Innocence (5 page)

“Just saying what we’re all thinking.” Lord Cahill grinned. “I noticed her as soon as I walked in the door, but
I’m
a married man. I don’t ogle.”

“About the only thing you don’t do.” Lord McGivern’s tone was wry.

“Not true. Well, not often and certainly not under Uncle Thomas’s roof.”
 

“Not where Eleanor might find out and put your balls in a vice, you mean,” Nathaniel drawled.

It was all Lisa could do not to gasp out loud. If she’d had any doubts about her change in station they were dispelled by this shocking conversation. Gentlemen of the
ton
did not,
under any circumstances, swear or speak crudely in front of a lady.

The marquis filled his plate, glancing Lisa’s way several times, his frown etching creases in his brow. After he had taken his seat, he motioned for a cup of coffee, shaking his head when Sally went to attend him.

“The new girl.” He stared straight at Lisa.

Startled by the unexpected command, she glanced up at Mr Henson who nodded warily. With considerable trepidation, she went to the sideboard and collected the silver coffee service, before making her cautious way to Nathaniel’s seat and placing the rattling tray on the table. With trembling fingers, she went to lift the coffee pot, but he put his hand over hers, holding her in place. A tingling sensation raced up her arm at his touch, and Lisa drew in a quick breath.

“I think you’d best let me pour,” he said, looking up at her through his thick lashes. “I don’t fancy having my vital equipment scalded this early in the day.”

Lisa froze, captivated by his sapphire gaze and the way his lip curved into a smirk. When his words registered, she tried to pull away, but he held her hand in place.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that! I mean I’d try not to,” she said before conceding. “Well, maybe it would be best if you poured. I’m just as likely to spill the contents in your lap as get any in the cup . . . um . . . my lord.”

Nathaniel’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe, Henson cleared his throat, and Sally giggled. Noting the stunned expressions of the rest of the room’s occupants, Lisa realised she had committed a significant faux pas. Serving girls did not speak, unless asked a direct question, and they certainly did not offer rambling commentary on their incompetence.

To her relief, the marquis burst out laughing, and she gave a tentative smile in response.

“Maybe we can manage it together,” he said with a grin, lifting the coffee pot with his large hand wrapped around hers.

“Here, allow me, my lord.” Mr Henson stepped forward.

“Ah, leave him, Henson.” Lord Cahill waved a hand. “He’s just having a little fun with the girl. God knows, it’s as close as he’ll get with His Grace’s expectations hanging over his head.”

“Enough, Michael. You’ve made your point,” Nathaniel said, his smile fading.

As soon as he released her hand, Lisa beat a hasty retreat to her place near the wall. Glancing back at the table, she saw he was staring at her again, and she ducked her head, her blush a permanent fixture.
 

More guests arrived, all male, and began to serve themselves breakfast. Staying clear of the tables, Lisa focused on clearing and restocking the sideboard. A few of the men made comments to Sally, who did not seem to mind at all, and to Ruth, who kept her head down and her skirts away from straying hands. Lisa heard several references to the “new girl,” her attention captured when she heard a very unwelcome name.

“So, what’s Copeland up to now?” Lord McGivern asked. “You’re his friend, Edgeley. Are you keeping track of his misdemeanours?”

Lord Edgeley sat forward, his tone that of a man divulging a secret. “I’ve just received news Copeland’s come into a nice little inheritance, a minor one, but quite the juicy plum. Should help him out of the bother he’s in. Inheriting a barony’s all very well, but his father didn’t leave him enough funds to maintain an adequate lifestyle.”

Lisa’s heart lodged in her throat at the carelessly spoken words. Here was the proof she had been dreading. Her father was dead, and Lord Copeland had gotten away with murder.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” Nathaniel joined the conversation. “Maybe now he’ll repay me some of the blunt he owes. Copeland does like to gamble but handing over when he loses can present a problem.”

Lisa was stunned by the disclosure. This must be why her father had warned her not to trust anyone but Thomas. Lord Copeland owed Nathaniel money. They gambled together. They were friends.

“But that’s not the best part,” Lord Edgeley continued. “Apparently he was all set to do the honourable thing and marry the daughter of the previous holder. Gal was orphaned, a nobody, but he offered for her to save her from penury.”

“Not what I’d expect from Copeland. Hardly the charitable type,” Lord McGivern said.

“He’s a better man than I.” Nathaniel defended the man who had murdered Lisa’s father. “Copeland keeps some rather unsavoury company, but if he’s willing to wed the chit it shows a depth of compassion I’d not own to. I might have assigned her a small allowance under the circumstances, but offer marriage? She must be thanking her lucky stars.”

“Well, that’s the thing,” Lord Edgeley added, clearly enjoying his place at the centre of attention. “The gal up and did a runner. Stole some of the family jewels, and Copeland’s got all and sundry tracking her down. Not sure if he’ll marry her when he finds her or have her thrown in prison.”

The room spun.

Keep breathing
, Lisa told herself as her pounding heartbeat drowned out the rest of the conversation. Ruth nudged her arm, her expression concerned, and Lisa struggled to regain her composure. It was a good thing she was not wearing a corset, as she’d have fainted for sure.

Refocusing on the gentlemen’s conversation, Lisa listened for more news of her father’s murderer and what had become of her home, but the discussion had shifted to other topics. When they finished their breakfast, the lordships rose to leave, intent on a morning hunt. As they moved towards the door, some of the other guests followed. A middle-aged gentleman who had been eyeing Lisa earlier, approached where she stood.
 

“Aren’t you the lovely morsel,” he said, catching hold of her skirt.

Startled, Lisa cried out in alarm.
 

“Trilby,” Nathaniel called the man’s name. “You’ll join us, won’t you? For the hunt?”

