her blond head. “Mrs. Scrab told her to
mind, so up Jayne went. But the ladder gave way.”
Shannah’s eyes went to Mrs. Scrab. Jayne
wasn’t well liked, for she had a tendency to be lazy and was more
outspoken than most, but kindly, plump Mrs. Scrab had always been
kind to Shannah. Now tears were gathered on those pale, round
cheeks, and Shannah slid through the crowd to put an arm around her
friend.
“What is this racket?”
Even Jayne quieted at Lord Brendan’s voice.
He stood at the door that led into the hall, his hands on his hips.
Shannah’s eyes swept over his boot clad feet. It struck her funny
that he hadn’t appeared before the staff in his stockings.
“Oh, my lord, it’s my fault!” Millie Scrab
wailed. “I made Jayne fetch for me but the ladder gave way and she
fell. I’m afraid she’s hurt badly.”
Shannah watched his face. He didn’t look
entirely pleased, but his frustration didn’t appear to be directed
at his housekeeper. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Lord Brendan strode quickly to where Jayne
sat and knelt beside her. “May I have a look, Jayne?”
Shannah noticed Jayne didn’t appear to be in
horrible pain as she studied the handsome viscount. “Of course, my
lord,” Jayne said and offered him her ankle. “I think I turned it
when I fell.”
He took her foot in one hand and carefully
felt her ankle with the other. After a moment, he let out a sigh.
“Nothing appears to be broken. Can you stand?”
“I shall try, my lord,” Jayne said.
He got to his feet and offered her a hand.
Once upright, Jayne stepped gingerly on her injured foot but
brought it up with a cry of pain.
Lord Brendan smiled at her. “I think I shall
have to carry you.” He didn’t wait for a reply but swept Jayne into
his arms. “The rest of you, I trust, can get back to work now.
Millie, send that ladder out to be repaired.”
“Yes, Lord Brendan,” Millie said to his
retreating back. She grabbed Shannah’s elbow.
“Go with them, girl. Who knows what Jayne
will do to the poor boy once she’s got him alone.”
Shannah followed reluctantly. Let Jayne
have her fun , she thought. Lord Brendan could take care of
himself.
Jayne directed the viscount to the room she
shared with Alice and Louise. He placed her gently on the bed, but
Jayne didn’t seem inclined to let go. Shannah noted he had to
remove her arms from his neck so he could stand.
He noticed her then. “Ah, Shannah.”
“Mrs. Scrab sent me to help,” she said.
“That’s all right, Shannah,” Jayne said, her
flushed face a message Shannah read with ease. “I’m sure his
lordship has everything well in hand.”
Lord Brendan cleared his throat. “Nonsense.
Shannah can wrap your ankle much better than I ever could. Will you
see to it, please?”
Shannah nodded and went to fetch bandages
from the cupboard. When she returned, Lord Brendan stood near the
window, as far from Jayne as he could be without actually leaving
the room. Jayne pouted on her bed.
Shannah sat on the edge of the bed and
carefully took Jayne’s boot and stocking off.
“Ouch! You clumsy oaf,” Jayne hissed at her,
blue eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry,” Shannah said. “I’m being as
gentle as I can.”
“You’re doing just fine.” Lord Brendan had
moved to stand just over her shoulder.
Shannah caught herself before she flinched.
She concentrated instead on wrapping Jayne’s ankle. He appeared
satisfied that she knew what she was doing and moved to the window.
Shannah’s hands slipped once when she stole a glance at his
handsome profile. She turned back to the bandage resolutely.
Brendan Wyndham was treacherous, and she would do well to remember
that!
CHAPTER 2
Brendan remained at the window, but his
attention centered on the girl behind him. Shannah had an
inescapable beauty, with her pert little nose, caramel skin, and
large eyes. That mass of ebony curls hanging down her back didn’t
hurt, either. But he’d never consider dallying with
mind, so up Jayne went. But the ladder gave way.”
Shannah’s eyes went to Mrs. Scrab. Jayne
wasn’t well liked, for she had a tendency to be lazy and was more
outspoken than most, but kindly, plump Mrs. Scrab had always been
kind to Shannah. Now tears were gathered on those pale, round
cheeks, and Shannah slid through the crowd to put an arm around her
friend.
“What is this racket?”
Even Jayne quieted at Lord Brendan’s voice.
He stood at the door that led into the hall, his hands on his hips.
Shannah’s eyes swept over his boot clad feet. It struck her funny
that he hadn’t appeared before the staff in his stockings.
“Oh, my lord, it’s my fault!” Millie Scrab
wailed. “I made Jayne fetch for me but the ladder gave way and she
fell. I’m afraid she’s hurt badly.”
Shannah watched his face. He didn’t look
entirely pleased, but his frustration didn’t appear to be directed
at his housekeeper. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Lord Brendan strode quickly to where Jayne
sat and knelt beside her. “May I have a look, Jayne?”
Shannah noticed Jayne didn’t appear to be in
horrible pain as she studied the handsome viscount. “Of course, my
lord,” Jayne said and offered him her ankle. “I think I turned it
when I fell.”
He took her foot in one hand and carefully
felt her ankle with the other. After a moment, he let out a sigh.
“Nothing appears to be broken. Can you stand?”
“I shall try, my lord,” Jayne said.
He got to his feet and offered her a hand.
Once upright, Jayne stepped gingerly on her injured foot but
brought it up with a cry of pain.
Lord Brendan smiled at her. “I think I shall
have to carry you.” He didn’t wait for a reply but swept Jayne into
his arms. “The rest of you, I trust, can get back to work now.
Millie, send that ladder out to be repaired.”
“Yes, Lord Brendan,” Millie said to his
retreating back. She grabbed Shannah’s elbow.
“Go with them, girl. Who knows what Jayne
will do to the poor boy once she’s got him alone.”
Shannah followed reluctantly. Let Jayne
have her fun , she thought. Lord Brendan could take care of
himself.
Jayne directed the viscount to the room she
shared with Alice and Louise. He placed her gently on the bed, but
Jayne didn’t seem inclined to let go. Shannah noted he had to
remove her arms from his neck so he could stand.
He noticed her then. “Ah, Shannah.”
“Mrs. Scrab sent me to help,” she said.
“That’s all right, Shannah,” Jayne said, her
flushed face a message Shannah read with ease. “I’m sure his
lordship has everything well in hand.”
Lord Brendan cleared his throat. “Nonsense.
Shannah can wrap your ankle much better than I ever could. Will you
see to it, please?”
Shannah nodded and went to fetch bandages
from the cupboard. When she returned, Lord Brendan stood near the
window, as far from Jayne as he could be without actually leaving
the room. Jayne pouted on her bed.
Shannah sat on the edge of the bed and
carefully took Jayne’s boot and stocking off.
“Ouch! You clumsy oaf,” Jayne hissed at her,
blue eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry,” Shannah said. “I’m being as
gentle as I can.”
“You’re doing just fine.” Lord Brendan had
moved to stand just over her shoulder.
Shannah caught herself before she flinched.
She concentrated instead on wrapping Jayne’s ankle. He appeared
satisfied that she knew what she was doing and moved to the window.
Shannah’s hands slipped once when she stole a glance at his
handsome profile. She turned back to the bandage resolutely.
Brendan Wyndham was treacherous, and she would do well to remember
that!
CHAPTER 2
Brendan remained at the window, but his
attention centered on the girl behind him. Shannah had an
inescapable beauty, with her pert little nose, caramel skin, and
large eyes. That mass of ebony curls hanging down her back didn’t
hurt, either. But he’d never consider dallying with
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