will fetch the water now, miss.’
‘Oh…’ Amelia said as the girl turned away. ‘Have you seen Miss Barton this morning?’
‘No, miss. I went into her room to ask if she wished for breakfast in bed, but she was not there. Her bed had been made, but Miss Barton often makes her bed.’
‘Yes, she does, because she is a thoughtful girl,’ Amelia said. She broke a piece of the soft roll, buttered it and ate a piece as she poured a cup of the dark, slightly bitter chocolate she liked to drink when she indulged in breakfast in bed. It was not often she did so and wished she might linger longer this morning, but she did not want to be late for her meeting with Gerard.
By the time Martha returned with her hot water, Amelia had finished her roll and her cup of chocolate. She washed hastily and dressed in a simple morning gown that she could fasten herself. For once she left her hair hanging loose on her shoulders, merely brushing it back from her face and securing it with a comb at either side. Since she scarcely glanced at herself, she had no idea that shelooked much younger and more like the girl she had been when she first met Gerard.
The beautiful mahogany longcase clock in the hall had just finished striking when Amelia went downstairs. She found that Gerard was waiting for her. He looked handsome, elegant in his coat with three layers of capes across the shoulders, his topboots so glossy that you might see your reflection in them. He was frowning, but as she called to him he turned and smiled. Amelia’s heart did a somersault, leaving her breathless for one moment. She truly thought that he had the most compelling eyes of any gentleman of her acquaintance and they seemed very intent as he looked at her.
‘Forgive me if I have kept you. I slept later than usual and did not think to ask my maid to wake me. I am normally up much earlier.’
‘We have all been keeping late hours at Pendleton. I should have suggested ten rather than nine, but I thought we should be sure of being alone. I have the carriage waiting…’
‘We have not been much alone,’ Amelia said as they went outside together. ‘I have been thinking about what happened the other night outside the church, Gerard.’
‘I have thought of it constantly.’ His eyes dwelled on her face for some moments. ‘We shall talk in the carriage. I would not care to be overheard.’
‘Surely here there is no one that would wish us harm?’
‘Our friends would not,’ Gerard agreed, taking her arm and leading her out to the carriage. He helped her inside and she found that a warm brick had been brought so that she might place her feet on it, and a thick rug provided for her knees. ‘I hope you will be comfortable, Amelia. It is a bitterly cold day.’
‘I dare say your coachman will feel it, but we shall not be out long.’
‘Coachman has his comforts, a warm coat and a blanket, I am sure,’ Gerard told her. ‘You say that we are safe here with friends and to a certain degree I concur, but servants talk—and sometimes they pass on information for money without realising what harm they may do.’
‘Yes, I am sure that is so,’ Amelia said. ‘I believe someone may have mentioned the fact that we had been talking together—for no one but our close friends know that weare engaged.’ She frowned. ‘Of course, Lisa knows. When did you tell her you were thinking of marrying me—before or after you dismissed Nanny?’
‘I believe it was before…’ He stared at her. ‘You think Nanny may have heard something and passed on the information?’
‘Lisa told me yesterday that Nanny did not leave Pendleton immediately. She saw her talking to a man in the gardens—a man that she had seen Nanny speak to before.’
‘Why did you not tell me that yesterday?’
‘I did not think it important at first. I imagined Miss Horton might have a follower, but when yousaid just now that servants talk, I realised that she could have been selling
‘Oh…’ Amelia said as the girl turned away. ‘Have you seen Miss Barton this morning?’
‘No, miss. I went into her room to ask if she wished for breakfast in bed, but she was not there. Her bed had been made, but Miss Barton often makes her bed.’
‘Yes, she does, because she is a thoughtful girl,’ Amelia said. She broke a piece of the soft roll, buttered it and ate a piece as she poured a cup of the dark, slightly bitter chocolate she liked to drink when she indulged in breakfast in bed. It was not often she did so and wished she might linger longer this morning, but she did not want to be late for her meeting with Gerard.
By the time Martha returned with her hot water, Amelia had finished her roll and her cup of chocolate. She washed hastily and dressed in a simple morning gown that she could fasten herself. For once she left her hair hanging loose on her shoulders, merely brushing it back from her face and securing it with a comb at either side. Since she scarcely glanced at herself, she had no idea that shelooked much younger and more like the girl she had been when she first met Gerard.
The beautiful mahogany longcase clock in the hall had just finished striking when Amelia went downstairs. She found that Gerard was waiting for her. He looked handsome, elegant in his coat with three layers of capes across the shoulders, his topboots so glossy that you might see your reflection in them. He was frowning, but as she called to him he turned and smiled. Amelia’s heart did a somersault, leaving her breathless for one moment. She truly thought that he had the most compelling eyes of any gentleman of her acquaintance and they seemed very intent as he looked at her.
‘Forgive me if I have kept you. I slept later than usual and did not think to ask my maid to wake me. I am normally up much earlier.’
‘We have all been keeping late hours at Pendleton. I should have suggested ten rather than nine, but I thought we should be sure of being alone. I have the carriage waiting…’
‘We have not been much alone,’ Amelia said as they went outside together. ‘I have been thinking about what happened the other night outside the church, Gerard.’
‘I have thought of it constantly.’ His eyes dwelled on her face for some moments. ‘We shall talk in the carriage. I would not care to be overheard.’
‘Surely here there is no one that would wish us harm?’
‘Our friends would not,’ Gerard agreed, taking her arm and leading her out to the carriage. He helped her inside and she found that a warm brick had been brought so that she might place her feet on it, and a thick rug provided for her knees. ‘I hope you will be comfortable, Amelia. It is a bitterly cold day.’
‘I dare say your coachman will feel it, but we shall not be out long.’
‘Coachman has his comforts, a warm coat and a blanket, I am sure,’ Gerard told her. ‘You say that we are safe here with friends and to a certain degree I concur, but servants talk—and sometimes they pass on information for money without realising what harm they may do.’
‘Yes, I am sure that is so,’ Amelia said. ‘I believe someone may have mentioned the fact that we had been talking together—for no one but our close friends know that weare engaged.’ She frowned. ‘Of course, Lisa knows. When did you tell her you were thinking of marrying me—before or after you dismissed Nanny?’
‘I believe it was before…’ He stared at her. ‘You think Nanny may have heard something and passed on the information?’
‘Lisa told me yesterday that Nanny did not leave Pendleton immediately. She saw her talking to a man in the gardens—a man that she had seen Nanny speak to before.’
‘Why did you not tell me that yesterday?’
‘I did not think it important at first. I imagined Miss Horton might have a follower, but when yousaid just now that servants talk, I realised that she could have been selling
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