Page 16 of A Cinderella to Redeem the Earl
Never mind the orange trees. Lives had been ruined and that required payment.
To Pamela’s relief the storm that had threatened earlier in the day had passed by with only a few distant rumbles. She’d spent until mid-afternoon organising the kitchen cupboards and preparing dinner for her employer—since he had not left with Monsieur Phillippe—a roast of beef and a selection of vegetables along with a game pie and some soup. To be served in the servants’ hall.
It really was not right that a titled gentleman should eat in such lowly quarters, even if he was the only person dining.
She removed her apron and, taking the ring of keys she had discovered in a drawer, set off to explore the house, to see if she could discover a more suitable dining room.
Clearly the ballroom and the dining room used for his guests were too large. His study was unsuitable since it lacked a proper table, so she wandered along corridors, peeping into each room she passed. The library she had visited yesterday was devoid of any furniture and the empty shelves were covered in dust.
Without much hope, she threw open the last door along the wing and peered into a dark room with chinks of light showing here and there through the shutters along one wall. She picked her way across and with a little effort opened one of the heavy wooden shutters to reveal a magnificent view of the park.
The room was not large, but it was exactly what she had been seeking. Pleasant surroundings and no dust. A drawing room. No doubt the table in the centre was intended to be used for playing games of chance rather than for eating, but with a table cloth, it would perfectly adequate for one or two diners.
She threw back the rest of the shutters. Given the state of most of the house she was surprised to find this room in such good order. The only drawback was its distance from the kitchen.
A problem she could solve, surely?
If she got everything ready beforehand and put all the hot items on one large tray, perhaps it would work.
And when Monsieur Phillippe was also in residence, he could do the fetching and carrying.
It was exceedingly strange that neither one of them had a valet and His Lordship did not keep at least one footman to take care of the house. Instead, they ferried servants back and forth from London at what must be a considerable expense. If the gambling was not illegal, as His Lordship claimed, then there must be something else nefarious going on.
She recalled the way Meg and the others had laughed about the upstairs rooms being ready. Perhaps it was there she would find her answers.
She picked up the keys from the table where she had put them while she opened the shutters and made her way to the narrow staircase at the end of the hall.
She hesitated. It really was none of her business.
She glanced down the staircase. Was it possible there was a shorter route to the kitchen beneath the courtyard? If so, it would make using the room a great deal more convenient. Would it not make more sense if she explored in that direction instead?
His Lordship might say everything was above board, but, from what she had learned over the past several years, many men said anything to get their own way.
Like her stepfather trying to push her into a marriage with his friend, a man old enough to be her father. She quelled a shudder.
Before she could change her mind, she ran upwards. A quick glance was all she would need to satisfy her curiosity and hopefully put her mind to rest.
The first door she came to did not open when she turned the handle. Locked.
She tried first one key, then another. None of them fit. Bother.
‘Can I be of assistance?’ a deep voice enquired.
His Lordship. Her heart sank. She turned to face him. To her surprise and relief, his expression was one of interest, not anger.
‘I...er... I was seeking a place where you might dine, other than the servants’ hall.’
A dark brow winged upwards. ‘Among the bedrooms?’
Dash it. ‘No. I found the perfect room downstairs and then came up here, curious about something one of the maids said.’
He drew closer. ‘What sort of something?’
She tried to ignore his proximity, the way he loomed over her, the way he made her feel overwhelmed and breathless.
It was hard to ignore when her heart galloped so hard.
She took a deep steadying breath. ‘It wasn’t so much what she said, as the way she giggled when she was asked if the bedrooms were ready. It struck me as odd since you said your guests were not staying the night.’
