Read Online The Road to Gretna by Carola Dunn - Free Book Online Page B

abigail before her father died, she was used to taking care of herself now. Not for the first time, she wondered sadly what had become of Nancy when Uncle Vaughn dismissed her.
    There was a knock at the door and a different maid put her mob-capped head around it. “T’other young lady’s come, miss. I thought tha’d best be warned, for t’boy’ll be bringing up her bags.”
    “Thank you.” For want of any other wrap, Penny put on her pelisse.
    A moment later Henrietta came tripping in, carrying the kitten and followed by Cora. “Penny, what a delightful notion to share a chamber! It will be just like school. Only think of all the secrets we shall exchange before we fall asleep.”
    She continued to chatter as a sturdy youth came in, laden with a staggering quantity of baggage which he stacked in a corner. Penny glanced at her solitary portmanteau. Obviously Henrietta hadn’t escaped from home by climbing from her window.
    “Cora, I shall wear the pink tonight, the one with the coral ribbons, and unpack the paisley shawl, if you please. Take Lily away now. I cannot play with her while I dress.” She handed the kitten to Cora. “Where is my hot water? Travelling is shockingly dirty. You will have to wash my gloves tonight.”
    “What’ll I do with her, miss?” asked the abigail, unable to obey any other instruction until the kitten was disposed of.
    “Put her in your chamber, through there,” Penny suggested. “Nothing will wake Mrs. Ratchett. Just make sure both doors are closed.”
    With a grateful look Cora opened the connecting door, releasing Mrs. Ratchett’s snores from their confinement in the servants’ room. She pushed the kitten through and latched the door again.
    Henrietta giggled. “How lucky it is a solid door!”
    “I hope the noise won’t disturb you tonight, Cora,” said Penny. “Would you prefer a pallet in here with us? I daresay we could squeeze you in.”
    “Thank you kindly, miss, but nothing’ll keep me awake tonight. The pink you said, Miss Henrietta?” The tired abigail started unpacking.
    The chambermaid returned with hot water for Henrietta and Penny’s green gown. She took away the brown carriage dress. Penny quickly dressed and pinned up her hair.
    “La, how neatly you manage it,” Henrietta marvelled. “I should not be able to go on at all without my abigail, I declare. Oh, Cora, not that gown. The one with the coral ribbons, I said.”
    “That weren’t one of them you told me to pack, miss. This one with the blond lace, you told me.”
    “And the one with coral ribbons, you silly girl. I must wear it tonight. It is the one I want to wear tonight.”
    “You cannot if it isn’t here,” Penny pointed out. “The blond lace is very pretty, I must say, and this particular shade of pink perfectly complements your cheeks.”
    “Oh, very well, but it is horridly wrinkled. You must press it, Cora. Or perhaps I shall wear the white gown after all, with the spangled bodice. Have you no shawl, Penny? You shall borrow my paisley, for it does not go with the white gown. Where are my pearls, Cora? Never say you have left my jewellery case in the carriage.”
    By the time the jewellery case had been found beneath a bandbox, Penny was ready to go down.
    “Would you like me to wait for you?” she offered half-heartedly.
    “Oh no, I should not keep you waiting for the world. Jason ordered dinner for seven o’clock and I shall scarcely be ready in time, for the white gown needs pressing, too. I vow I cannot think how Cora came to pack my clothes so carelessly. Here is the shawl, do not forget the shawl.”
    Though the evening was still quite warm and her gown had long sleeves, Penny accepted the shawl, patterned in pink and green and white, rather than argue.
    A passing wailer showed her the way to their private parlour, confiding that the coffee room had been cleared of customers to accommodate his lordship. A long deal table, battered and moisture-ringed, bore witness to