The man let go of Lisa’s skirt and turned away, leaving her to stumble back against the wall.

“Marsden, very good of you to offer. Just give me a moment to change. Valet won’t be pleased, not at all.” He chuckled and moved out the door.

When he was gone, Nathaniel speared Lisa with a look.

“Henson, I think you’d best reassign the new girl.” He issued the order in the same impassive tone he’d used when talking to
Trilby
, his eyes never leaving her face. “She’s clearly not trained for her current position.”

It was all Lisa could do not to cry out with indignation, as she watched him stride from the room. This was her very first morning. How dare he judge her so harshly?
 

It was much later before the girls found time to discuss the events of the breakfast room, Sally shooting Lisa daggers at every opportunity.

“I’d never go after Lord Marsden.” The maid did her best to mimic Lisa’s tone, her hands on her hips and head waggling. “
I’m
not interested in the lordships. Oh, I could slap ye.”

Sally took a step towards her, and Lisa froze, too shocked to raise her hands in self-defence. Fortunately Ruth intervened, stepping between them.
 

“It’s not Lisa’s fault Lord Marsden took a liking to ’er. He probably just prefers redheads to blondes.”

“Took a liking to me? He practically had me dismissed, the arrogant, insufferable prig!”

The other girls’ looked surprised, as was Lisa. She had never used such harsh language before in her life.

“He was only trying to protect ye,” Ruth said.

“From what, spilling the coffee?”
 

“Nay, from Mr Trilby. With His Grace away, the old bugger was probably thinking he’d ignore the Duke’s house rules. Lord Marsden made it clear yer not to be harassed despite his own attraction to ye. He’s clearly a good man like his father and refuses to give in to his darker nature.”

“Darker nature, my arse!” Sally put her hands on her hips. “I get why yer not interested, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t ’ave some fun.”

“Ye think Lisa would find Mr Trilby’s attention ‘fun’?” Ruth’s eyes flashed.

“Of course not. I was talkin’ ’bout Lord Marsden.”

The two maids glared at each other while Lisa looked on bewildered.

“Wot she’s
tryin
’ to say”—Sally turned to her with a huff—“is Lord Marsden wants ye, probably ’cos of the whole ‘redheads bein’ a better lay’ thing, but ye don’t ’ave to worry. He won’t do nothin’ about it ’cos of his father’s bloody rules!”

With that, Sally flounced off leaving Ruth and Lisa to finish ironing the mountain of linen serviettes and tea towels they had been assigned. Lisa couldn’t understand why the other girl was angry with her or what she had meant about Nathaniel wanting her because of her red hair. For what? Ruth thought he found Lisa attractive, but she was in the guise of a servant. Her greatest fear was he might have realised she was the girl running from Lord Copeland, though if that were the case, Lisa imagined she would have been arrested by now.
 

What she could not understand was how His Grace’s son could be friends with such a villain. She could only hope his father was more discerning, for if Thomas chose to believe Lord Copeland’s account of events over hers, she could kiss her future security goodbye.
 

Chapter 5
 

Adorable
 

The next few days passed without mishap, though masquerading as a maid was even harder than Lisa expected. The hours were long and the work never-ending, giving her little opportunity to deal with her losses. By the time it came for her to report to the kitchen in the afternoons, she was exhausted and terrified of failure, as she had no idea what she would do if she was forced to leave Worthington Hall. Chef Peters was sceptical of her abilities, testing her arduously in the beginning, but to Lisa’s relief, her skills did not abandon her. When he served the cream profiteroles she baked for afternoon tea a few days after her arrival—and not to the servants—her place seemed more secure.

Of Nathaniel and the other gentlemen, she saw nothing, which was a good thing, she reminded herself. The less the lordships saw of her, the less likely they were to connect her with Lord Copeland’s runaway bride.

Owen Todd, on the other hand, was a little
too
friendly. Lisa did her best to discourage him, but Sally remained furious with her, acting as if the overly familiar footman’s interest was Lisa’s fault. Fortunately, they were all too tired by the time they reached their cold attic room at night to spend much time in conversation or argument. All any of them wanted was sleep.

A week after her arrival at Worthington, Mrs Donaldson asked Lisa to carry a large vase of flowers from a work room and place it on a side table in one of the many hallways. The task would normally fall to a more senior maid, but they were all busy placating Lady Cahill who was on the warpath over some imagined slight or other. The woman was impossible, and Lisa was just glad she didn’t have to deal with her.
 

Unable to see past the large bouquet, Lisa stumbled several times on the journey, the flowers falling to the side.
 

“Bother,” she muttered after her third attempt at repairing the damage was unsuccessful.
 

“I think they usually put the tallest ones at the back.”
 

Spinning around at the sound of a deep, male voice, Lisa was surprised to see Nathaniel leaning against the wall.

“My lord! You startled me.”

He frowned—at her less than servile tone, she imagined—and she offered a belated curtsy.
 

“Is there anything I can do for you?” she asked when the effect of his unbroken gaze reached an unbearable level.
 

“You can tell me your name.” His gaze roamed from the top of her head to the hem of her skirt in a shockingly forward manner.

“My name?”
 

“I’m assuming you have one?”

“Yes, of course. I have a name.”
 

“Well?”
 

One of his eyebrows rose, reminding Lisa of a novel she’d read by Mrs Radcliffe describing the hero as having a sardonic brow. She’d always wondered what one looked like, and now she knew.

Pushing away from the wall, Nathaniel walked over to the vase of flowers. With a few deft movements he created something quite presentable out of the jumble she had been fussing with for the better part of half an hour, and Lisa huffed.

“I’m sure you have many talents.” He chuckled at her reaction. “Although flower arranging and pouring hot beverages don’t seem to be among them.”

Unsure how to respond, she stared down at her wringing hands. Miss Brewer would not have approved.