Read Online Maggie MacKeever by Lord Fairchild's Daughter - Free Book Online

recalled several instances when Jem, goaded beyond endurance, had turned her over his knee and spanked her soundly.
    “Yes, Jem,” she murmured.
    They agreed to say nothing of the attempts on Loveday’s life, lest suspicion be aroused. “Let them think of me as an addle-brained goosecap,” Loveday said grandly. “ I don’t mind!”
    The two conspirators made their way to the kitchen, where they hoped to wheedle an early cup of tea. A scene of comfortable domesticity greeted them. Mrs. Snugglebutt was seated at a low table, and the maid Prudence stood beside her. The cook, diligently stirring some concoction in a blackened pot, kept one interested eye on the proceedings and occasionally mumbled unintelligibly.
    “Periwinkle and earthworm, that’s the ticket,” Mrs. Snugglebutt announced decisively, and pressed a packet into the girl’s outstretched hand.
    “Gracious!” remarked Loveday. The cook jumped and dropped her spoon. Prudence looked at Jem, blushed bright red, and fled from the room.
    “Hoyden,” commented Mrs. Snugglebutt, fixing Loveday with an appraising eye. “You’d best have a nice cup of tea.”
    Loveday quickly took a place at the table, while Jem paused to tease the cook for a slice of newly-baked bread. “It’s an aphrodisiac,” Loveday commented. “Powdered periwinkle and earthworm.”
    “Aye,” retorted Mrs. Snugglebutt, banging a heavy cup on the table. “But how would you be knowin’ that?”
    Loveday shrugged and sipped the hot tea. She had no intention of divulging the source of that particular piece of information; Jasper would fall under grave censure for discussing such matters with a schoolroom miss, even so precocious a lass as she herself had been.
    “Well, it makes no matter.” Mrs. Snugglebutt favored her with a keen glance. “I’m not one to poke into that which ain’t any of my affair.” She paused expectantly, but Loveday remained silent. “The truth is, I have a touch of the gramarye.”
    “She means she can work magic,” Jem explained as he sat beside Loveday.
    “Aye. Dillian will’ve told you that.”
    Loveday felt that things were moving much too quickly for her. Magic? Dillian? No wonder the girl was strange. She’d doubtless spent much time in Mrs. Snugglebutt’s enlightening company.
    “Verdelet!” she exclaimed. “I knew I’d heard that name before.” Jem merely looked blank, but Mrs. Snugglebutt made a sign to ward off evil.
    “Of course you have, Loveday.” Dillian appeared exactly on cue. “Verdelet was the demon who carried the witches to the Sabbat.”
    “The Sabbat?”
    “A ceremony of initiation.” Dillian helped herself to bread from Jem’s plate. “Rather nasty, I believe. The Great Sabbat was held once a month, and was attended by all the sorcerers and witches of a region. The Little Sabbat was held once a week for all the initiates of a small area.”
    “Ugh,” remarked Loveday.
    “There are lots of books in the library, if you’re interested.” Dillian licked her fingers and awarded Jem with a dazzling smile.
    “I’d rather not,” Loveday murmured, and received a brilliant look in turn.
    “Mrs. Snugglebutt,” Jem was abrupt, “the duchess said Loveday has been here before.”
    “Aye. And the apple of the old duke’s eye, she was. Fair doted on her, did His Grace.”
    “Isolda’s husband?” Loveday asked. “Pray tell us what happened.”
    The housekeeper shrugged her plump shoulders. “No one rightly knows. The duke and Lord Everard were arguin’—what about don’t signify now.” She glanced meaningfully at Dillian.
    “Of course it does,” that young lady protested. “Timothy had accused Everard of being my father.”
    “Oh, damme, Dillian!” Jem cried, aghast. “I beg your pardon! I didn’t know.”
    “Nonsense,” said Dillian, patting his hand as she turned to Loveday, who was hard-pressed to hide her amusement at the maternal gesture. “You see, my mother was a village girl, with great