Read Online Confessions at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jacquie D'Alessandro
Tags: love_contemporary
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slightly crooked front teeth. "How's yer headache, milord?"
"It's…" Daniel considered for several seconds, then huffed out a surprised laugh. "Gone."
"Hate to say 'I told ye so…'"
Daniel shot the young man a mock scowl. "No you don't. In fact, I believe that that is one of your favorite things to say."
"Glad ye're feelin' better, because…" Samuel cleared his throat. "… ye'll never guess wot, milord."
Daniel froze. Dear God, two
guess wots
in one day? Since Samuel tended to spring his
I've found us another stray
surprises according to size, Daniel knew that whatever was coming next was larger than a puppy.
"I can't imagine," he murmured, bracing himself as he scratched Blinky behind her ears. "Horse? Donkey? Camel?"
Samuel blinked. "Camel?"
Daniel shrugged. "Merely a guess. Certainly if an orphaned dromedary wandered about London, you'd find it. And bring it here."
"Naturally, milord. But it's not a camel."
"My relief knows no bounds. Don't tell me. Baldy has five canine friends in tow?"
"No, milord. Far as I can tell, Baldy's all alone in the world. 'Cept fer us now, of course." Samuel cleared his throat, and Daniel noticed that he looked decidedly nervous. And that his skin had taken on a faint greenish cast that matched his livery, although not in a good way.
"It's that… ye've a visitor, milord. A Mr. Rayburn."
Daniel's brows shot upward. "Charles Rayburn? The magistrate?"
Samuel nodded. "Aye. He's awaitin' ye in the drawing room. With another bloke, called himself Gideon Mayne."
"I don't know anyone by that name."
"Bloke didn't say so, but I'd peg 'im as a Runner."
Daniel studied his obviously nervous, green-tinged footman. "When did they arrive?"
"'Bout half an hour ago. I were passin' by the foyer when Barkley were lettin' them in. Overheard who they were. After Barkley showed 'em into the drawing room, I offered to tell ye they were here, seein' as how I were comin' to the dinin' room."
"And you're just telling me now?" Good God, he really needed to discuss Samuel's lack of propriety regarding his duties. He was fortunate he hadn't accidentally strolled into his drawing room three hours from now and discovered the magistrate and Runner still awaiting him.
Samuel shrugged. "We had other business to discuss first, and I wanted to get ye pinkened up before springin' the news that the law were here. Besides, can't say I minded the thought of them blokes waitin' on ye. As they should. Ye're an important man. God-awful hour for them to be disturbin' ye. Especially…"
"Especially what?"
Samuel swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. Several seconds passed, then he said in a rush, "Wot if they're here 'bout me?" Before Daniel could speak, Samuel rushed on, "I ain't done nothin', milord. I swear it. Upon me life. I promised ye I wouldn't steal and I haven't."
"I don't doubt you, Samuel."
That seemed to calm Samuel a bit, and he jerked his head in a nod. "Thank ye."
"I'm sure whatever they want has nothing to do with you. And if it does, it's obviously a misunderstanding that we'll work out."
Fear clouded Samuel's dark eyes, a look Daniel hadn't seen in many months. One he hated seeing now. "But wot if it's about somethin' I stole before? Before ye helped me? Wot if they want to take me away-"
"No one is taking anyone anywhere," Daniel said firmly. He gently set Blinky on the floor then rose. "I'll go see what they want."
"Ye'll tell me wot it is?" Samuel asked in an unsteady voice. "As soon as they leave?"
He clamped his hand on Samuel's shoulder. "As soon as they leave. Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing."
He strode toward the drawing room, praying he was right. And knowing he'd protect Samuel with whatever resources necessary.
When he entered the foyer, Barkley straightened to his full height. "Are you ready to be announced to your callers, my lord?" the butler asked in the same dour monotone he'd used for every one of the ten years he'd been in Daniel's employ.
"Yes. I gather they've
"It's…" Daniel considered for several seconds, then huffed out a surprised laugh. "Gone."
"Hate to say 'I told ye so…'"
Daniel shot the young man a mock scowl. "No you don't. In fact, I believe that that is one of your favorite things to say."
"Glad ye're feelin' better, because…" Samuel cleared his throat. "… ye'll never guess wot, milord."
Daniel froze. Dear God, two
guess wots
in one day? Since Samuel tended to spring his
I've found us another stray
surprises according to size, Daniel knew that whatever was coming next was larger than a puppy.
"I can't imagine," he murmured, bracing himself as he scratched Blinky behind her ears. "Horse? Donkey? Camel?"
Samuel blinked. "Camel?"
Daniel shrugged. "Merely a guess. Certainly if an orphaned dromedary wandered about London, you'd find it. And bring it here."
"Naturally, milord. But it's not a camel."
"My relief knows no bounds. Don't tell me. Baldy has five canine friends in tow?"
"No, milord. Far as I can tell, Baldy's all alone in the world. 'Cept fer us now, of course." Samuel cleared his throat, and Daniel noticed that he looked decidedly nervous. And that his skin had taken on a faint greenish cast that matched his livery, although not in a good way.
"It's that… ye've a visitor, milord. A Mr. Rayburn."
Daniel's brows shot upward. "Charles Rayburn? The magistrate?"
Samuel nodded. "Aye. He's awaitin' ye in the drawing room. With another bloke, called himself Gideon Mayne."
"I don't know anyone by that name."
"Bloke didn't say so, but I'd peg 'im as a Runner."
Daniel studied his obviously nervous, green-tinged footman. "When did they arrive?"
"'Bout half an hour ago. I were passin' by the foyer when Barkley were lettin' them in. Overheard who they were. After Barkley showed 'em into the drawing room, I offered to tell ye they were here, seein' as how I were comin' to the dinin' room."
"And you're just telling me now?" Good God, he really needed to discuss Samuel's lack of propriety regarding his duties. He was fortunate he hadn't accidentally strolled into his drawing room three hours from now and discovered the magistrate and Runner still awaiting him.
Samuel shrugged. "We had other business to discuss first, and I wanted to get ye pinkened up before springin' the news that the law were here. Besides, can't say I minded the thought of them blokes waitin' on ye. As they should. Ye're an important man. God-awful hour for them to be disturbin' ye. Especially…"
"Especially what?"
Samuel swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. Several seconds passed, then he said in a rush, "Wot if they're here 'bout me?" Before Daniel could speak, Samuel rushed on, "I ain't done nothin', milord. I swear it. Upon me life. I promised ye I wouldn't steal and I haven't."
"I don't doubt you, Samuel."
That seemed to calm Samuel a bit, and he jerked his head in a nod. "Thank ye."
"I'm sure whatever they want has nothing to do with you. And if it does, it's obviously a misunderstanding that we'll work out."
Fear clouded Samuel's dark eyes, a look Daniel hadn't seen in many months. One he hated seeing now. "But wot if it's about somethin' I stole before? Before ye helped me? Wot if they want to take me away-"
"No one is taking anyone anywhere," Daniel said firmly. He gently set Blinky on the floor then rose. "I'll go see what they want."
"Ye'll tell me wot it is?" Samuel asked in an unsteady voice. "As soon as they leave?"
He clamped his hand on Samuel's shoulder. "As soon as they leave. Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing."
He strode toward the drawing room, praying he was right. And knowing he'd protect Samuel with whatever resources necessary.
When he entered the foyer, Barkley straightened to his full height. "Are you ready to be announced to your callers, my lord?" the butler asked in the same dour monotone he'd used for every one of the ten years he'd been in Daniel's employ.
"Yes. I gather they've
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