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“You should know, Ceddes said he bribed a servant to ensure Miss Mayfield had a chamber to herself.”
“By thunder,” exploded Uncle Herbert in an uncharacteristic show of anger. “I shan’t have such underhanded shenanigans in my home.”
Uncle Herbert did not curse in front of his wife.
“I shall get to the bottom of this today, I tell you,” he vowed.
“Question the new upstairs maid. I trust our regular servants,” Aunt Melvelia said, her brow stamped with worry.
A pinched expression had replaced her earlier joy. “By the by, Theran, Lady Clutterbuck and Mrs. Armitage overheard Athena threatening Miss Mayfield before she left. They were quite concerned at the vehemence Athena demonstrated. She has vowed to get even.”
Expect us no later than the tenth of September. I don’t wish to offend Aunt Melvelia or Uncle Herbert by leaving too soon. They’ve gone to great effort to be accommodating. I am seeking a new governess for Bernadine, so you needn’t fret about Athena. Please give Violetta and Jordan my warmest regards.
~Theran Rutland,
in a letter to his mother, Mrs. Celena Rutland
Path to Mottford Hall Stables
An hour later
Deliberately keeping her attention focused on the red-haired cherub whose hand she held, Purity led the way along the well-trod path.
No one questioned why she remained at Mottford Hall when her employers had left, and Purity didn’t volunteer a reason. Nevertheless, she didn’t like being the object of speculation. It felt rather like being undressed, laid bare without permission for others to gawk at.
Two nursemaids and governesses tromped behind her with a total of eight very excited children. The rest had opted to stay behind with the youngest children.
Bernadine tugged at her hand. “Miss Mayfield?”
“Hmm?” Purity brought her meandering thoughts back to the present. “Yes, Bernadine?”
Hop. Hop. Hoppity-hop.
With the pride of one who’d already seen the pups, Bernadine said, “The puppies are all white.”
“Indeed?”
“Uh-hum.” Tongue poking from the corner of her mouth, Bernadine stared at the gravel path before her. Hop. Hop. Hop. “Cousin said the babies get their black spots later.”
“I didn’t know that.” Purity had never been around dogs.
“Do you think Papa will let me have a puppy?”
Hop. Hop.
Bernadine hopped over a stick, sending her ringlets to twirling.
“I cannot say, I’m afraid.”
Purity would not give the child false hope. However, her father doted on her, so the idea wasn’t farfetched.
They were nearly upon the large barn. A stable boy of perhaps twelve years old gave them a toothy smile as he loped inside the wide-open doors. Two more stable hands led a pair of majestic horses from the building to a corral several feet away.
With a white mane and tail, the roan must be at least fifteen hands tall. The gelding’s muscles rippled beneath his glistening ginger-tinted coat.
Bernadine pointed. “That’s my papa’s horse.”
“He’s magnificent.”
