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Authors: Madeline Hunter
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stepped out of the carriage, Hayden considered the rest of the plan. With luck, Caroline would be matched up this first go-round, and Henrietta would return to her home in Surrey. The house would be sold and the stolen funds replaced with new ones. If Providence really smiled on him, after Caroline was married, his aunt would look for a husband for herself, and Hayden could soon pass her reins to someone else.
Hayden handed his aunt and cousin down. By the time they entered, all the servants were lined in the reception hall to greet their new mistress.
Henrietta examined her household. Hayden had retained Falkner, but the rest of the staff was new.
He stepped forward when his aunt arrived at Miss Welbourne’s. He introduced the two women, as he had not the butler or housekeeper. It was in his interest for them to get on well. With luck Miss Welbourne would reduce Henrietta’s demands on him.
Aunt Hen gave her new companion a good inspection. Miss Welbourne suffered it with grace.
“This is my daughter, Caroline,” Hen said, drawing her daughter forward. “Our delay in coming to town means her last finishing requires attention. I trust you are fit for it.”
“I am, Lady Wallingford.”
“I hear that you are recently come to such duties. That you are cousin to the family that last lived here.”
Hayden was not aware that Hen had heard that. She had been in town only two days.
Miss Welbourne’s eyes deepened in color, but she displayed no other reaction. “Yes, madam.”
“We will have some conversation about that. I have no reason to question my nephew’s confidence in you, however.”
“Thank you, madam.”
Hen moved on, to the maids and footmen and cook. Hayden watched the ritual from the side of the room. Mostly he watched Miss Welbourne.
Her gaze had not wavered since they entered the house. He realized it was locked on a spot on the wall behind him. Even when Hen spoke with her, those violet eyes had not moved. She was enduring this, but she was not seeing it.
He admired her composure and the slight hauteur she projected. She might stand with servants, but only a fool would miss the difference. No doubt his aunt had sensed it at once. Hence that little challenge.
Miss Welbourne’s gaze subtly moved to him. Anger and pride flexed over her face.
Do not dare pity me,
that quick glance said.
You of all men have no right.
Her resentment of him looked ready to defeat her poise. He walked over and gestured her forward, away from her spot of subservience.
“You appear to have everything in hand here. It is admirable.” He meant herself, not the household. She seemed to understand. Her expression returned to one of passivity. Her gaze found its spot again, past him on the far wall.
“Falkner saw that the others were prepared,” she said quietly.
“Do you think you can manage her?” He looked at his young cousin.
Miss Welbourne glanced down the line too, only her gaze flitted to Henrietta, not Caroline. More specifically, it flitted to Henrietta’s hat.
“I am thinking I was worth both wages to you,” she said.
“I have been thinking that you might prove to be worth far more to me, Miss Welbourne.” It sounded a little risqué once he said it. She did not react as if she noticed. That was probably because the potential entendre lived in his head alone, a reflection of calculations that did him no credit.
“I am thinking you are correct. However, I left our last meeting satisfied and will not expect more now.”
“I am relieved. There will only be one carriage, you see, and my aunt will want to use it on occasion. If you had secured several free days instead of only one, that would have seriously inconvenienced her.”
She could not resist smiling at the memory of having bested him. Her rose mouth softened and revealed its sensual, welcoming potential. Her lips parted just enough to send inappropriate thoughts romping through his head.
Her gaze finally turned up to him, to share
Hayden handed his aunt and cousin down. By the time they entered, all the servants were lined in the reception hall to greet their new mistress.
Henrietta examined her household. Hayden had retained Falkner, but the rest of the staff was new.
He stepped forward when his aunt arrived at Miss Welbourne’s. He introduced the two women, as he had not the butler or housekeeper. It was in his interest for them to get on well. With luck Miss Welbourne would reduce Henrietta’s demands on him.
Aunt Hen gave her new companion a good inspection. Miss Welbourne suffered it with grace.
“This is my daughter, Caroline,” Hen said, drawing her daughter forward. “Our delay in coming to town means her last finishing requires attention. I trust you are fit for it.”
“I am, Lady Wallingford.”
“I hear that you are recently come to such duties. That you are cousin to the family that last lived here.”
Hayden was not aware that Hen had heard that. She had been in town only two days.
Miss Welbourne’s eyes deepened in color, but she displayed no other reaction. “Yes, madam.”
“We will have some conversation about that. I have no reason to question my nephew’s confidence in you, however.”
“Thank you, madam.”
Hen moved on, to the maids and footmen and cook. Hayden watched the ritual from the side of the room. Mostly he watched Miss Welbourne.
Her gaze had not wavered since they entered the house. He realized it was locked on a spot on the wall behind him. Even when Hen spoke with her, those violet eyes had not moved. She was enduring this, but she was not seeing it.
He admired her composure and the slight hauteur she projected. She might stand with servants, but only a fool would miss the difference. No doubt his aunt had sensed it at once. Hence that little challenge.
Miss Welbourne’s gaze subtly moved to him. Anger and pride flexed over her face.
Do not dare pity me,
that quick glance said.
You of all men have no right.
Her resentment of him looked ready to defeat her poise. He walked over and gestured her forward, away from her spot of subservience.
“You appear to have everything in hand here. It is admirable.” He meant herself, not the household. She seemed to understand. Her expression returned to one of passivity. Her gaze found its spot again, past him on the far wall.
“Falkner saw that the others were prepared,” she said quietly.
“Do you think you can manage her?” He looked at his young cousin.
Miss Welbourne glanced down the line too, only her gaze flitted to Henrietta, not Caroline. More specifically, it flitted to Henrietta’s hat.
“I am thinking I was worth both wages to you,” she said.
“I have been thinking that you might prove to be worth far more to me, Miss Welbourne.” It sounded a little risqué once he said it. She did not react as if she noticed. That was probably because the potential entendre lived in his head alone, a reflection of calculations that did him no credit.
“I am thinking you are correct. However, I left our last meeting satisfied and will not expect more now.”
“I am relieved. There will only be one carriage, you see, and my aunt will want to use it on occasion. If you had secured several free days instead of only one, that would have seriously inconvenienced her.”
She could not resist smiling at the memory of having bested him. Her rose mouth softened and revealed its sensual, welcoming potential. Her lips parted just enough to send inappropriate thoughts romping through his head.
Her gaze finally turned up to him, to share
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