relief and foreboding. The next
tourney was set. He must fight once more.
The dressing room carpet was turned up at the
corners, and Leah was nowhere to be seen. Filling his
chest with air, he tipped his head back and stared at the
beamed ceiling. He should not be disappointed at her
absence. He should not think of her at all. But he was,
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Gina Lamm
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and he did, and he could not resist searching the nearby
corridor for her.
The doorknob squeaked softly as he twisted it.
“Miss Ramsey?” His whisper echoed down the long
hall.
There was no answer.
You shame yourself, his mind seemed to chastise him.
Mind your duties. The chit is about her tasks, as well she should be.
With his rationality restored, Avery turned and
marched down the main stairs toward the butler’s pantry.
Mrs. Harper and Smythe must be informed of His
Grace’s journey and of the dowager’s rout. The Duke of
Granville’s ancient mother did not entertain often, but
when she chose to do so, it was a highlight of the ton.
Most people lived in fear of the dowager, and rightly so.
But they also desperately sought her good opinion. If she
was entertaining, there would be such a crush that the
servants of two households would be a necessity, not a
luxury.
The timing, however, was less than ideal. If Miss
Ramsey were to commit an error in service at the
dowager’s home, more than her own position would be
at stake.
Avery’s blood chilled as he rounded the corridor and
knocked on the door to the butler’s pantry. The dowager
had been known to have unsatisfactory servants tossed
into prison for the merest offense. There was not much
time for Miss Ramsey to learn to serve properly.
“Enter,” Smythe called.
Avery made a vow as he entered the small room. He
must do his best to prepare her for the morrow. Whether
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85
he thought her mad or merely a dreamer, she could not
last in Newgate.
She’d not go on his watch.
i
The bucket of ashes was freaking heavy. Leah thunked it
down on the top step, breathing heavily as she eyed the
long back stairway to the servant’s hall downstairs.
Take the bucket to the kitchens to dump it out. Grab a broom and go back upstairs. Sweep the dressing room, then dust it, then put the carpet back. Set the fire, however the hell you do that.
The list of chores swirled in her head, weighing her
down, and she gripped the banister to stop herself from
tipping forward.
The last thing she needed was a tumble downstairs.
How did anyone remember this ridiculous list of stuff
to do? No wonder all these servants were so pissy. Their
brains were overworked as well as their bodies.
Leaning sideways to ease the crink in her back, Leah
let her eyes flutter closed. If only she’d had a couple
hours more sleep, then maybe she’d be sharp enough to
handle the enormity of this job.
A heavy metallic clang ripped her eyes open, and
she watched dumbfounded as the formerly full bucket
bounced down the stairs, scattering ash and dust in all
directions.
Whirling, she caught a glimpse of a too- large mobcap
and dark skirts disappearing into a nearby bedroom.
That little snot.
With Henrietta’s name poised in an angry roar on her
lips, Leah charged toward the door after her.
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Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes
“Ramsey! Whatever have you done, you clumsy
girl?” Mrs. Harper’s voice stopped Leah short. Wincing,
she turned and rubbed suddenly sweaty palms down her
skirt. The housekeeper glared up at her from the bottom
of the stairs.
“Mrs. Harper, I’m so sorry about that. I’d set it down
for a second, and someone ran by and tipped it over,”
Leah explained lamely. “I didn’t— ”
“Blaming your faults on others will not be tolerated
in this
tourney was set. He must fight once more.
The dressing room carpet was turned up at the
corners, and Leah was nowhere to be seen. Filling his
chest with air, he tipped his head back and stared at the
beamed ceiling. He should not be disappointed at her
absence. He should not think of her at all. But he was,
GeekGirlsDontDateDukes.indd 83
4/11/13 11:26 AM
84
Gina Lamm
Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes
and he did, and he could not resist searching the nearby
corridor for her.
The doorknob squeaked softly as he twisted it.
“Miss Ramsey?” His whisper echoed down the long
hall.
There was no answer.
You shame yourself, his mind seemed to chastise him.
Mind your duties. The chit is about her tasks, as well she should be.
With his rationality restored, Avery turned and
marched down the main stairs toward the butler’s pantry.
Mrs. Harper and Smythe must be informed of His
Grace’s journey and of the dowager’s rout. The Duke of
Granville’s ancient mother did not entertain often, but
when she chose to do so, it was a highlight of the ton.
Most people lived in fear of the dowager, and rightly so.
But they also desperately sought her good opinion. If she
was entertaining, there would be such a crush that the
servants of two households would be a necessity, not a
luxury.
The timing, however, was less than ideal. If Miss
Ramsey were to commit an error in service at the
dowager’s home, more than her own position would be
at stake.
Avery’s blood chilled as he rounded the corridor and
knocked on the door to the butler’s pantry. The dowager
had been known to have unsatisfactory servants tossed
into prison for the merest offense. There was not much
time for Miss Ramsey to learn to serve properly.
“Enter,” Smythe called.
Avery made a vow as he entered the small room. He
must do his best to prepare her for the morrow. Whether
GeekGirlsDontDateDukes.indd 84
4/11/13 11:26 AM
Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes
85
he thought her mad or merely a dreamer, she could not
last in Newgate.
She’d not go on his watch.
i
The bucket of ashes was freaking heavy. Leah thunked it
down on the top step, breathing heavily as she eyed the
long back stairway to the servant’s hall downstairs.
Take the bucket to the kitchens to dump it out. Grab a broom and go back upstairs. Sweep the dressing room, then dust it, then put the carpet back. Set the fire, however the hell you do that.
The list of chores swirled in her head, weighing her
down, and she gripped the banister to stop herself from
tipping forward.
The last thing she needed was a tumble downstairs.
How did anyone remember this ridiculous list of stuff
to do? No wonder all these servants were so pissy. Their
brains were overworked as well as their bodies.
Leaning sideways to ease the crink in her back, Leah
let her eyes flutter closed. If only she’d had a couple
hours more sleep, then maybe she’d be sharp enough to
handle the enormity of this job.
A heavy metallic clang ripped her eyes open, and
she watched dumbfounded as the formerly full bucket
bounced down the stairs, scattering ash and dust in all
directions.
Whirling, she caught a glimpse of a too- large mobcap
and dark skirts disappearing into a nearby bedroom.
That little snot.
With Henrietta’s name poised in an angry roar on her
lips, Leah charged toward the door after her.
GeekGirlsDontDateDukes.indd 85
4/11/13 11:26 AM
86
Gina Lamm
Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes
“Ramsey! Whatever have you done, you clumsy
girl?” Mrs. Harper’s voice stopped Leah short. Wincing,
she turned and rubbed suddenly sweaty palms down her
skirt. The housekeeper glared up at her from the bottom
of the stairs.
“Mrs. Harper, I’m so sorry about that. I’d set it down
for a second, and someone ran by and tipped it over,”
Leah explained lamely. “I didn’t— ”
“Blaming your faults on others will not be tolerated
in this
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