âappy to be serving you,â chattered Antoinette, while Lucia undressed. âI âave trained to be a ladyâs maid and I confess I was a little puzzled when âis Lordship engaged me as he is not married. It is unusual that a secretary has a ladyâs maid, non? But Monsieur Jepson, âe say that you are a lady yourself.â
Luciaâs heart sank.
âHe must have asked her to look after me so that when we are married, she will continue to be my maid and be familiar with my requirements,â she deduced.
âI am not strictly speaking a lady,â she replied, as she eased herself into the foaming bath. âPapa was a Lord, but I am just a miss.â
âOh, I see,â said Antoinette. âBoof! I shall never get used to your English Lords and Ladies. Who is Lady, who is Lord â so many!â
Lucia thought that she would very much enjoy having Antoinette to take care of her needs and she would be able to speak French more often.
The hot bath was most welcome after working so hard all day. Her shoulders and neck were stiff from pounding the typewriter keyboard and she had not realised how tense she had been.
She soaped her shoulders and lay back in the hot water. The bathroom was so much more luxurious than hers at Bingham Hall.
âAt least I shall have every comfort while I am here,â she thought. âI wish though that I did not have to be away from Mama. I wonder if Lord Winterton will allow me to telephone home later this evening to see how she is?â
Later at the dressing table Antoinette brushed out her thick blonde hair and commented on how pretty it was.
âSo much hair!â she said admiringly. âHow shall I dress it for you?â
Lucia allowed her to style it in the French manner and found it very becoming. As she laced her into her dark-red satin dress, she thought how grown up she looked.
âSometimes, I still feel as if I am eighteen years old,â she thought, as she admired her reflection. âIt is a pity that Papa is not here to see me.â
Just then the gong sounded for dinner.
âCome, mademoiselle. Do not keep âis Lordship waiting.â
Lucia thanked her and walked downstairs to find Jepson waiting for her.
âGood evening, Miss Mountford. His Lordship is waiting for you in the dining room,â he said with a smile.
Lucia moved silently into the room and found Lord Winterton already seated.
As soon as he saw her, he leapt to his feet.
âRavishing,â he said in a low voice. âI was not wrong thinking that my first impression of you was that of an angel come down from Heaven.â
Lucia felt a hot flush spread over her features that she tried hard to control.
He stared at her in much the same way that he had regarded Lady Shelley earlier that afternoon and it caused her to become heated.
âIt is unseasonably warm, is it not?â she said, trying to explain away her glowing features.
âI had thought it rather chill this evening,â commented Lord Winterton, as he pulled out a chair for her.
âI trust that the room is to your liking? It was my motherâs favourite room in the house and has the best views over the gardens.â
She sank down in the chair, very aware of him standing behind her. She could feel his warmth as he eased the chair in towards the table.
âThank you, it is very nice.â
âNow I have something that I wish you to have that would look perfect with that gown,â he said producing a jewellery case from his jacket.
She looked up him questioningly.
âIt would please me greatly if you would wear it. It was Mamaâs. Consider it on permanent loan, as I hate to see beautiful jewels gathering dust. They should always be around the neck of a lovely woman.â
âBut I could not â â
âI want you to wear it to please me,â he insisted, opening the case and taking out the necklace.
A cluster of garnets
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