Page 8 of Tempting the Earl
Lady Clara appeared impressed. “Well, aren’t you an industrious one? My regular maid must be showing her age,” Clara added with a laugh. “Excellent! Well, I will be visiting the house with Mrs. Simms, checking on the various supplies, so get me something serviceable and not too fussy. If I need to change later in the day, I shall ring for you.”
As Emily helped her new mistress dress and prepare for her morning with the housekeeper, she was gratefully reminded of all the times she and the other girls had done one another’s hair while she was at school. Not that she could give the countess a schoolgirl’s hairstyle, but at least she didn’t disgrace herself since the concept was familiar. She kept it simple and things seemed to work out. She heaved a deep sigh of relief as the countess left the room after reminding her what time she would need her services to prepare for supper. Emily quickly tidied up the chamber before rushing off to the library to fulfil her obligations to the earl’s secretary.
“What are you doing in here, Emily? Shouldn’t you be with the countess?” Lord Yorkleigh’s anger brought Emily up short as she stepped into the room. She knew they weren’t friends, but she had been under the impression that he thought well of her, especially when he had assigned her to work for his beloved mother.
“But milord, she will not need me until late this afternoon to prepare for supper. I can accomplish much here in the library in the meantime. My other duties for Mrs. Simms are finished as well,” she replied with quiet dignity and a sense of pride. “I shall try diligently not to disturb you, my lord. The shelves I am currently working on are way at the far end of this chamber; you shan’t even know I am here.” She felt she was being quite reasonable, so she curtsied politely as she turned to commence her work having no idea of the frustration she was causing the master of the house.
Chapter Seven
Philip shook his head over the situation. None of his other servants would consider talking back to him, nor would they ever give thought to asking for extra work. But he could not help notice the obvious pleasure the young maid took in her work in the library. ‘Youshan’t even know I am here,’ he quoted derisively to himself as he watched her start upon her task. He had known she was scholarly, but it continued to amaze him that she seemed to be familiar with every book in his library. Watching her work, it was as though she were encountering old friends with each book she tended.
Irritated with himself for wasting his time on such thoughts, he turned to his desk and decided that maybe today would be a good day to ride around and visit his tenants. Maybe his mother would like to accompany him. Philip couldn’t help but notice that Emily barely acknowledged his leaving as she pored over another musty old volume, lost deep in thought in the realm of literature, seeming to be blissfully unaware of the turmoil she was continuously causing for the usually level headed earl.
“You are awfully quiet, my son. Do you wish to share what is on your mind?” Lady Clara questioned gently as they went about their rounds of the various tenant farmers.
“Just minding the team, Mother, these horses haven’t been out for a while,” he answered with no desire to tell her the truth.
Lady Clara merely raised her eyebrows and changed the subject. “Wherever did you find that young maid, Emily? Her diction is so refined. She certainly does not sound like she is from around here.”
The countess seemed surprised by the look that flashed across Philip’s face before he answered her question, telling her the story of Emily’s arrival on the estate. She listened carefully; amazed not only at the scant details of the young woman’s story, but also at the tone her son was using to tell it. He seemed strangely invested in the account as well as highly conflicted, and she wondered why.
“I think she might have been a governess at some point. Not that she seems old enough to have held too many positions before this. But it’s evident she has been well educated,” Philip said with a frown and a shake of his head. “One of her tasks is to catalogue the library and note which works need some care. I entered the library the other day in search of my secretary, James, and caught the two of them in deep debate over Sophocles of all the things.” He then proceeded to quote the encounter to his mother.
“The fact that they had foreknowledge does not mean they caused it to happen!” Emily declared vehemently.
Philip was taken aback to hear Emily’s raised voice. He had just opened the door to his library and was surprised to see his secretary deep in debate with the young maid.Of course, he didn’t tell his mother how beautiful Emily looked when her colour was heightened in the heat of debate. He listened for a few minutes to the argument being waged, so engrossed were the two in their subject they hadn’t noticed him enter the room. It was the Greek playwright, Sophocles, again which had raised their philosophic ire. He felt his admiration grow for the young woman as she regained control of her strong emotions and continued the debate in her refined, dignified speech.
As he felt his warmer feelings toward her being stirred up once more, Philip abruptly cleared his voice to make his presence known to the other occupants of the room. Mr. Dale started in surprise, and they both flushed guiltily as they turned to Lord Yorkleigh with widened eyes, wondering what his reaction would be.
“Sophocles will have to wait, Mr. Dale. I need you to draft up some copies for me. Emily, I believe Mrs. Simms will be requiring your services shortly. You may be excused,” he dismissed her gruffly as he turned his back on them and poured himself a stiff drink.
Philip avoided his mother’s curious gaze when he came to the end of the tale. He might feel in need of advice, but he wasn’t ready to confide in the countess about his unacceptable feelings toward one of the servants.
“It’s obvious there’s some mystery about he,r but it doesn’t seem she’s comfortable confiding in you,” Lady Clara pointed out sagely. “Is it possible you’ve been up in your high ropes before her? I love you dearly, Philip, but you know you can be a trifle high in the instep, particularly if you think someone is trying to take advantage of you.”
A part of him wanted to deny his mother’s words, but Philip couldn’t, in good conscience. He shrugged instead. “It’s possible, especially when she first arrived and was cloaked in such mystery and filthy besides. But she has been here for weeks and the mystery has only compounded, it would seem.”
“Perhaps I shall be able to get to the bottom of it. The poor dear might find it easier to confide in a woman.”
“Are you going to take on a new project, then, Mother?” Philip asked with a light laugh.
“I might just share yours,” she countered before turning the topic and allowing the day to carry them away.
~~~~
“So, Emily, how long have you been with us here at Yorkleigh?” The countess was watching Emily in the mirror as the girl concentrated studiously on the design she was trying to create with the mistress’ hair. Because of this, the countess was able to catch the play of emotions that crossed Emily’s face at the question. It was evident that panic flitted through the young woman despite it not being that invasive of a question. Clara marvelled at her quick wits as Emily took a deep breath and carried on with styling the countess’ hair without dropping even a strand, despite the turmoil Clara could see in the young woman’s features.
“Almost six weeks, my lady,” Emily replied steadily.
“Mrs. Simms speaks highly of you.”
Emily blushed with obvious pleasure. “Thank you for saying so, my lady. Mrs. Simms is one of the best women I have ever known. I think his lordship is quite fortunate to have her in his employ,” Emily replied loyally.
“Yes, Yorkleigh is fortunate to have her. She has been here most of her life. She is familiar with all the goings on of this household, and of the surrounding countryside,” the countess mentioned pointedly. She continued, “You never mentioned where you came from before coming to Yorkleigh.”
“No my lady, I did not,” replied Emily flatly.
Clara couldn’t miss the speed with which Emily was jabbing pins into her coiffeur, clearly hoping to end the intimacy of the moment. She obviously didn’t enjoy being questioned. The countess wondered if she should press for more information from the skittish young woman. So far she had not asked much of anything, and she could tell Emily was already getting the fidgets. She decided on another tactic.
