Read Online Too Hot For A Rake by Pearl Wolf - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pearl Wolf
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Taunton, a decent drink may be had, he informs me, but the food is not what he calls ‘good grub.’”
She rose. “You’ll excuse me, then. I must supervise the packing if we are to be ready to leave so soon, sir.”
His eyes twinkled as he saluted her with one finger. “Don’t be late, ma’am.”
His last remark smacked of insolence, Helena thought, but she didn’t answer. She walked up the stairs and down the hall to her chamber, where she found Amy folding her clothes. “We leave in an hour, Amy. Be sure everything is packed and taken down to our carriage. Tell Casper that Lord Waverley’s valet will accompany us. He may sit up beside him.”
“Yes, your la’ship.” Amy’s eyes were swollen from the tears she had shed over the tongue-lashing her ladyship had administered following last evening’s fiasco.
Helena reddened in recollection of the humiliating scene. Amy had hit him with the pitcher all the while scolding him like a fishmonger for daring to “have his way” with her precious ladyship. To Helena’s dismay, Amy had yanked Helena’s bodice up while she continued to rant at the marquis. Waverley had merely held his head in his hands and groaned.
When he was able to stagger to his feet, he’d barked, “Leave off, lass. No need for you to protect your mistress any longer. Thanks to the cold water and the pitcher, the mood has quite left me.” He’d stumbled out and slammed the door behind him.
Helena reached for her hat, but Amy was quicker. “Allow me, milady.” She tucked her mistress’ hair under, leaving a few curls out to frame her face in a most becoming way, a task at which Amy was a master. “You look lovely,” Amy said, as she placed the pelisse on Helena’s shoulders. Without a word, Helena left the room and proceeded down the stairs, to be met by the innkeeper.
“Allow me to settle the bill with you, sir.”
“No need, milady. His grace directed that all charges be sent to him. Was everything satisfactory?”
“Oh yes. Thank you for your hospitality.” While she spoke to the landlord, Amy passed them, carrying her ladyship’s portmanteau. Helena followed her out into the yard and entered her carriage, but before Casper could close the door, she held it open and said, “See to Lord Waverley’s baggage. His valet will sit up with you, Casper. Have you met him?”
Casper grinned. “Bit of an oddball, ain’t he?”
Helena nodded in agreement just as Waverley drew up on his horse. He tipped his hat to her and smiled.
She smiled back at him, but there was no light in her eyes. Good heavens! How am I going to get through the rest of this journey without further mortification?
“Your ladyship—?”
“Say no more, Amy. Spare me, please. Your lectures make my head ache.”
“I’m sorry for what I done, but Lord Waverley’s a rake, taking advantage of an innocent lady like yourself. Men like him—”
“Enough, for heaven’s sake! Not another word out of you, do you hear?”
She reached for her diary, picked up her quill and began to write whatever thoughts popped into her head.
“Milady?” Amy twisted the handkerchief in her hands as she spoke.
Helena glared at her. “Don’t interrupt again, do you hear?”
A light rain began to fall but soon turned into a downpour. Casper pulled to the side of the road and stopped long enough for Lord Waverley to tie his horse to the rear of the carriage and enter.
“Beg pardon,” he said. He removed his coat, already drenched, and dropped it to the floor. “That’s better. I trust my joining you isn’t too much of an imposition? We stop for the night in Exeter, still hours away. My horse doesn’t seem to mind the rain, but I most certainly do.” He tapped the roof with the blunt end of his whip, a signal to Casper to move on.
“No imposition, I assure you. Make yourself comfortable, sir.” Helena removed her handkerchief from her reticule and handed it across to him. “Take this to wipe your
She rose. “You’ll excuse me, then. I must supervise the packing if we are to be ready to leave so soon, sir.”
His eyes twinkled as he saluted her with one finger. “Don’t be late, ma’am.”
His last remark smacked of insolence, Helena thought, but she didn’t answer. She walked up the stairs and down the hall to her chamber, where she found Amy folding her clothes. “We leave in an hour, Amy. Be sure everything is packed and taken down to our carriage. Tell Casper that Lord Waverley’s valet will accompany us. He may sit up beside him.”
“Yes, your la’ship.” Amy’s eyes were swollen from the tears she had shed over the tongue-lashing her ladyship had administered following last evening’s fiasco.
Helena reddened in recollection of the humiliating scene. Amy had hit him with the pitcher all the while scolding him like a fishmonger for daring to “have his way” with her precious ladyship. To Helena’s dismay, Amy had yanked Helena’s bodice up while she continued to rant at the marquis. Waverley had merely held his head in his hands and groaned.
When he was able to stagger to his feet, he’d barked, “Leave off, lass. No need for you to protect your mistress any longer. Thanks to the cold water and the pitcher, the mood has quite left me.” He’d stumbled out and slammed the door behind him.
Helena reached for her hat, but Amy was quicker. “Allow me, milady.” She tucked her mistress’ hair under, leaving a few curls out to frame her face in a most becoming way, a task at which Amy was a master. “You look lovely,” Amy said, as she placed the pelisse on Helena’s shoulders. Without a word, Helena left the room and proceeded down the stairs, to be met by the innkeeper.
“Allow me to settle the bill with you, sir.”
“No need, milady. His grace directed that all charges be sent to him. Was everything satisfactory?”
“Oh yes. Thank you for your hospitality.” While she spoke to the landlord, Amy passed them, carrying her ladyship’s portmanteau. Helena followed her out into the yard and entered her carriage, but before Casper could close the door, she held it open and said, “See to Lord Waverley’s baggage. His valet will sit up with you, Casper. Have you met him?”
Casper grinned. “Bit of an oddball, ain’t he?”
Helena nodded in agreement just as Waverley drew up on his horse. He tipped his hat to her and smiled.
She smiled back at him, but there was no light in her eyes. Good heavens! How am I going to get through the rest of this journey without further mortification?
“Your ladyship—?”
“Say no more, Amy. Spare me, please. Your lectures make my head ache.”
“I’m sorry for what I done, but Lord Waverley’s a rake, taking advantage of an innocent lady like yourself. Men like him—”
“Enough, for heaven’s sake! Not another word out of you, do you hear?”
She reached for her diary, picked up her quill and began to write whatever thoughts popped into her head.
“Milady?” Amy twisted the handkerchief in her hands as she spoke.
Helena glared at her. “Don’t interrupt again, do you hear?”
A light rain began to fall but soon turned into a downpour. Casper pulled to the side of the road and stopped long enough for Lord Waverley to tie his horse to the rear of the carriage and enter.
“Beg pardon,” he said. He removed his coat, already drenched, and dropped it to the floor. “That’s better. I trust my joining you isn’t too much of an imposition? We stop for the night in Exeter, still hours away. My horse doesn’t seem to mind the rain, but I most certainly do.” He tapped the roof with the blunt end of his whip, a signal to Casper to move on.
“No imposition, I assure you. Make yourself comfortable, sir.” Helena removed her handkerchief from her reticule and handed it across to him. “Take this to wipe your
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