Page 7 of The Last Debutante
It flustered Daria even more.Wasshe in the wrong cottage? “I beg your pardon,” she said. “I don’t speak your language.” What a ridiculous thing to say, standing in this man’s bedchamber, having a good long look at him while he slept. “I did not mean to... to see.” She gestured vaguely at him. “It was an accident. I must have come to the wrong cottage.”
His gaze remained locked on hers, his expression inscrutable.
“I came in quite by mistake. Mr. Brodie said her cottage was here, but she’s not about. I... I entered without permission, but I had walked quite a long way, and the portmanteau was so heavy.” She was babbling now. He probably didn’t even understand her, but it didn’t stop her from trying to make a right from a very horrible wrong. “Yes, I must have the wrong cottage,” she said apologetically, as if it were perfectly natural to walk into someone’s home and into their bedchamber. She took a step back.
The man leaned forward a little. She thought he was going to speak. But instead, he fell forward with a grunt, his forehead striking the wooden frame of the bed. Daria cried out in alarm and stood paralyzed, waiting for him to move.
He did not move.
She leaned forward, her heart pounding. Had hedied? A bubble of hysteria rose up; she could feel the scream about to leave her throat when he rolled onto his back with a grunt, his eyes closed, the grimace deeply etched into the skin around his eyes.
The bed linen, she could scarcely keep from noticing, had slipped from his body again.
“I’ll show myself out,” she whispered, feeling hot with embarrassment.
“Halt!”
The word was spoken soft and low, but Daria would have known Mamie’s voice anywhere. She whirled about—to look straight into the barrel of the large gun her grandmother held.
Three
“MAMIE!” DARIA CRIED.
“Daria?”Mamie lowered the gun, but before Daria could ask when Mamie had taken to carrying firearms, much less housing naked men, Mamie grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the room, then quickly pulled the door to as Daria’s mind raced through all the possible reasons why her grandmother might have a bandaged, naked man in her house.
“Who—”
“Come,” Mamie said softly, and with her gun in one hand and Daria’s elbow firmly in the other, she steered her down the hall to the main living area. She let go of Daria’s elbow and put her large gun on the table, whirled around, and stretched her arms wide. “Darling!” she said, her face suddenly a wreath of smiles. “What a beautiful surprise!” She grabbed Daria up and held her tightly to her chest, cooing that it was so good to see her. Daria was surrounded by the familiar scent of lavender, and she pressed her cheek against her grandmother’s soft shoulder.
“My goodness, how did you come to be here? Are Richard and Beth with you?” Mamie leaned back, holding Daria at arm’s length, smiling as she examined her. “My, but haven’t you become a beautiful young woman! You surely have squads of suitors!”
“Mamie, why is there—”
“So you and your parents have come to see me? Oh, how that warms my poor old heart! Sit, sit,” she said, nudging Daria toward the table. “I shall pour you tea. Are my daughter and Richard in Nairn? I should think Richard wouldn’t like the travel up into the hills.” She turned to the shelves, reaching for a small basket.
Daria remained standing, studying her grandmother. She looked a little rounder than when Daria had last seen her. And a little plain—her clothing was not the fine silks and brocades she’d always preferred. But never mind that. “Mamie,” Daria exclaimed breathlessly, “there is a naked man in that room!”
With her back to Daria, Mamie nodded. “Yes, I know. That must have come as quite a shock, but you mustn’t fret about him. He’ll be fine. Oh, how you startled me, Daria!” She laughed suddenly as she put a basket of tea tins on the table. “I thought someone had come to rob me! Is Beth coming?”
“No, it’s only me—Mamma and Pappa are in Hadley Green.” Daria pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Please, Mamie—whyis there a naked man in that room?”
“Hmm?” her grandmother asked, bustling around the hearth as if nothing were wrong. “Oh! I shall tell you, my love, I will. But first I insist on hearing all aboutyou.You cannot imagine how I have missed you! And now to find you in Scotland? It’s as if I were dreaming!” She suddenly paused and pinned Daria with a look. “Your parents areawareyou are here, are they not?”
“Of course! They wanted to come themselves when they received your letter, but I—”
“You read the letter?” Mamie interrupted quickly.
“No,” Daria said, eyeing Mamie curiously. “Mamma told me you needed help, and I wanted to come—”
“I should hope my daughter has not lost her senses and sent you across the country all alone!”
Daria’s head was beginning to spin. “No, Mamie. I came with Charity.”
“Who?”
Daria shook her head. “Mamie, whoisthat man?”
“I will explain it, of course I will, darling. But you’ve come a long way and you should have your tea. I have some freshly baked biscuits—”
