ages, and that she had some knitting to catch up on.”
“I’m sure she did. She’s no doubt down in the village getting all of the gossip concerning the latest exploits of the gentry in the area, while filling up on her fair share of sherry. That woman knows how to drink more sherry than Lady Carleton.” Gemma snorted.
“No doubt, you give them quite the fodder for that gossip, Lady Gemma,” Hart said, grinning foolishly.
“I don’t care for that at all. Why don’t you try to look good while staying quiet?”
she snapped, wincing at her overly harsh tone.
“Oh, I could do that but pray tell where would that leave me when it came to having my share of fun?” The delighted grin Hart wore made her stomach clench.
She stood up. “I shan’t dignify that with a rebuttal. We should go and see what the Irish has created for us tonight. I just hope I’m able to force it down this throat of mine.”
“Well, Gemma, take heart, you’ve never had an issue with forcing down food
before, if indeed, it started to become a challenge for you now, I would most certainly have cause for concern. We’d have to send for the doctor, for you’d definitely be on your death bed,” Mallory chuckled, delighting in his witty tease. She didn’t care, he could jest all he wanted about her zest for food.
“Mallory, I do believe the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder was true in your case. I just wish you’d get a hankering for the sea … then, at least I’d have HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 34
some peace of mind,” Gemma returned, smiling serenely at him all the while.
“Oh, don’t worry, dearest, I’d find a way of annoying you even from the High Seas.” His eyes twinkled.
Charles scampered into the room with Gemma’s Maltese dog trailing behind him.
“Traitor.” She smiled as Skye trotted over to her. With her pure white coat and twinkling dark eyes, she couldn’t stay irritated with her for long. With a happy bark, Skye jumped up into her lap. Skye immediately snuggled right against her chest, making a contented sighing noise.
“I see, you too, have a faithful hound,” Hart said.
“Her sister is around here somewhere … no doubt keeping guard at the nursery door, she’s taken quite a liking to Susan, so much so, that she believes she must protect her from all invaders, big or small.”
“And, she’s been doing a bang up job at it,” Elizabeth agreed. “I never thought that such a little dog could have such a big heart and spirit. She rules the nursery.”
“Seamus told me to tell you that his dinner wouldn’t wait for no one.” Charles was gasping to catch his breath, no doubt caused by running the distance from the kitchens to the music room.
Gemma gasped. “Mallory, you really do need to do something about the manners of this household. All sense of propriety seems to have gone straight up the chimney.”
“Begging your pardon, Aunt Gemma. I’ll try to word it more to your liking the next time.” Charles looked like a little imp. Sighing, she bit back the remark that sat on the tip of her tongue. She had to control her temper from lashing out at Charles. He was a little boy and before he’d come to live with them, he’d had a miserable life with his pathetic excuse of a mother.
“Why don’t you go and see if Mrs. Grant has any of those custard tarts you like so much tucked away in the kitchen somewhere. I’m sure you can root out her storage place.” Gemma moved forward and ruffled his hair. “And while you’re at it, see if Seamus has a nice little piece of carrot for Skye.” She gently handed him Skye, and in a flash he was back off toward the kitchen.
“You are a natural when it comes to children, Lady Gemma. You should have a nursery full when we get married.”
Mallory laughed. Elizabeth made a weird choking noise in the back of her throat.
“Hart, you are too arrogant for your own good,” Elizabeth chastised.
“The good kind of arrogance is a
“I’m sure she did. She’s no doubt down in the village getting all of the gossip concerning the latest exploits of the gentry in the area, while filling up on her fair share of sherry. That woman knows how to drink more sherry than Lady Carleton.” Gemma snorted.
“No doubt, you give them quite the fodder for that gossip, Lady Gemma,” Hart said, grinning foolishly.
“I don’t care for that at all. Why don’t you try to look good while staying quiet?”
she snapped, wincing at her overly harsh tone.
“Oh, I could do that but pray tell where would that leave me when it came to having my share of fun?” The delighted grin Hart wore made her stomach clench.
She stood up. “I shan’t dignify that with a rebuttal. We should go and see what the Irish has created for us tonight. I just hope I’m able to force it down this throat of mine.”
“Well, Gemma, take heart, you’ve never had an issue with forcing down food
before, if indeed, it started to become a challenge for you now, I would most certainly have cause for concern. We’d have to send for the doctor, for you’d definitely be on your death bed,” Mallory chuckled, delighting in his witty tease. She didn’t care, he could jest all he wanted about her zest for food.
“Mallory, I do believe the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder was true in your case. I just wish you’d get a hankering for the sea … then, at least I’d have HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 34
some peace of mind,” Gemma returned, smiling serenely at him all the while.
“Oh, don’t worry, dearest, I’d find a way of annoying you even from the High Seas.” His eyes twinkled.
Charles scampered into the room with Gemma’s Maltese dog trailing behind him.
“Traitor.” She smiled as Skye trotted over to her. With her pure white coat and twinkling dark eyes, she couldn’t stay irritated with her for long. With a happy bark, Skye jumped up into her lap. Skye immediately snuggled right against her chest, making a contented sighing noise.
“I see, you too, have a faithful hound,” Hart said.
“Her sister is around here somewhere … no doubt keeping guard at the nursery door, she’s taken quite a liking to Susan, so much so, that she believes she must protect her from all invaders, big or small.”
“And, she’s been doing a bang up job at it,” Elizabeth agreed. “I never thought that such a little dog could have such a big heart and spirit. She rules the nursery.”
“Seamus told me to tell you that his dinner wouldn’t wait for no one.” Charles was gasping to catch his breath, no doubt caused by running the distance from the kitchens to the music room.
Gemma gasped. “Mallory, you really do need to do something about the manners of this household. All sense of propriety seems to have gone straight up the chimney.”
“Begging your pardon, Aunt Gemma. I’ll try to word it more to your liking the next time.” Charles looked like a little imp. Sighing, she bit back the remark that sat on the tip of her tongue. She had to control her temper from lashing out at Charles. He was a little boy and before he’d come to live with them, he’d had a miserable life with his pathetic excuse of a mother.
“Why don’t you go and see if Mrs. Grant has any of those custard tarts you like so much tucked away in the kitchen somewhere. I’m sure you can root out her storage place.” Gemma moved forward and ruffled his hair. “And while you’re at it, see if Seamus has a nice little piece of carrot for Skye.” She gently handed him Skye, and in a flash he was back off toward the kitchen.
“You are a natural when it comes to children, Lady Gemma. You should have a nursery full when we get married.”
Mallory laughed. Elizabeth made a weird choking noise in the back of her throat.
“Hart, you are too arrogant for your own good,” Elizabeth chastised.
“The good kind of arrogance is a
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