front of her dressing table. Starting from the ends, she combed the tangles from her hair.
Half an hour had gone by before she could pass the comb through without it catching on a knot.
Becky returned. ‘We can sneak you down to the kitchen now. We’ve set up a tub in the scullery. It will be quite private there.’
Marian followed her down the servants’ staircase to the area below stairs where, as well as the kitchen, the housekeeper’s and the manservant’s rooms were located. Marian had never been in this part of the house.
When they entered the kitchen, Captain Landon was the first person she saw. He sat at the table, a huge plate of food in front of him. Also in a robe, he was clean-shaven and his wet brown hair gleamed almost black. He’d obviously also been offered a bath.
She warmed at the idea he’d been so well tended. ‘Captain, they appear to be taking good care of you.’
‘They are indeed.’ His gaze flickered over her.
She wrapped her nightrail tighter and touched her hair, wishing she had tied it back with a ribbon.
‘Enjoy your bath,’ he said.
She might have, except with every stroke of the wash cloth against her skin, she thought of his hand stroking her. The look he had just given her when gazing on her dishabille had been unreadable.
When she finished her bath, he was no longer in the kitchen, but the cook insisted she eat a meal. Not nearly as hungry as she thought she might be, she ate enough to show Cook how grateful she was for the kindness. Afterwards she climbed the servants’ stairs to her room with no one to see her.
She entered her room and found Domina sitting on the bed.
Domina jumped off. ‘Oh, Marian! I’ve been waiting ages for you.’
Marian felt cold. ‘Domina.’
The short auburn curls that framed Domina’s round face bobbed as she hurried towards Marian. ‘I expect you are angry because of what I said to Mama and Papa, but I had to do it. They were so angry.’ Her eyes filled with fat tears. ‘Marian, it is so dreadful. So terribly dreadful.’ She threw her arms around Marian and sobbed. ‘Ollie is dead! His name was on a list. He was killed in the battle.’
Lieutenant Harry Oliver had proudly worn the uniform and gleaming Grecian helmet of the Inniskilling Dragoons, and Domina had fallen head over ears in love with him. She and Ollie were secretly betrothed, because Ollie had no title and Domina’s mother would never have approved the match, but they were in love .
Now Ollie, the reason they’d ridden off to be near the battle, was dead.
Marian set her anger aside. ‘I am so sorry, Domina.’ She held her grieving friend.
Domina sniffled. ‘Mama and Papa do not understand. But you do, don’t you, Marian?’
Marian had never understood Domina’s infatuation with the rather ordinary Harry Oliver, but she did understand loss and now she knew the horror of a soldier’s death.
She coaxed her friend back to the bed and sat next to her. ‘I am so sad for you.’
Domina went into great detail about how devastated shewas, how perfect a man Ollie had been, and how her life was over. ‘And…and the worst of it is—’ tears streamed down her cheeks ‘—I have not had my monthly courses.’
‘What?’ Marian gaped at her.
Domina blew her nose into a soggy handkerchief. ‘I may have Ollie’s child inside me.’
‘Do not say you bedded him, Domina.’ Marian shook her head.
Domina sighed. ‘How could I resist? We had such a passion for each other.’ She collapsed against the pillow with fresh sobs.
Marian lifted her so Domina was forced to look at her. ‘Do your parents know?’
Domina’s eyes widened as if she thought Marian had lost her wits. ‘Certainly not.’
Marian held her firmly. ‘You must tell them. If you are increasing, they will have to make plans—’
‘I will never give up Ollie’s baby!’ Domina cried.
Marian shook her. ‘Then you had better tell your parents so they can make plans for both of
Half an hour had gone by before she could pass the comb through without it catching on a knot.
Becky returned. ‘We can sneak you down to the kitchen now. We’ve set up a tub in the scullery. It will be quite private there.’
Marian followed her down the servants’ staircase to the area below stairs where, as well as the kitchen, the housekeeper’s and the manservant’s rooms were located. Marian had never been in this part of the house.
When they entered the kitchen, Captain Landon was the first person she saw. He sat at the table, a huge plate of food in front of him. Also in a robe, he was clean-shaven and his wet brown hair gleamed almost black. He’d obviously also been offered a bath.
She warmed at the idea he’d been so well tended. ‘Captain, they appear to be taking good care of you.’
‘They are indeed.’ His gaze flickered over her.
She wrapped her nightrail tighter and touched her hair, wishing she had tied it back with a ribbon.
‘Enjoy your bath,’ he said.
She might have, except with every stroke of the wash cloth against her skin, she thought of his hand stroking her. The look he had just given her when gazing on her dishabille had been unreadable.
When she finished her bath, he was no longer in the kitchen, but the cook insisted she eat a meal. Not nearly as hungry as she thought she might be, she ate enough to show Cook how grateful she was for the kindness. Afterwards she climbed the servants’ stairs to her room with no one to see her.
She entered her room and found Domina sitting on the bed.
Domina jumped off. ‘Oh, Marian! I’ve been waiting ages for you.’
Marian felt cold. ‘Domina.’
The short auburn curls that framed Domina’s round face bobbed as she hurried towards Marian. ‘I expect you are angry because of what I said to Mama and Papa, but I had to do it. They were so angry.’ Her eyes filled with fat tears. ‘Marian, it is so dreadful. So terribly dreadful.’ She threw her arms around Marian and sobbed. ‘Ollie is dead! His name was on a list. He was killed in the battle.’
Lieutenant Harry Oliver had proudly worn the uniform and gleaming Grecian helmet of the Inniskilling Dragoons, and Domina had fallen head over ears in love with him. She and Ollie were secretly betrothed, because Ollie had no title and Domina’s mother would never have approved the match, but they were in love .
Now Ollie, the reason they’d ridden off to be near the battle, was dead.
Marian set her anger aside. ‘I am so sorry, Domina.’ She held her grieving friend.
Domina sniffled. ‘Mama and Papa do not understand. But you do, don’t you, Marian?’
Marian had never understood Domina’s infatuation with the rather ordinary Harry Oliver, but she did understand loss and now she knew the horror of a soldier’s death.
She coaxed her friend back to the bed and sat next to her. ‘I am so sad for you.’
Domina went into great detail about how devastated shewas, how perfect a man Ollie had been, and how her life was over. ‘And…and the worst of it is—’ tears streamed down her cheeks ‘—I have not had my monthly courses.’
‘What?’ Marian gaped at her.
Domina blew her nose into a soggy handkerchief. ‘I may have Ollie’s child inside me.’
‘Do not say you bedded him, Domina.’ Marian shook her head.
Domina sighed. ‘How could I resist? We had such a passion for each other.’ She collapsed against the pillow with fresh sobs.
Marian lifted her so Domina was forced to look at her. ‘Do your parents know?’
Domina’s eyes widened as if she thought Marian had lost her wits. ‘Certainly not.’
Marian held her firmly. ‘You must tell them. If you are increasing, they will have to make plans—’
‘I will never give up Ollie’s baby!’ Domina cried.
Marian shook her. ‘Then you had better tell your parents so they can make plans for both of
Similar Books
