Page 16 of A Rogue at Stonecliffe

“A very good question,” Lady Lockwood said over the barks that Petunia was emitting at enough volume to make her entire tiny body shake. “Arriving at all hours. I must point out that we just saw you, Dunbridge. And you’re keeping me from my bed.”

“It’s all right, Grandmother,” Annabeth said. “You can go on to bed. I believe we’ve known Nathan long enough that you can trust him.”

“I suppose I can.” Lady Lockwood narrowed her eyes at Nathan. “As long as you two don’t go gallivanting off alone.”

“You have my word, Lady Lockwood,” Nathan assured her solemnly. “There will be no gallivanting of any kind.”

“I’ll stay with them, ma’am.” Judy crossed her arms over her chest, resembling a guard more than a maid.

Lady Lockwood nodded at this reassurance and stalked up the stairs, with Petunia following and playing a merry game of tug with Lady Lockwood’s skirts that trailed behind her.

“Sorry,” Nathan said to Annabeth. “I didn’t mean to cause such a stir.” He smiled in a way that warmed his eyes. It would be a very nice smile to grow old with, Annabeth reassured herself internally.

“Yuh might try not popping into people’s houses at all hours of the night then, sir,” Judy said. “It’s not appropriate.”

Nathan’s mouth dropped open, and he quickly snapped it shut.

“It’s fine, Judy,” Annabeth said. “Why don’t you take a seat down the hall? You can still see us from there, so we won’t be alone.”

“As yuh wish, miss.” She gave a curt nod to Nathan and walked a few yards away.

“You see?” Nathan said in a hushed tone, casting a long look down the hall. “She behaves quite strangely for a maid.”

“I don’t know if you’re one to talk about other people behaving strangely,” Annabeth pointed out with a smile. “What are you doing calling on me so late?”

“I just noticed that, um, you left your fan behind, and I thought I would return it.” Nathan pulled the fan from his coat pocket and handed it to Annabeth a little sheepishly.

Annabeth thought she heard a snort of derision from Judy, who was still watching them like a hawk. Nathan glared at the maid. Annabeth also turned to look and saw Judy busying herself with straightening a candleholder on a hall table.

“I also noticed that you seemed upset this evening,” Nathan went on. “I know you said you had a headache, but I was worried that perhaps something else was wrong.”

“Of course not.” Annabeth’s chest immediately clutched with guilt. She hated that her fight with Sloane had ruined Nathan’s evening, too. But she couldn’t explain the situation to him without it seeming more important than it was. “I really did just have a bad headache. That’s probably why I was so forgetful as to leave this.” She held up the fan.

Nathan looked unconvinced, but at that moment Judy gave a loud exaggerated yawn. Nathan rolled his eyes, but he said, “I should let you sleep then. Good night, Annabeth.”

“Good night, Nathan.” Annabeth managed to keep the smile pasted on until he left. Turning, she trudged up the stairs to her room, Judy following in her wake.

“Yuh look tired, miss,” the maid said as she closed the door behind her.

“Not tired, really. I’m more...I don’t know...angry or resentful or...it’s just...he’s so maddening! Why did he have to show up today?”

Judy looked puzzled as she came forward and began to undo the long line of fastenings down the back of Annabeth’s dress. “Mr. Dunbridge, miss? It is a bit cheeky, coming over this late, but...”

“No, Sloane Rutherford,” Annabeth said in a disgusted voice, dropping her fan onto the dressing table. She peeled the long gloves from her arms and tossed them down as well.

“Sloane Rutherford?” Judy’s fingers stilled on her buttons, then quickly began again.

“Yes. Do you know him?” Annabeth asked.

“I, ah, well, it’s none of me business, I know, but...um...some of the others... I’m sorry, miss, but, well I can’t keep from ’earing...”

“About Sloane and me,” Annabeth finished for her.

“I’m sorry, miss.”

“You needn’t apologize. Everyone knows that he jilted me and ran off to be a smuggler. It doesn’t say much for one, does it, when your fiancé chooses a life of crime and spying over marriage to you?” Annabeth let out a little sigh and finished undressing. Pulling on her nightgown, she sat back down in front of the dressing table to unpin her hair.

Judy efficiently took over removing the hairpins. “I don’t understand. I thought that ’is family had tossed ’im out. Why was ’e at the wedding?”