Page 57

“Sacrebleu. What, in all that’s holy, is going on here?” A sharp voice interrupted them.

St John lifted his head but still kept his arms about her. She was sitting on his lap. When she squirmed, his grip tightened.

People filed into the room, Mrs Marchmont, followed by Mr Marchmont, who looked at them bemused. Behind them, Jules.

“Dear me,” Marchmont said mildly. “It appears this page is not only a woman, but our housemaid, who, it appears, is your sister?” He turned to Jules, who stood, thunderstruck, staring at them. He elbowed his way to the front.

“Has he been manhandling you, Anna?” He glared at St John.

St John stood up, lifting Anna, set her down carefully on a chair, then cleared his throat. “Stay seated, love. I do not want you to get up, yet.”

“I demand an explanation.” Jules crossed his arms and looked at him belligerently.

St John nodded. “Very well. I have been looking for Mademoiselle de la Vallière for quite some time. It was with considerable relief I found her in your household, Marchmont, for I know she is in good hands, here.”

Mrs Marchmont blinked at him. “That is all well and good, St John, but she is our housemaid. I am not in favour of my maids being of service to our guests in that manner. That aside, I must ask you to conduct your, ahem, affairs with more discretion, if you please.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“You appear to labour under a misapprehension,” St John said slowly. “Mademoiselle de la Vallière is no housemaid. Neither are we conducting an affair. My intention is to ask for her hand in marriage.” He gave a curt bow in Jules’s direction, whose jaw had dropped. He met Anna’s stunned eyes. “He gave a curt bow to Jules, whose jaw had dropped, before meeting Anna’s stunned eyes. “Indeed, such has been my intention for this long while, ever since your time at Hungersford Hall. Save that I could not summon the courage then. Forgive the public way in which this is being announced.”

Several people spoke at the same time.

“She is the Comte de la Vallière’s sister,” said a shrill, female voice.

“Did you say she was a housemaid here?” said another.

“That’s splendid news, St John,” said Marchmont, who, not at all certain how to react, looked from Anna to St John to Jules and back again.

“He’s most definitely mad,” said another.

“Is it true? Are you truly going to marry him?” Jules demanded.

Anna looked up and saw Hetty, Tom and the other footmen file into the room behind the guests. Hetty’s eyes were as big as saucers.

She looked from the stern expression on Mrs Marchmont’s face to Jules, who was thunderstruck, up to St John, whose gaze was calm and determined.

“Yes,” she whispered. “It is true.”

Chapter 23

“A word with you in private, my lord,” Jules told St John, stiffly.

St John nodded. “Certainly.”

St John turned to leave, but Anna pulled at his sleeve. “No. Do not leave. Whatever you have to say to him, Jules, do it in my presence.”

“But Anna⁠—”

“She is right. Let us remove to the antechamber.” St John whisked her into his arms and strode towards the door, carrying her as if she didn’t weigh much more than a kitten. The crowd silently parted for him.

St John placed her gently on the sofa in the adjoining room, while Jules followed, closing the door behind them.

“Now,” Jules said, still frowning, “tell me what this is all about. I thought you were an instructress at Miss Hilversham’s, Anna. What did Marchmont mean you were a housemaid?”

Anna was about to rail at him that the role of the overprotective brother did not suit him, when she saw that there was genuine consternation in his eyes.

Anna sighed. “It was the only position available at that time. If you remember, we were both desperate, and it was impossible for me to find any other post. The post at the seminary as a housemaid not only covered transportation but also housing. And Miss Hilversham was an excellent employer. One of the best.”