Read Online Innocence by Elise de Sallier - Free Book Online Page A

raised my knee up and hit him in . . .” Unable to put the events into words, she demonstrated, and Nathaniel winced, stepping back. Mortified by what she had done, Lisa covered her face with her hands.
    “So, you do have hidden talents. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”  
    Peeking at him from between her fingers, she was relieved to see the humour in his expression. “I’m so sorry, my lord. I didn’t mean to . . .”
    “No need for apology.” He took hold of her hands, rubbing his thumbs softly over her knuckles. “I’m glad you were able to defend yourself, though it should not have been necessary.” His tone hardened. “You won’t have to worry about the footman bothering you again. He’ll be gone by nightfall.”
    Already in poor form with Sally, Lisa was concerned Nathaniel taking such an action would be to her detriment.  
    “Please don’t dismiss Owen on my account,” she asked. “It was just a misunderstanding, as he thought I was someone I’m not. I mean, I am a serving girl, of course, but not like the ones he’s used to. I’m unaccustomed to the way things are done, as I’ve only recently come into service.”  
    Nathaniel’s grip on her hands tightened. “You’re defending him? Why? Did you invite his attentions and then change your mind?”
    “No! I didn’t want him to touch me, but he wouldn’t listen.”  
    Tears flooded Lisa’s eyes, and Nathaniel’s expression softened.
    “It’s all right, I believe you.” He smiled and led her to a nearby grouping of chairs. “Come, sit, and tell me why you’re new to service. Where is your family?”  
    “My father managedthe inn where I worked,but when he died, I was forced to leave,” she said, adding the details she had thought of to hopefully improve the plausibility of her tale. “During the war, he served under your father, and spoke very highly of His Grace. He said if anything happened, I should come to Worthington Hall and seek employment.”
    Nathaniel studied her intently, one elegantly-clad leg crossed over the other.  
    “Did your father say why you should make the journey from . . . where exactly did you say?”
    Lisa struggled to recall if she had given Mrs Donaldson a specific location. She dare not say she was from Henbury or any of the surrounding locales, so she picked the town she had stayed in with her father when they went on a trip to the seaside the summer after her mother died.  
    “Mayverton. I came from Mayverton . ”  
    “That’s quite a journey. You undertook it alone?”
    “Some friends accompanied me on their way to visit relatives further north.”
    Nathaniel nodded thoughtfully. “There’s no way you would have made it this far otherwise.”
    “No, indeed,” she muttered.
    “I’m curious about your accent,” he continued, his expression reminding Lisa of her tabby cat when he was stalking a mouse. “It doesn’t fit the locale you mentioned or any other that I know of.”  
    “My mother was French,” she said then winced, unsure if Lord Copeland would know that about her. “She was from a goodfamily and insisted I receive an education.”  
    “Your mother.” Nathaniel remained silent for a moment. “She wouldn’t have fled Paris around the time of the Terror by any chance?”
    The room spun, and Lisa clutched the arms of her chair. He must know she was the young woman Lord Copeland was searching for and was merely toying with her.
    “It’s all rights, Lisa. You’ve nothing to fear.” Nathaniel knelt beside her chair and steadied her with a hand to her shoulder. Smiling gently, he traced the line of her jaw before trailing his fingers down the length of her arm. “Although it certainly explains a few things. Your delicate bone structure and soft, flawless skin for one.”
    He stroked the back of her hand, and Lisa shivered.
    “Did your mother tell you much of her heritage?”  
    “She didn’t like to speak of it,” Lisa said truthfully. The Terror had