Gallant Waif. Anne Gracie
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Название: Gallant Waif
Автор: Anne Gracie
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
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“Her name is Kate Farleigh and she is the only daughter of my goddaughter, the late Maria Farleigh, née Delacombe.” In a few pithy sentences, Lady Cahill put Jack in possession of the bare bones of Kate’s story, as she knew it.
He frowned. “Then she is a lady.”
“Of course.”
“Well, she doesn’t behave like one.”
“I saw no sign of any lack of breeding,” said his grandmother. “A temper, yes. Glared at me out of those big blue eyes of hers—”
“Not blue. A sort of grey-green.”
The old woman repressed a grin. So he had noticed the colour of her eyes, had he? “Whatever you say,” she agreed. “The gel glared at me, but there was no sign of panic—stayed as cool as you please as I whisked her off to heaven-knew-where.”
His eyebrows rose at this. “What do you mean, you whisked her off?”
“Oh, don’t look like that, Jack. It was the only possible thing. You said yourself the girl was on the verge of starvation. She was in dire straits. She is an orphan with no blood kin to turn to and has not a penny left in the world, unless I miss my guess.”
Jack frowned, stretching his bad leg reflectively. “I still don’t understand.”
“The girl has far more than her share of stubborn foolish pride. Just like her dratted father in that respect. Maria’s family wanted to make a huge settlement on her when she married him, Maria being their only child, but he would have none of it. Didn’t want it to be thought he was marrying her for her money. And look what has come of it! His own daughter dressed in rags and almost starving! Faugh! I have no patience with the man!”
“But Kate…er…Miss Farleigh, Grandmama,” he prompted.
“Said she wasn’t interested in taking charity from me or anyone else. Well, I had no time to stand around bandying words with her in her poky little hovel. So I kidnapped her.”
“You what?” Jack stared at his grandmother in amazement. Truly, she was an outrageous old lady. His lips twitched and suddenly he couldn’t help himself; the chuckles welled up from somewhere deep inside him. He collapsed on the bed and laughed till his sides hurt.
His grandmother watched him, deeply pleased. It was the first glimpse she’d had of the beloved grandson who had gone off to the wars. A scarred, silent, cynical stranger had returned in his place, and until she saw him laughing now, with such abandon, she had not realised how frightened she’d been that the old Jack had truly perished for ever in the wars.
Something had shattered the deep reserve he’d adopted since he came home from the Peninsula War, crippled, disinherited, then jilted. He’d remained unnaturally calm, seeming not to care, not to react. Except that he’d withdrawn into himself and become a recluse.
Now, in the space of an hour or so, Lady Cahill had seen her grandson boiling with fury, then laughing uninhibitedly. And a slip of a girl seemed to have caused it all. Lady Cahill thanked heaven for the impulse that had caused her to call on Kate on the way to Leicestershire. The girl could not be allowed to disappear now.
The old lady pushed at Jack’s shoulders, which were still heaving with mirth. “Oh, get out of here, boy. I’ve had enough of you and your foolishness this morning.” She spoke gruffly to cover her emotion.
“It’s time I got dressed or Smithers will be having hysterics. It’s clear to me that this place of yours needs a woman to set things in order, so I suppose I must shift myself and set to work. See if you can get me some hot water, there’s a good boy. Now move, Jack, or I will get out of bed in my nightgown right now and that would most certainly cause Smithers to fall in a fit and foam at the mouth!”
Jack grinned at her. “You are, without doubt, the most scandalous old lady of my acquaintance. I’m surprised that poor woman hasn’t died of shock long since.” He rose from the bed and, still chuckling, limped from the room.
Jack headed downstairs, the laughter dying from his face. Now to find Miss Kate Farleigh without delay and put her straight on one or two things. A kitchen maid? Hah! Only interested in scrubbing the floor? Hah! To think he’d been worried about her! No doubt the little wretch was sitting somewhere with her feet up, laughing up her shabby sleeve at the fine trick she had played on him.
Entering the kitchen, he came to a dead halt. Kate was down on hands and knees, vigorously scrubbing the large flagstones of the kitchen floor, exactly as she’d said she would.
“What the devil do you think you’re doing?” he roared.
Kate jumped, then turned, laid down the hard-bristled scrubbing brush and sat back on her heels. She noted the black frown, the clenched fists and the outrage. Her eyes twinkled. So, he had finally discovered who she was. And was feeling rather grumpy about it. She pressed her lips firmly together to stop them quivering with laughter.
Jack’s violent reaction to the sight of her scrubbing his floor confused him. He battled with anger and an equally strong desire to lift her up and whisk her upstairs. She looked so small and delicate. She had no business attempting such a dirty and demeaning task. “I said, what do you think you’re doing?”
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