Read Online Beware of Virtuous Women by Kasey Michaels - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kasey Michaels
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is Mrs. Hendersen. And, no, Jack, I don't know why she's crying into Mrs. Ryan's apron. Is she ill?"
Jack jammed his fingers through his hair. "She didn't look all that good when I saw her but, no, she's not sick. She's at the end of her rope—and that's out of her mouth, not mine. Did you really tell the servants they only had to do what they wanted to do?"
Eleanor sat down, frowned at him. "No, that's not quite it. At Becket Hall we all help each other. But there are duties, everyone has the duty to help. At Becket Hall they're...well, I suppose you could call them the crew. Yes, that's it. There are general assignments, even preferences, but everyone lends a hand where it's needed. It's all rather—what's the word? Oh, yes. Democratic."
"Is that right? Well, don't look now, madam, but our crew has instituted a mutiny."
"Now you're exaggerating. It will take a little time for everyone to understand that they're being asked to responsively think for themselves, employ initiative, but—"
Jack let out a short laugh. "Oh, they're already thinking for themselves, Eleanor. According to Mrs.. .damn!"
"Mrs. Hendersen."
Jack glared at her. "According to the housekeeper," he pushed on doggedly, "two of the footmen have thought for themselves that they should be taking in the sights at Bartholomew Fair today, while the cook—ha! Mrs. Ryan—has thought for herself that something called bubble and squeak would make for a fine dinner for the master of the house. Who would be me, Eleanor, who doesn't have the faintest damn idea what bubble and squeak is, but I'm damn sure I don't want it served up in my dining room. And then there's that maid of yours—"
"Beatrice? She's been here with me for most of the afternoon, cleaning this chamber and yours, both of which more than needed a good polish."
"Well, good for Beatrice," Jack snarled, dropping into a chair. "That also explains why there's some pathetic little thing sitting beside Mrs. Hendersen and also crying up a storm because now she has no dusting to do and she'll soon be on the streets on her back and men with no teeth will be taking their pleasure on her. And that's another direct quote."
Eleanor put a hand to her chin, looked around as if there might be something to see. "Oh. Dear. They don't quite understand, do they?"
Jack stood up again. He couldn't seem to stay still for more than a moment. Probably because he wanted to strangle this strange, irritating woman. "Yes, I think you could safely say that. I think you could also safely say that you're in no danger of my housekeeper addressing you as you poor dearie ever again. Now, what do we do? Correction, what do you do, because this is your mess, Eleanor, and it needs cleaning up before Eccles and Phelps come to dinner tomorrow night."
Eleanor, who had been mentally reviewing Thomas Paine's Rights of Man in her head as she wondered what she'd done wrong, was suddenly all attention. "You've invited them here? But why?"
"I don't know, Eleanor. Perhaps I've become disenchanted with spending my nights attempting to find new ways to lose my money to a fool as thick as Phelps when others are watching and wanting into the game. afternoon, cleaning this chamber and yours, both of which more than needed a good polish."
"Well, good for Beatrice," Jack snarled, dropping into a chair. "That also explains why there's some pathetic little thing sitting beside Mrs. Hendersen and also crying up a storm because now she has no dusting to do and she'll soon be on the streets on her back and men with no teeth will be taking their pleasure on her. And that's another direct quote."
Eleanor put a hand to her chin, looked around as if there might be something to see. "Oh. Dear. They don't quite understand, do they?"
Jack stood up again. He couldn't seem to stay still for more than a moment. Probably because he wanted to strangle this strange, irritating woman. "Yes, I think you could safely say that. I think you could also safely say
Jack jammed his fingers through his hair. "She didn't look all that good when I saw her but, no, she's not sick. She's at the end of her rope—and that's out of her mouth, not mine. Did you really tell the servants they only had to do what they wanted to do?"
Eleanor sat down, frowned at him. "No, that's not quite it. At Becket Hall we all help each other. But there are duties, everyone has the duty to help. At Becket Hall they're...well, I suppose you could call them the crew. Yes, that's it. There are general assignments, even preferences, but everyone lends a hand where it's needed. It's all rather—what's the word? Oh, yes. Democratic."
"Is that right? Well, don't look now, madam, but our crew has instituted a mutiny."
"Now you're exaggerating. It will take a little time for everyone to understand that they're being asked to responsively think for themselves, employ initiative, but—"
Jack let out a short laugh. "Oh, they're already thinking for themselves, Eleanor. According to Mrs.. .damn!"
"Mrs. Hendersen."
Jack glared at her. "According to the housekeeper," he pushed on doggedly, "two of the footmen have thought for themselves that they should be taking in the sights at Bartholomew Fair today, while the cook—ha! Mrs. Ryan—has thought for herself that something called bubble and squeak would make for a fine dinner for the master of the house. Who would be me, Eleanor, who doesn't have the faintest damn idea what bubble and squeak is, but I'm damn sure I don't want it served up in my dining room. And then there's that maid of yours—"
"Beatrice? She's been here with me for most of the afternoon, cleaning this chamber and yours, both of which more than needed a good polish."
"Well, good for Beatrice," Jack snarled, dropping into a chair. "That also explains why there's some pathetic little thing sitting beside Mrs. Hendersen and also crying up a storm because now she has no dusting to do and she'll soon be on the streets on her back and men with no teeth will be taking their pleasure on her. And that's another direct quote."
Eleanor put a hand to her chin, looked around as if there might be something to see. "Oh. Dear. They don't quite understand, do they?"
Jack stood up again. He couldn't seem to stay still for more than a moment. Probably because he wanted to strangle this strange, irritating woman. "Yes, I think you could safely say that. I think you could also safely say that you're in no danger of my housekeeper addressing you as you poor dearie ever again. Now, what do we do? Correction, what do you do, because this is your mess, Eleanor, and it needs cleaning up before Eccles and Phelps come to dinner tomorrow night."
Eleanor, who had been mentally reviewing Thomas Paine's Rights of Man in her head as she wondered what she'd done wrong, was suddenly all attention. "You've invited them here? But why?"
"I don't know, Eleanor. Perhaps I've become disenchanted with spending my nights attempting to find new ways to lose my money to a fool as thick as Phelps when others are watching and wanting into the game. afternoon, cleaning this chamber and yours, both of which more than needed a good polish."
"Well, good for Beatrice," Jack snarled, dropping into a chair. "That also explains why there's some pathetic little thing sitting beside Mrs. Hendersen and also crying up a storm because now she has no dusting to do and she'll soon be on the streets on her back and men with no teeth will be taking their pleasure on her. And that's another direct quote."
Eleanor put a hand to her chin, looked around as if there might be something to see. "Oh. Dear. They don't quite understand, do they?"
Jack stood up again. He couldn't seem to stay still for more than a moment. Probably because he wanted to strangle this strange, irritating woman. "Yes, I think you could safely say that. I think you could also safely say
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