idea took root. What if Jacquie’s father came after her with a gun, as well?
She continued to look out the window as the lush English countryside gave way to London’s more polished suburbia. Only when the limousine pulled up in front of a home the size of Buckingham Palace did her breath catch in her throat.
“Welcome to Abingdon Manor.” Jacquie looped her arm through Tessa’s after the limousine driver helped them out of the car. “I do hope you enjoy your stay. It will be brief but highly educational.” A tiny wink followed.
“No doubt.” Tessa looked around at the expansive estate with its lush gardens and shook her head. “How did I get here?”
“In a Mercedes limousine, of course.” Jacquie giggled. “And the driver was kind enough to drop us off at the gate so as not to alert the servants. Follow me, if you will.” Under the shadowy haze of the twilight, she led the way beyond the front gates to the garden. Off to the west side of the beautiful rolling lawn, Tessa noticed a creek with a lovely bridge.
“This is beautiful,” she said. “Peter, you are the grounds-keeper here?”
“Yes.” His face beamed. “Tell me what you think of the way I’ve shaped the bushes to look like animals. I learned to do that just last spring. Clever, don’t you think?”
“Very. They seem very lifelike.” So lifelike, in fact, that she felt sure the lion to her right let out a roar. Or was that just her heart responding to the nervous flutter in her stomach?
“Follow me, Tessa.” Jacquie led the way down a cobblestone path far away from the main house. Tessa traipsed along, a silent partner in this crime of passion, as the path narrowed under a canopy of vines overhead. Several minutes of walking the pathwayfinally led to a stream and, beyond that, a vine-covered cottage, looking like something from the cover of a storybook as the setting sun cast its shadows overhead.
Jacquie led the way to the front door and opened it. She stepped inside, brushed away a couple of thin cobwebs from the doorway, then glanced Tessa’s way. “Welcome to your new home. For the next two weeks, anyway.”
Tessa’s nerves jumbled madly as she glanced around the tiny cabin. “Are you sure I will be safe here?”
“Quite. No one comes here unless we’ve guests, so you are more than safe, I assure you. Besides, Papa is out of town on business for the next week and Mama is at a society function this evening. We’ve the whole place to ourselves.”
From the back bedroom, a young woman in a simple black dress with a white collar and a ruffled apron approached. She took one look at Tessa and rolled her eyes. Nothing like making a person feel welcome. A cold chill came over Tessa, and she fought the temptation to bolt toward the door as the stranger took to fussing with her white cap.
Jacquie smiled and gestured to the woman. “Tessa, this is Iris. She is my—your—lady’s maid.”
Tessa felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in the blond. “My what?”
Iris muttered something under her breath, finally speaking aloud. “Your lady’s maid, miss.”
“But, I…” No words would come. Tessa shook her head, unsure how to respond. To be served by another? This seemed a foreign concept to one who had only ever served.
“Iris has become my confidant.” Jacquie flitted across the room and gave the maid a warm embrace. “And she is fully onboardwith our plan.” A giggle followed. “Fully onboard. What an ironic slip of the tongue.” She patted Iris on the back and then laughed.
The petite blond didn’t smile. Instead, she offered a hesitant nod. “Against my better judgment, I daresay. But I will not break confidence, Miss Jacquie. I’ve given you my word and I will not go back on it.” The pained expression that followed made Tessa wonder about that.
Iris went about the business of lighting the lanterns overhead, one after the other, and soon the room was filled with the glow of flickering
She continued to look out the window as the lush English countryside gave way to London’s more polished suburbia. Only when the limousine pulled up in front of a home the size of Buckingham Palace did her breath catch in her throat.
“Welcome to Abingdon Manor.” Jacquie looped her arm through Tessa’s after the limousine driver helped them out of the car. “I do hope you enjoy your stay. It will be brief but highly educational.” A tiny wink followed.
“No doubt.” Tessa looked around at the expansive estate with its lush gardens and shook her head. “How did I get here?”
“In a Mercedes limousine, of course.” Jacquie giggled. “And the driver was kind enough to drop us off at the gate so as not to alert the servants. Follow me, if you will.” Under the shadowy haze of the twilight, she led the way beyond the front gates to the garden. Off to the west side of the beautiful rolling lawn, Tessa noticed a creek with a lovely bridge.
“This is beautiful,” she said. “Peter, you are the grounds-keeper here?”
“Yes.” His face beamed. “Tell me what you think of the way I’ve shaped the bushes to look like animals. I learned to do that just last spring. Clever, don’t you think?”
“Very. They seem very lifelike.” So lifelike, in fact, that she felt sure the lion to her right let out a roar. Or was that just her heart responding to the nervous flutter in her stomach?
“Follow me, Tessa.” Jacquie led the way down a cobblestone path far away from the main house. Tessa traipsed along, a silent partner in this crime of passion, as the path narrowed under a canopy of vines overhead. Several minutes of walking the pathwayfinally led to a stream and, beyond that, a vine-covered cottage, looking like something from the cover of a storybook as the setting sun cast its shadows overhead.
Jacquie led the way to the front door and opened it. She stepped inside, brushed away a couple of thin cobwebs from the doorway, then glanced Tessa’s way. “Welcome to your new home. For the next two weeks, anyway.”
Tessa’s nerves jumbled madly as she glanced around the tiny cabin. “Are you sure I will be safe here?”
“Quite. No one comes here unless we’ve guests, so you are more than safe, I assure you. Besides, Papa is out of town on business for the next week and Mama is at a society function this evening. We’ve the whole place to ourselves.”
From the back bedroom, a young woman in a simple black dress with a white collar and a ruffled apron approached. She took one look at Tessa and rolled her eyes. Nothing like making a person feel welcome. A cold chill came over Tessa, and she fought the temptation to bolt toward the door as the stranger took to fussing with her white cap.
Jacquie smiled and gestured to the woman. “Tessa, this is Iris. She is my—your—lady’s maid.”
Tessa felt her breath catch in her throat as she took in the blond. “My what?”
Iris muttered something under her breath, finally speaking aloud. “Your lady’s maid, miss.”
“But, I…” No words would come. Tessa shook her head, unsure how to respond. To be served by another? This seemed a foreign concept to one who had only ever served.
“Iris has become my confidant.” Jacquie flitted across the room and gave the maid a warm embrace. “And she is fully onboardwith our plan.” A giggle followed. “Fully onboard. What an ironic slip of the tongue.” She patted Iris on the back and then laughed.
The petite blond didn’t smile. Instead, she offered a hesitant nod. “Against my better judgment, I daresay. But I will not break confidence, Miss Jacquie. I’ve given you my word and I will not go back on it.” The pained expression that followed made Tessa wonder about that.
Iris went about the business of lighting the lanterns overhead, one after the other, and soon the room was filled with the glow of flickering
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