“Is that athreat?”
“No. A friendly warning. And believe me, you will find me a most worthy adversary if you should choose to disregard thatwarning.”
Diana laughed. “Oh, Amelia, how little you understand me. I admire and respect Robert. He has been most cordial and generous with me in our business dealings. But I assure you, his interest and my interests are purely business. There is absolutely no romantic entanglement on either of ourparts.”
“I would not be so sure of that,” Amelia saidcryptically.
“Well, I can assure you there is no romantic expectation from me. I am happily engaged and plan to marry a delightful youngman.
“And let it remain so. You are totally unsuited to be Lady Donnelly and I want you to be totally clear on thatfact.”
“My dear, Amelia. Let me remind you that Robertisthe Earl of Donnelly and is quite capable of making his own decisions. And unless he sent you here, specifically, to give me that message, you are wasting your time and alienating one who could be an ally and afriend.”
Amelia sat back in her chair. “I am not used to being spoken to in that manner, MissDiana.”
“Nor am I, Miss Amelia.” Diana stood. “Thank you for the tea. Give my warmest regards to your brother. And I shall find my own way home. Goodday.”
* * *
Diana was notupset by her encounter with Amelia—she was resolute. But it did focus a light on the feelings shedidhave for Robert. She had denied any romantic attachment, but in her deepest heart, she knew her denial was not true. However, whatever feelings she had must be denied. She was to be married. And she mustwrite.
The next morning as soon as breakfast was over she was at her desk, determined to finish her Christmas chapter for SirCecil.
It was Christmas Eve and Tommy had been working hard for the butcher all week. As exhausted as he was, he still felt exhilarated to know that there would be a wonderful Christmas dinner on the table for the whole family. His mother was a good cook and he knew, that even with tripe, the meal would befestive.
“Son,” the butcher said, “I need you to go to the cellar and fetch two buckets of coal and take them upstairs to the fireplace. Misses says she feels achill.”
“Yes, sir. Right away,sir.”
Tommy ran up the stairs to the living quarters, retrieved two coal buckets by the fire grate and ran down to the cellar. He shoveled coal into the buckets, and lifting with all his might he trudged up the cellar stairs. But as he neared the top, his foot caught on a stair tread and he tumbledbackwards.
A short while later the Misses shouted down through a tube the butcher had installed for communication. “Where is that bloody coal? I am freezing my bleedin’ fingers off uphere.”
“I sent the scamp to get it. Let mesee.”
The butcher went to the cellar door, opened it, and looked down into the dark below. He started walking down the stairs when his foot hit a bucket and it toppled backwards, spilling its load ofcoal.
“Damnation…” the butcher swore. He started down the stairs and came upon Tommy sprawled out on the floor his arm flung across hisface.
“Double damnation…” the butcher said as he picked Tommy up in his arms. He rushed up the stairs and went to the family quarters where he deposited Tommy on an old beat upsofa.
The Misses came over and glared down at the unconscious boy. “What is this all about, then? Where’s my bleedin’coal?
The butcher turned to his wife and said, “Go get your own bleedin’ coal. Can you not see the lad was injured getting your damncoal?”
“The Misses backed away, mumbling and wiping her hands on herapron.
The butcher turned back to Tommy whose eyes were just now flickeringopen.
“Tommy, lad. How beye?”
Tommy tried sitting up but was woozy and didn’t make it beyond resting on hiselbows.
“What happened?” He looked around. “Am I dead and inheaven?”
The butcher laughed. “If ye think this be heaven, you be plumb barmy. You took a tumble down the cellar stairs getting coal for theMisses.”
Tommy was finally able to sit up and he examined his arms and legs for scratches andbruises.
