She glanced at it. “Oh. I shall just return to my seat. Might I have the letter from Baron?”
He handed it to her and watched her return to her place across from him. He wished, fervently, she was still beside him. But this was for the best. He had to quash his feelings for her once and for all.
Chapter Four
Lucy fell asleep. Firston the train and then on a coach and then on another coach until finally Duncan shook her awake as a footman opened the door to the latest conveyance and said, “Welcome to Pembroke Lodge.”
Lucy immediately sat up, hoping for a look at her temporary home, but it was quite dark, and she saw little more than the face of the footman who held the lamp.
“Mr. and Miss Smith?” he said.
“Yes, I’m Duncan and this is my sister Lucy. We are the new footman and nanny.”
“I am James. I’m afraid I’m the only one awake to greet you. We keep country hours here, and the staff has gone to bed, as has the family. Allow me to show you to your rooms, and tomorrow you may meet everyone and have the tour.”
“Thank you,” Duncan said.
Lucy stifled a yawn as she was handed down from the old coach. The ground beneath her feet was soft and she caught the scent of flowers on a warm breeze. In the distance, she heard the buzzing of insects and the croak of frogs. Above her, the branches of tall trees swayed as the breeze caught them and rifled their leaves. She smiled, feeling very much at home already. She had made the best of her time at the Farm, but in truth she had not enjoyed the barren landscape and cold weather of the north. She’d spent her childhood in London or in the countryside of Hampshire, where her family often spent summers. The warmer clime suited her far better. She was equally at home traipsing through a field of wildflowers as she was navigating the busy Piccadilly Circus.
Duncan carried her luggage inside and James spotted a sleepy maid and directed her to show Lucy to her chamber. The maid scowled at her and when Duncan handed the woman Lucy’s bag, the maid shoved it at Lucy. Lucy took it and decided to excuse the woman’s rudeness because she imagined she would be none too pleased to be given this task when she just wanted her bed after a long day of work.
“What is your name?” Lucy asked as she followed the woman through the dark house.
“Molly,” the maid said. The Galloway family had employed a maid named Molly. She’d had dark hair and a quick smile. This woman had fair hair and blue eyes. She was taller than Lucy and slimmer and didn’t smile.
“What’s yours?”
Lucy smiled. This was progress. “Lucy Smith. And the new footman is my brother Duncan Smith.”
The maid looked over her shoulder at Lucy. “Your brother, eh?”
“That’s right. He’s two years older.” Lucy made that up on the spot, and she told herself to be certain Duncan knew he was older than she in this fabrication, though in reality he was older than she, at least she thought he was. She’d never asked his age.
“Is he married?” Molly asked. “Have a sweetheart?”
“Who?”
