.” Her eyes slid from his when she said it, and she looked shifty. Jamie felt the hair on his neck rise.
“Did you hire them yourself?”
She didn’t look at him. “One or two,” she said.
“Nora? You let Capello hire the rest, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “Finding them myself would take time we don’thave. I know you think they will all spy, but, Jamie, we have nothing to hide. Why not let them?”
She looked at him for approval, eyes bright and clear.Nothing to hide? A bogus betrothal for one, a relationship that exists only for show, a major with a past to hide.He tilted his head and spoke through tight lips. “Nora—” he began.
She rushed on. “These girls are simple peasants. They speak no English.”
“That you know about.”
“Seriously, they don’t. They work hard. I like them.”
“Why the relief at my arrival then? You need help giving these maids who don’t speak English orders?”
Nora laughed. “Hardly. The work is obvious and easily demonstrated. We’re scrubbing room by room. I promised Isabella, remember?”
“Why me then?”
The wary look came back. “There’s one more,” she said, “Or there may be. Capello is sending a housekeeper.”
Housekeeper. The manager of the household. The dragon of the staff. At least, Nora shows sense about that.
“See, I’m not completely lacking in care,” she rushed on as if she could read his thoughts. “I promised only to speak with the woman, not to hire her. You warned me about spies.”
“Yes, but you seem to have let the door down anyway,” he pointed out.
She looked sheepish. “We have little to hide,” she said.
Nora has nothing to hide. My name, my title, and my deepest sins. Those are mine to hide.
She peeped at him under lowered lashes. “You can see why I need you.”
“You need me?” The thought pleased him.“To begin with, I suggest that you freshen up.”
“What?” she sputtered. “I do not need to put on airs for a servant, at least!”
“There are no bigger snobs than upper servants,” Jamie said. “The housekeeper always knows everything.”
He hoped Nora didn’t think about how he knew. He spent more than his share of visits as the pockets-to-let friend of the upper classes. Housekeepers had been particularly skilled at keeping him in his place.
