“Hmm.” Margaret’s brows rose as she turned to return to her bedroom at the other woman’s side. “How very considerate of him.”
And how veryunlikeher sardonic groom in their last interaction! He must have been busy all night to hire new servantsandprocure fresh food for his human bride...neither of which acts he’d considered necessary in preparation for their wedding.
She didn’t trust this act of kindness for an instant, but she was not a masochist. Any further conclusions could wait until she’d had her first pot of tea.
These leaves, thank goodness,werereasonably fresh. Once Margaret was safely seated on her bed, with the sturdy legs of the breakfast tray arranged on the aged bedcovers around her figure, she poured the tea through its elegant silver strainer into a blue-and-white cup and inhaled the scented steam with deep satisfaction. With that heavenly fragrance filling her senses, Margaret looked with fresh focus at the older woman who stood to one side, hands folded and gaze politely lowered.
“Have you worked for His Lordship long?”
“Fifteen years now as needed, Your Ladyship.” Her gaze was direct in return, her expression calmly confident. “My husband and I have always been called upon to help with such matters as his Lordship couldn’t attend to himself, and my husband’s parents before us, too. It’s been that way ever since he was Turned, by agreement with my husband’s great-grandmother. We keep a cottage on the grounds, with a nice little garden too, and are quite comfortable there.”
“What a sensible arrangement.” Margaret considered the matter as she took her first sip—and then, with the rumbling of her neglected stomach making other needs known, took up the bacon and eggs with enthusiasm. Once finished, she gave a sigh of deep appreciation. “You do excellent work, Mrs...?”
“Haworth, Your Ladyship.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Haworth.” Nudging aside her empty plate, Margaret smiled at her sincerely. “We’ll have to see about your salary being raised while I’m in residence.”
“Oh, his Lordship saw to all that last night.” Mrs. Haworth nodded serenely. “For the rest of your lifetime, Your Ladyship, our family will shift to fulltime work in the manor, and we’ll be taking on a deal more staff too, for your comfort. There’s nothing left for you to worry about.”
‘The rest of your lifetime...’
Margaret’s teeth set together. “I’m afraid it may not lastquiteso long, Mrs. Haworth. But while I am living here, of course we will both welcome and appreciate your service.” Taking another long, invigorating sip of tea, she straightened her shoulders. “To begin with, perhaps you could direct me to the local town.” Food, she apparently no longer required, butinformation—whether about her new husband or her location itself —would always be of use. Now that she was nourished, she was ready to gather it.
Mrs. Haworth’s head tilted. “If there’s anything you require, my husband will happily acquire it for you, Your Ladyship. Only let me know, and we’ll see to it.”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed as she gazed upon the housekeeper’s perfectly innocent expression. “Fresh airwould do me a world of good,” she said firmly. “After all, I’ve been cooped up in a library so long”—she almost gagged on the falsity of that description—“I’m sure I would most enjoy a long, hearty walk in the countryside and a good”—or at least,useful—“chat with my new neighbors.”
Mrs. Haworth let out a regretful t’sk. “I’m afraid it’s been raining all night, Your Ladyship. The mud is something terrible around here. Perhaps you might ask Your Lordship tonight about holding a dinner party soon? I’m sure all the local gentlefolk would be glad of an invitation.”
...And Margaret, in any such situation, would remain safely inside the house.
No wonder Lord Riven had hurried to make all the arrangements for her food and keeping while she slept, rather than waiting to allow her to take on that wifely duty herself. If he’d thought her a willing party to their marriage, he wouldn’t have seen any harm in leaving such domestic matters to her. But if he was afraid that she would run away, ignoring all practicalities of funds and survival, only to leave them both homeless and desperate...
How much of a fool did he think she was?
Margaret’s teeth ground together in preparation to say something extraordinarily rude about the manor’s beloved lord and master.
Mrs. Haworth spoke first. “Would you care to see the library here, Your Ladyship? His Lordship did ask me to show you the way if you’d any interest in such matters...”
Damnation.A library was the one temptation Margaret could never possibly refuse. From the telling curve of the housekeeper’s lips, both she and Lord Riven knew it.
Margaret’s new husband, though, truly was a fool if he imagined that his family’s library was asaferoption when it came to occupying his reluctant new wife.
Smiling with steely determination, Margaret set down her empty first cup of tea and nodded for Mrs. Haworth to take the pot with them. “Show me the way, if you please.”
Information and research werealwaysthe keys to success.
She knew exactly what her next step should be.
Lord Riven had at least enough witsto look distinctly wary as he stepped into the dining room that night. Under Margaret’s direction, the two enormous chandeliers had been dusted, and every candle had been lit to illuminate the lavish meal laid out across the long table.
His gaze flicked across that enormous spread of offerings, from ham to chicken to roast potatoes and candied walnuts. For a moment, a wave of red sheened across his eyes, and his lips parted. Then they slammed shut, and he turned his burning gaze upon her.
Margaret smiled back at him with perfect satisfaction from her seat at the foot of the table. “Welcome, husband. I thought you’d be pleased to see all of your old favorites.”
She’d found centuries of household records and accounts along with all the other dusty texts. For a woman accustomed to research, it had been no great challenge to work out the obvious implications.
Holding Lord Riven’s gaze, she reached out and deliberately stabbed a piece of chicken, raising it to her mouth.
