The Christmas Strike. Nikki Rivers

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СКАЧАТЬ well.” Devil take it, he could scarcely have the aggravating female thrown out. “Meanwhile, pray consider my offer to purchase the property, Miss Vincent. Or alternatively, I would be prepared to take over the lease of the entire house. The rent I would pay you would enable you to command more suitable premises for your own use.”

      Leonora rose. “Your proposition, my lord, would no doubt sound tempting had I no desire to live in the property left me by my uncle. However it is, in my opinion, ideally suited to my needs. I warn you that, having taken up immediate residence in the rooms my uncle used, I fully intend to consult my lawyer over the possibility of terminating your lease. And now, if you will be so kind as to allow my luggage to be carried upstairs?”

      He rose when she did, as was polite. They were on their way to the door when Leonora stopped. She was not short herself, but she had a long way to look up to meet Lord Kelsey’s dark, inscrutable eyes. “About the kitchen facilities. I understand that my uncle shared them with you. I shall need to do the same. And my maid will need accommodation in the attics.”

      “Madam,” said his lordship with the utmost civility, “you may, of course, share the kitchen, provided only that you can come to terms with my cook, Monsieur André. I should point out that Charles—Mr Vincent—was used to order meals to be sent up from the kitchen. I rendered him an account at the end of each month.”

      “Astronomical, no doubt,” said Leonora acidly.

      “But, no, madam. He paid only the cost of the food. The services of Monsieur André were taken account of in the rent I agreed to pay.”

      Leonora eyed him, not certain whether to do the same or not. In the end, “I will try it for a month,” she decided.

      In a month, with luck, he would be gone.

      “I will inform Monsieur André of your decision, Miss Vincent. Your maid will, of course, collect the food when it is ready. There are just the two of you?”

      “No, my lord. I have with me a companion, a friend and chaperon. Otherwise I could not have taken up residence here without causing a scandal.” She gave him a smile to match his own. “The presence of Miss Worth, a clergyman’s daughter, will quieten the gossips. You do have gossips in Bath?”

      He was impelled to laugh. “The ton is here, Miss Vincent, the scandalmongers included. The situation will no doubt give rise to speculation, but if you are discreet you should avoid the loss of your reputation.”

      Fire sparkled in her eyes. “I shall inform everyone I meet of my abhorrence of your activities, my lord, and of my intention to see you off the premises as soon as may be.”

      “I think you will find, madam, that your intention will fail. If you wish to avoid the stigma of living above a gambling hell, you will find it necessary to move out yourself.”

      Leonora lifted that delightful, stubborn chin. “Never!” she declared as she walked into the hall.

      Clarissa stirred at sight of her, an enquiring look on her rather plain face. Leonora glanced back to the man following her.

      “My lord, I name to you Miss Worth, my companion. Clarissa, this is my tenant, Lord Kelsey.”

      Clarissa rose, her colour high, and the two made slight acknowledgement of the introduction.

      Leonora said, “Excuse me,” and walked back to the front door to tell Matthew and Dolly that the luggage was to be taken upstairs through the front door.

      “When it is all unloaded, Matthew, you may see to the carriage. You know what to do, and have funds to meet any expenses?”

      “Aye, miss. Mr Farling were generous, miss.”

      “Capital! Thank you for your services on the way here.”

      A coin changed hands. Leonora turned back to the Earl.

      “Someone, no doubt, will show us the way up?”

      “I will escort you myself, Miss Vincent. This once. After this, you must, I fear, use the service stairs and enter and leave by the back basement entrance at all times when the Club is open.”

      They had begun to mount the curving staircase, arranged round a small, circular, open well. Leonora snorted.

      “You mean that I shall not be allowed to use my own front door? I do not see that you can prevent me, my lord!”

      “The lease expressly forbids it,” said Kelsey complacently. “Naturally, as a member of the Club, your uncle was able to come and go by these stairs whenever he wished.”

      He cut off to greet two gentlemen passing them on the landing. Leonora realised that they were more than a little foxed and their bold scrutiny offended her. She tossed her head and trod silently up the next, much narrower flight until she came to the landing and found a screen and a door barring her path.

      “You will appreciate the danger of meeting strange gentlemen on the stairs should you insist upon using them,” murmured Kelsey as he leaned past her, uncomfortably near, to unfasten the door. “Though you need not fear intrusion provided you keep this door locked,” he went on smoothly, handing her the key.

      Leonora walked through into a small lobby with some half dozen doors leading off it. The apartment was larger than she had anticipated and her spirits rose. Secure behind her locked door she could ignore what went on downstairs while she made her plans.

      “Charles—Mr Vincent,” went on the Earl, “had old-fashioned tastes. No doubt you will require to redecorate and refurnish in your own fashion.” He flung open the door to a room at the front of the house. “This was his parlour.”

      Leonora entered, curious to see how her uncle had lived. She took in the double window with its brown drapes, the comfortable leather armchair, the writing desk and the shelves of books.

      “It looks extremely comfortable to me,” she said, shuddering inwardly at the dinginess of the place. But the furniture was good and the books looked interesting. She could soon change the soft furnishings. “I shall be quite content living here,” she informed his lordship with conviction.

      He could see that she meant it. Of course, she would. The decorations would suit a drab, narrow-minded governess to perfection.

      Damnation. He had absolutely no desire to conduct his business with a highly critical female, who was, intolerably, his new landlord, installed above him.

      Chapter Two

      The Earl departed as the luggage came up, causing confusion on the spiralling stairs.

      Anything large, Leonora could see, would have to be hoisted in through the windows. She looked forward to causing a different kind of confusion when she changed some of the furniture. For although she had said, and believed, that she could be comfortable surrounded by her late uncle’s things, her ideas on furnishing were rather different to his. Were she to be here long, changes would have to be made.

      “The apartments are quite spacious,” remarked Clarissa as they went from room to room together.

      Once the Earl had left, they had taken a good look round the front parlour and the rear dining room before inspecting the СКАЧАТЬ