Read Online The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore - Free Book Online

had been left unturned here… and to oversee the unpleasant
business of dragging the lake.
    “Now that we know about the cart,” Simon
continued, “we can include it in our questioning. Odd as it sounds, it seems
the Duchess of Trent disappeared from Ironwood Park in a cart drawn by asses.”
     
    “Good-bye, girl,” Sarah’s father said in a
gruff voice. He gave her a quick, tight hug, then pushed her an arm’s length
away from him, still gripping her shoulders. “Be good.”
    She flashed him a grin. “I’m always good,
Papa.”
    He smiled at that, though his blue eyes
clouded with melancholy. “Too true, too true.” He let her go, stepping back.
“And you’ll be good at watching over Lady Esme, too, I’m sure.”
    “I will,” she promised. She leaned forward
to kiss her father’s cheek. Although he hadn’t said so outright, he was proud
of her rise in status. As far as he was concerned, she’d earned it first by
proving her intelligence in the years of lessons with Miss Farnshaw, then by
her unceasing loyalty to the Hawkins family, which in turn had earned their
trust. Papa believed she deserved every bit of the new prestige the title of
“lady’s companion” afforded her.
    Sarah herself had doubts. She wasn’t
certain she’d be a success at the position. Yes, she could make pleasant
conversation with Lady Esme. She had an eye for fashion and could advise the
young lady on what to wear to any given ball or dinner party. Miss Farnshaw had
educated her on etiquette in excruciating detail.
    What Sarah wasn’t as sure about was
keeping up the game with others. Those refined ladies of society who would
surely see through her pretense and know immediately that she had no right
holding the position of companion to a duke’s sister.
    She took a deep breath and pushed that
thought into the dark recesses of her mind where she stowed all her
insecurities. She
would
do this. She’d do it because her father thought her worthy. She’d
do it because Simon believed she could, and because Esme thought it “the most
excellent idea my brother’s ever had!” She’d do it for the Hawkins family, and
she’d do it for her own selfish desire to wiggle her toes in the silky waters
of the lives of the privileged.
    Most of all, she’d do it to be close to
Simon.
    She hugged her father again, as quick and
short and hard as he’d hugged her, then she hurried to the rear of the two
carriages, the one upon which Robert Johnston had taken the position of driver.
She opened the door, and just as she had her foot on the step and was about to
haul herself inside, a sharp “Sarah!” had her leaning back and looking toward
the front carriage.
    Simon stood beside the carriage, a slight
crease between his brows. He glanced around at the other servants milling
about, then, leaving the door open, he walked to her in a few long strides.
    He leaned toward her and spoke so that no
one else would hear. “You will be riding with us.”
    The flush burned, an instant reaction
clear on her cheeks for him to see. “Oh,” she mumbled. “Of course.”
    It had been natural to think she’d be
riding with Amy, Esme’s lady’s maid. But she was a lady’s
companion
now. Of course, she’d be
expected to
accompany
the lady on the journey to London.
    She grimaced at Simon, and he grinned in
response, then shrugged and gestured toward the front carriage. “After you,
Miss Osborne.”
    Miss Osborne.
He’d never called her that before. But of course, it was the
proper way to address one’s sister’s companion.
    She followed him to the front carriage and
then accepted his help as he handed her inside. Esme was already sitting on the
forward-facing lavender velvet squabs, and Sarah settled in beside her. Simon
climbed up behind her and sat on the opposite seat.
    After greeting Esme, Sarah looked out the
window. Sam and Theo had left early in the morning – Simon’s departure had been
delayed due to the time it had taken to pack all