position as your companion, Letty. Indeed, I have given you no reason to dismiss me.”
Letty rolled her eyes. “Do not try to cozen me, gel. It’s too early in the day for jokes. You know perfectly well that there is no way on earth you can remain in my employ now that you are engaged to Stokes.”
“Lady Mayfield, I beg you—”
Letty gave her a knowing look. “I am proud of you, my dear. You’re a credit to me, if I do say so myself. Paid attention, you did. Invested your assets wisely.”
Emma stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s true Mr. Stokes ain’t exactly in his dotage. Likely to be around for a good many more years from the looks of him. But there’s something to be said for a healthy gentleman in his prime.”
“Letty.”
“Expect you’ll learn to manage him so that you won’t have to wait for him to cock up his toes in order to be able to enjoy his fortune.”
Emma clenched her hands at her sides. “You don’t understand.”
“Of course I do, my dear.” Letty winked very much the way Mrs. Gatten had earlier. “Your strategy was a bit dicey, in my opinion. Personally, I believe in a gel keeping her assets under lock and key until she’s got a wedding ring on her finger. But you did get a public announcement of an engagement out of Stokes. With any luck, that should do.”
Emma swallowed heavily. “Do?”
“He’s not like so many gentlemen of the ton who’d think nothing of promising a gel marriage in order-to seduce her and then abandoning her when she becomes inconvenient. The man’s got a reputation for keeping his word.”
“Lady Mayfield, I don’t know how to tell you this, but—”
“Mind you, some will think it’s a bit peculiar that he chose you for a bride. But I believe I understand his thinking in the matter.”
“You do?”
“Aye.” Letty looked shrewd. “Stokes’s known to be something of an eccentric. Word is, he’s not easily dazzled by superficial airs and graces. They say he positively loathes the vast majority of the ton because of the unfortunate circumstances of his birth. Yes, I can see where he’d prefer to choose a wife who did not move in Polite Circles.”
Emma gazed at her in mounting frustration. It was hopeless. There was nothing she could say that would convince Letty to allow her to remain in her employ. The notion that the new fiancée of the fabulously wealthy Edison Stokes desperately wished to retain her post as a paid companion would strike everyone as ludicrous.
There was only one thing left to do, Emma thought. She braced herself.
“Would you mind very much giving me a reference, LadyMayfield?”
Letty cackled. “Don’t be ridiculous, gel. You’ve; got no need for a reference now.” She laughed harder. “A reference, she says. Just imagine.”
I’m doomed
, Emma thought.
An hour later Emma discovered that the day, which had started out on such a dire note, was about to get worse. Edison sent word via Polly that he wished to go riding.
“For heavens sake, tell him
no
, Polly.”
Fresh panic lurched through her. She understood instantly that she was—in immediate danger of losing her second post of the day. When Edison discovered that she was no longer in Lady Mayfield’s employ, he would conclude that she was no longer in a position to assist him in his investigation.
She needed time, Emma thought. She steadied herself with a deep breath and tried to think of a reasonable excuse to avoid the inevitable.
“Kindly inform Mr. Stokes that I do not possess a riding habit,” she told Polly.
Unfortunately, perhaps predictably, given her luck today, the small ruse to avoid the morning ride failed miserably.
Polly returned a few minutes later with a dashing, dark turquoise velvet riding habit and a pair of kid boots. Her eyes danced with excitement.
“Mrs. Gatten found these things,” she explained proudly. “They belonged to Lady Ware. Afore she took sick, the mistress was accustomed to ride out
Letty rolled her eyes. “Do not try to cozen me, gel. It’s too early in the day for jokes. You know perfectly well that there is no way on earth you can remain in my employ now that you are engaged to Stokes.”
“Lady Mayfield, I beg you—”
Letty gave her a knowing look. “I am proud of you, my dear. You’re a credit to me, if I do say so myself. Paid attention, you did. Invested your assets wisely.”
Emma stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s true Mr. Stokes ain’t exactly in his dotage. Likely to be around for a good many more years from the looks of him. But there’s something to be said for a healthy gentleman in his prime.”
“Letty.”
“Expect you’ll learn to manage him so that you won’t have to wait for him to cock up his toes in order to be able to enjoy his fortune.”
Emma clenched her hands at her sides. “You don’t understand.”
“Of course I do, my dear.” Letty winked very much the way Mrs. Gatten had earlier. “Your strategy was a bit dicey, in my opinion. Personally, I believe in a gel keeping her assets under lock and key until she’s got a wedding ring on her finger. But you did get a public announcement of an engagement out of Stokes. With any luck, that should do.”
Emma swallowed heavily. “Do?”
“He’s not like so many gentlemen of the ton who’d think nothing of promising a gel marriage in order-to seduce her and then abandoning her when she becomes inconvenient. The man’s got a reputation for keeping his word.”
“Lady Mayfield, I don’t know how to tell you this, but—”
“Mind you, some will think it’s a bit peculiar that he chose you for a bride. But I believe I understand his thinking in the matter.”
“You do?”
“Aye.” Letty looked shrewd. “Stokes’s known to be something of an eccentric. Word is, he’s not easily dazzled by superficial airs and graces. They say he positively loathes the vast majority of the ton because of the unfortunate circumstances of his birth. Yes, I can see where he’d prefer to choose a wife who did not move in Polite Circles.”
Emma gazed at her in mounting frustration. It was hopeless. There was nothing she could say that would convince Letty to allow her to remain in her employ. The notion that the new fiancée of the fabulously wealthy Edison Stokes desperately wished to retain her post as a paid companion would strike everyone as ludicrous.
There was only one thing left to do, Emma thought. She braced herself.
“Would you mind very much giving me a reference, LadyMayfield?”
Letty cackled. “Don’t be ridiculous, gel. You’ve; got no need for a reference now.” She laughed harder. “A reference, she says. Just imagine.”
I’m doomed
, Emma thought.
An hour later Emma discovered that the day, which had started out on such a dire note, was about to get worse. Edison sent word via Polly that he wished to go riding.
“For heavens sake, tell him
no
, Polly.”
Fresh panic lurched through her. She understood instantly that she was—in immediate danger of losing her second post of the day. When Edison discovered that she was no longer in Lady Mayfield’s employ, he would conclude that she was no longer in a position to assist him in his investigation.
She needed time, Emma thought. She steadied herself with a deep breath and tried to think of a reasonable excuse to avoid the inevitable.
“Kindly inform Mr. Stokes that I do not possess a riding habit,” she told Polly.
Unfortunately, perhaps predictably, given her luck today, the small ruse to avoid the morning ride failed miserably.
Polly returned a few minutes later with a dashing, dark turquoise velvet riding habit and a pair of kid boots. Her eyes danced with excitement.
“Mrs. Gatten found these things,” she explained proudly. “They belonged to Lady Ware. Afore she took sick, the mistress was accustomed to ride out
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