Bound By A Scandalous Secret. Diane Gaston

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СКАЧАТЬ Genna’s mood. Lorene was worried, obviously, about what Lord Tinmore would say when they finally returned and who knew why Penford acted so distantly to them? Why had he invited them if he did not want their company? Had he done so out of some sense of obligation? Even so, it was Lord Tinmore who’d compelled them to accept the invitation and she and Lorene certainly had not caused it to snow.

      Not that it mattered. If Tinmore wished to ring a peal over their heads, reason would not stop him.

      All the enjoyment had gone out of the evening, though.

      Lord Penford poured brandy for himself and Rossdale and sat sullenly sipping from his glass while Rossdale and Genna made an effort to keep up conversation. With no warning Penford stood and announced he was retiring for the night. Rossdale was kind enough to keep Genna and Lorene company until the housekeeper announced that their bedchambers were ready. At that point they also felt they must say goodnight.

      The housekeeper led them upstairs. ‘We thought you might like to spend the night in your old rooms, so those are what we prepared for you.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Lorene said.

      Genna gave the woman whom she’d known her whole life a hug. ‘Yes, thank you. You are too good to us.’

      The older woman hugged her back. ‘We’ve found clean nightclothes for you, as well. Nellie and Anna will help you.’ Nellie and Anna had served as their ladies’ maids before they’d moved.

      They bade the housekeeper goodnight and Genna entered her bedchamber for the second time that night. At least now there was a fire in the grill and a smiling old friend waiting for her.

      ‘How nice it is that you can stay the night,’ Anna said. ‘In your old room. Like old times.’

      ‘It is grand!’ Genna responded.

      Anna helped her out of her dress and into a nightgown.

      ‘Come sit and I’ll comb out your hair,’ Anna said.

      Genna sat at her old familiar dressing table and gazed in her old familiar mirror. ‘Tell me,’ she said after a time. ‘What are the servants saying about Lord Penford?’

      Anna untied the ribbon in her hair. ‘We are grateful to him. He kept most of us on and we did not expect that. He does seem angry when he learns of some new repair to the house, but his anger is never directed at the servants.’

      ‘He must be angry at my father, then,’ Genna said. Did his anger extend to the daughters, too? That might explain why he was so unfriendly.

      ‘I suppose you are right.’ She pulled out Genna’s hairpins and started combing out the tangles. ‘He paid us our back wages, you know.’

      Genna glanced at her in the mirror. ‘Did he? How good of him.’

      Paying their back wages was certainly something Lord Penford could have avoided if he’d chosen to. What could the servants do if he’d refused to pay them?

      Anna gave her a sly grin. ‘Why are you not asking about Lord Rossdale?’

      Genna felt her cheeks grow hot. Why would that happen? ‘Lord Rossdale? Whatever for?’

      She stopped combing. ‘Is he sweet on you? We were wondering.’

      ‘He’s not sweet on me!’ Genna protested. ‘Goodness. He’s far beyond my touch. Besides, you know that I’m not full of romantic notions like Lorene and Tess. He knew I wanted to see the house so he asked for a tour.’

      ‘So he said in the kitchen.’ Anna resumed combing. ‘I am still saying he’s sweet on you.’

      Genna stilled her hand and met Anna’s gaze in the mirror. ‘Please do not say so. At least not to anyone else. I admit Lord Rossdale and I do seem to enjoy each other’s company, but it is nothing more than that and I do not want any rumours to start. It would not be fair when he has merely been kind to me.’

      Anna shrugged. ‘If you say so.’

      As soon as Anna left, Genna started missing her. She missed all these dear people. Now she would have to get used to not seeing them all over again. It was so very depressing.

      She stared at the bed, not sleepy one bit. All she’d do was toss and turn and remember when her room looked like her room. She spun around and strode to the door.

      Like she’d done so many times when she was younger, she crossed the hallway to Lorene’s room and knocked on her door.

      ‘Come in,’ Lorene said.

      Genna opened the door. ‘I came to see how you are faring. You were so upset about the weather and our having to spend the night.’ How the tables had turned. Genna used to run to Lorene for comfort, now it was the other way around.

      Lorene lowered herself into a chair. ‘I confess I am distressed. What will he think?’ She did not need to explain who he was. ‘Knowing we are spending the night with two unmarried gentlemen without any sort of chaperon.’

      Genna sat on the floor at her feet and took Lorene’s wringing hands in hers. ‘We are home. Among our own servants. And Lord Penford and Lord Rossdale are gentlemen. There is nothing to worry over.’

      Lorene gave her a pained look.

      Genna felt a knot of anger inside. ‘Will Tinmore...give you a tongue lashing over this?’ Or worse, he might couch his cruelty in oh-so-reasonable words.

      Lorene leaned forward and squeezed Genna’s fingers. ‘Do not worry over that! Good heavens, he is so good to us.’

      Only when it suited him, though. He liked to be in charge of them.

      Well, he might be in charge of Lorene, but Genna refused to give him power over her—even if she reaped the advantages of his money. She could not escape admitting that.

      She smiled at Lorene. ‘Let us enjoy our time back in our old rooms, then. Back home. Does it not feel lovely to be here?’

      Lorene pulled her hands away and swept a lock of hair away from her face. ‘I cannot enjoy it as you do, now that it is no longer our home.’

      Genna secretly agreed. She did not enjoy seeing the rooms empty of any signs of her sisters or brother or herself, but she’d never admit it to Lorene. The best part of the house tour had been showing Rossdale the secret passages; the rest merely made her sad, just as Lorene had anticipated.

      Genna stood. ‘I love being back. I’m glad we can stay. I’ll sleep in my old bed. I’ll wake to sun shining in my windows. Cook will make us our breakfast again. It will be delightful.’

      Lorene rose, too, and walked to the window. ‘We had better hope the sun shines tomorrow.’ She peeked out. ‘It is still snowing.’

      Genna gazed out on to the familiar grounds, all white now. ‘We must not worry about tomorrow until it comes.’ She turned to Lorene. ‘How did you and Lord Penford fare while we toured the house?’

      Lorene averted her face. ‘I played the pianoforte.’

      ‘We heard,’ СКАЧАТЬ