the servants to spend the night here when he called on you yesterday, and even convinced them to feed him. I shall have a word with Tory.”
“How would he have gotten in? There are no windows broken.”
“He must have snitched the spare key the last time he was in my study—or bribed one of my servants to get it for him. He is a formidable wheedler. And, of course, the servants have known him forever. They watched him grow up.”
“I would say he still has a deal of growing up to do.”
“Of course, but the ladies are always eager to oblige a handsome, charming rogue.”
Cressida stared. “I did not find him so handsome as all that. As to charming, his brash swaggering is not my idea of charm.”
Dauntry cast a sideways glance at her. “You have higher standards than I would have expected from your encouragement of the duke,” he murmured.
“I did not encourage the duke in the least.”
“Indeed? I had not thought the baroness would allow herself to be put upon by anyone. If you wished to discourage him, you could have done it, and put the poor fellow out of his misery.” And she could have discouraged Saintbury, too, instead of breaking his heart.
“Oh, but he enjoys his misery. It is half an act with him.”
“And it is all an act with you,” he riposted.
“Are you attempting, in your clumsy way, to read me a lecture, Dauntry?” she inquired in a thin voice.
“A word to the wise, my dear. You are picking up the aroma of a flirt.”
She flounced across the room, peering for further signs of occupancy, and found a glass holding an inch of ale in the bottom. Ladies seldom drank ale. She showed it to Dauntry. “Definitely a man,” she said, “and Tory let me believe it was a woman!”
Dauntry examined her with a dark eye. “You found it easy to believe she was my bit o’ muslin, eh?”
“Oh, no, Dauntry,” she said with a quizzing smile. “I was shocked with you. I made sure your women would be kept in a much grander style. Amarylla will not be content without a full staff of servants to bring this place into order. She will require a carriage. She is accustomed to the best. I had not heard Everly had tired of her charms.”
Dauntry was not so well up on gossip as Cressida. He had not heard Everly was involved with the actress. “She tired of his, actually,” he said.
“I wish you luck of your bargain. She is monstrously expensive, from what I hear.”
“And worth every penny. Let us go.”
Tory was soon standing before them, clutching at her apron skirts and bursting into a frenzy of apologies. “I’m ever so sorry, your lordship. I expect I done wrong to let her ladyship think it was your friend that was eating the food, but when she suggested it, I leapt on it to protect Melbury. You know how Melbury is. He could work his way around a heart of stone.” She turned to Cressida. “Sure it was only a bit of gingerbread and bacon and eggs, milady. I did not think you would begrudge it to a starving man.”
“I do not begrudge it, Tory, but you should have told me.”
“Where has he gone?” Dauntry asked.
“I sent the footman to warn him the jig was up,” Tory admitted shamelessly. “He mentioned Bath.”
“Good riddance. If he shows up at the door again, send him to me.”
“I will, your lordship. I’m sorry, milady. I sent off to the castle for the pork jelly for Miss Wantage, as the poor creature is such a bundle of nerves.” She curtsied and backed toward the doorway.
Cressida’s cheeks felt warm at this speech. “Be sure you pay the cook for it, Tory,” she said. “I will not be pillaging Dauntry’s kitchen.”
“You can just give me the penny while I am here,” he said, chewing back a grin.
Tory left. “Don’t let me keep you, Dauntry,” Cressida said. “No doubt you are eager to be off to London to collect Amarylla.”
“I changed my mind.”
Cressida felt a rush of triumph. No, she had changed his mind, but he was too proud to say so.
“I
“How would he have gotten in? There are no windows broken.”
“He must have snitched the spare key the last time he was in my study—or bribed one of my servants to get it for him. He is a formidable wheedler. And, of course, the servants have known him forever. They watched him grow up.”
“I would say he still has a deal of growing up to do.”
“Of course, but the ladies are always eager to oblige a handsome, charming rogue.”
Cressida stared. “I did not find him so handsome as all that. As to charming, his brash swaggering is not my idea of charm.”
Dauntry cast a sideways glance at her. “You have higher standards than I would have expected from your encouragement of the duke,” he murmured.
“I did not encourage the duke in the least.”
“Indeed? I had not thought the baroness would allow herself to be put upon by anyone. If you wished to discourage him, you could have done it, and put the poor fellow out of his misery.” And she could have discouraged Saintbury, too, instead of breaking his heart.
“Oh, but he enjoys his misery. It is half an act with him.”
“And it is all an act with you,” he riposted.
“Are you attempting, in your clumsy way, to read me a lecture, Dauntry?” she inquired in a thin voice.
“A word to the wise, my dear. You are picking up the aroma of a flirt.”
She flounced across the room, peering for further signs of occupancy, and found a glass holding an inch of ale in the bottom. Ladies seldom drank ale. She showed it to Dauntry. “Definitely a man,” she said, “and Tory let me believe it was a woman!”
Dauntry examined her with a dark eye. “You found it easy to believe she was my bit o’ muslin, eh?”
“Oh, no, Dauntry,” she said with a quizzing smile. “I was shocked with you. I made sure your women would be kept in a much grander style. Amarylla will not be content without a full staff of servants to bring this place into order. She will require a carriage. She is accustomed to the best. I had not heard Everly had tired of her charms.”
Dauntry was not so well up on gossip as Cressida. He had not heard Everly was involved with the actress. “She tired of his, actually,” he said.
“I wish you luck of your bargain. She is monstrously expensive, from what I hear.”
“And worth every penny. Let us go.”
Tory was soon standing before them, clutching at her apron skirts and bursting into a frenzy of apologies. “I’m ever so sorry, your lordship. I expect I done wrong to let her ladyship think it was your friend that was eating the food, but when she suggested it, I leapt on it to protect Melbury. You know how Melbury is. He could work his way around a heart of stone.” She turned to Cressida. “Sure it was only a bit of gingerbread and bacon and eggs, milady. I did not think you would begrudge it to a starving man.”
“I do not begrudge it, Tory, but you should have told me.”
“Where has he gone?” Dauntry asked.
“I sent the footman to warn him the jig was up,” Tory admitted shamelessly. “He mentioned Bath.”
“Good riddance. If he shows up at the door again, send him to me.”
“I will, your lordship. I’m sorry, milady. I sent off to the castle for the pork jelly for Miss Wantage, as the poor creature is such a bundle of nerves.” She curtsied and backed toward the doorway.
Cressida’s cheeks felt warm at this speech. “Be sure you pay the cook for it, Tory,” she said. “I will not be pillaging Dauntry’s kitchen.”
“You can just give me the penny while I am here,” he said, chewing back a grin.
Tory left. “Don’t let me keep you, Dauntry,” Cressida said. “No doubt you are eager to be off to London to collect Amarylla.”
“I changed my mind.”
Cressida felt a rush of triumph. No, she had changed his mind, but he was too proud to say so.
“I
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