Abbot.
âGoodbye, Miss Redding. Itâs been a pleasure working with you.â
Warmth spread through her, but she merely nodded her head and gave him a controlled smile. âYes, we dealt with a few weeds between us, didnât we? I hope your arm improves.â She stopped. Were the clear blue eyes telling her something? Really, she was being quite ridiculous. Briskly she said goodbye, and then walked away, up the curving drive. She didnât turn back to see if he watched â that would be common, flirtatious behaviour and not worthy of her, but an emptiness suddenly filled her, striving to turn away all the pleasure of the morning.
Entering the quiet house, with strength of mind she banished the extraordinary thoughts Nicholas Thorne had engendered and went to her room to get ready for luncheon with her family Her attention was
on the flowers in the basket as she went upstairs and onto the first-floor landing; this afternoon she would paint the balm.
Her door was ajar, and she thought she heard a sound as she neared it. Entering the room, she stopped. Ruby stood by the dressing table, hand reaching out to touch something. For a long moment neither spoke. Hester felt her heartbeat quicken, recalling what Aunt Jacks had warned her about, and stared at Ruby, whose small face coloured and then quickly widened into a grin.
âLost me duster, Miss Hester. Looked everywhere, anâ here it was.â She produced the duster from the shadowy space between Hesterâs jewel box and the silver-plated hairbrush, bright eyes at once looking at the basket Hester carried.
âOh, what lovely flowers. Shall I put them in a vase, Miss Hester?â Her smile was infectious, and despite her suspicions, Hester could only join her. What a child Ruby was; and how foolish and unpleasantly judgmental she was to think badly of her.
âThank you, Ruby. A small vase for the wild flower â this one. Bring it back up here, and take the other scented flowers into Mrs Reddingâs room.â
âSheâll be pleased, Miss Hester. Oh, they smells lovely... .â Ruby buried her nose in the pinks before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
Hester looked into the mirror at her reflection and said questioningly, âThereâs something not quite right. But she seems very willing. Too familiar, but sheâll soon learn.â
Soon there was a tap at the door and Ruby reappeared, holding a vase with the bastard balm in it. She giggled. âCook says itâs got a rude name, Miss Hester, did you know? Beginning with a B.â The giggles grew louder and Hester frowned. Ruby put a hand to her mouth. âSorry, Miss Hester, shouldnât âave said that.â And then she was gone and Hester was left looking at the innocent wild flower, frowning, and wondering why.
She turned her mind again to her painting, and then her glance fell on the small carved, sandalwood box which held the few pieces of jewellery left to her by her grandmother and her mother The pearl brooch, a gold bracelet, emerald earbobs, various other brooches and tiepins, a set of matching rubies and the beautiful blue-green Venetian
beads which had been an eighteenth birthday present from Aunt Jacks.
Hester smiled, remembering that day. âMy dear child, you need to wear something decorative to celebrate. Your Uncle Frank and I found these in a shop in Venice when we were on honeymoon. I hope you like them.â
Her smile died. The box lid was slightly open, sunlight touching the jewels lying inside it. Hesterâs expression tightened. Ruby had obviously opened the box.
Surely she hadnât taken anything? Had she?
CHAPTER SIX
Nothing was missing and Hester sighed with relief. She hadnât wanted to blame Ruby. But even so, as she went downstairs she still felt that small knot inside her that insisted Ruby must be watched.
In the dining room her father stood behind his chair at the head of
âGoodbye, Miss Redding. Itâs been a pleasure working with you.â
Warmth spread through her, but she merely nodded her head and gave him a controlled smile. âYes, we dealt with a few weeds between us, didnât we? I hope your arm improves.â She stopped. Were the clear blue eyes telling her something? Really, she was being quite ridiculous. Briskly she said goodbye, and then walked away, up the curving drive. She didnât turn back to see if he watched â that would be common, flirtatious behaviour and not worthy of her, but an emptiness suddenly filled her, striving to turn away all the pleasure of the morning.
Entering the quiet house, with strength of mind she banished the extraordinary thoughts Nicholas Thorne had engendered and went to her room to get ready for luncheon with her family Her attention was
on the flowers in the basket as she went upstairs and onto the first-floor landing; this afternoon she would paint the balm.
Her door was ajar, and she thought she heard a sound as she neared it. Entering the room, she stopped. Ruby stood by the dressing table, hand reaching out to touch something. For a long moment neither spoke. Hester felt her heartbeat quicken, recalling what Aunt Jacks had warned her about, and stared at Ruby, whose small face coloured and then quickly widened into a grin.
âLost me duster, Miss Hester. Looked everywhere, anâ here it was.â She produced the duster from the shadowy space between Hesterâs jewel box and the silver-plated hairbrush, bright eyes at once looking at the basket Hester carried.
âOh, what lovely flowers. Shall I put them in a vase, Miss Hester?â Her smile was infectious, and despite her suspicions, Hester could only join her. What a child Ruby was; and how foolish and unpleasantly judgmental she was to think badly of her.
âThank you, Ruby. A small vase for the wild flower â this one. Bring it back up here, and take the other scented flowers into Mrs Reddingâs room.â
âSheâll be pleased, Miss Hester. Oh, they smells lovely... .â Ruby buried her nose in the pinks before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
Hester looked into the mirror at her reflection and said questioningly, âThereâs something not quite right. But she seems very willing. Too familiar, but sheâll soon learn.â
Soon there was a tap at the door and Ruby reappeared, holding a vase with the bastard balm in it. She giggled. âCook says itâs got a rude name, Miss Hester, did you know? Beginning with a B.â The giggles grew louder and Hester frowned. Ruby put a hand to her mouth. âSorry, Miss Hester, shouldnât âave said that.â And then she was gone and Hester was left looking at the innocent wild flower, frowning, and wondering why.
She turned her mind again to her painting, and then her glance fell on the small carved, sandalwood box which held the few pieces of jewellery left to her by her grandmother and her mother The pearl brooch, a gold bracelet, emerald earbobs, various other brooches and tiepins, a set of matching rubies and the beautiful blue-green Venetian
beads which had been an eighteenth birthday present from Aunt Jacks.
Hester smiled, remembering that day. âMy dear child, you need to wear something decorative to celebrate. Your Uncle Frank and I found these in a shop in Venice when we were on honeymoon. I hope you like them.â
Her smile died. The box lid was slightly open, sunlight touching the jewels lying inside it. Hesterâs expression tightened. Ruby had obviously opened the box.
Surely she hadnât taken anything? Had she?
CHAPTER SIX
Nothing was missing and Hester sighed with relief. She hadnât wanted to blame Ruby. But even so, as she went downstairs she still felt that small knot inside her that insisted Ruby must be watched.
In the dining room her father stood behind his chair at the head of
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