Josephine didn’t think she would ever get used to the degree of attention that came with the house.
Oh, Lord. Just that fast, her thoughts returned to the night before.
“That would be lovely,” Josephine muttered, ducking out the door before she could stick her foot in her mouth or trip over her thoughts or words any further.
Heaven help her. She was going to have to learn how to hide her emotions better. All she could do was worry the whole time.
Would her mother know upon setting eyes on her?
Did the maid already know?
“No one knows,” she snapped at herself. If she just willed the silly thoughts away, perhaps she’d stop being so woolly-headed. Heaven knew she needed to get ahold of herself before she ran into anyone else.
Being so distracted with a maid was one thing, but her mother or –
“No one knows what?”
Lord! But if people didn’t just quit appearing out of thin air!
“Lady Brisby?”
Josephine’s mind caught up with the appearance of the sharp-faced woman only seconds after her mouth did, her brows rising before she could stifle her surprise.
Instinctively, she looked about, expecting to find her husband behind her. Or maybe Henry thundering after her about how she wasn’t welcome. After everything that hadtranspired when Lord Brisby had shown up, she had hardly expected ever to see the woman again, especially not so soon.
But there was no one out there but she and Lady Brisby. Lady Brisby who seemed only angrier at her short preoccupation.
“Is that how you greet a guest?” The woman sniffed, her features creased in irritation. “I suppose we are already rather well acquainted, but really.”
Acquainted? Is that what she considered after having attempted to bribe and threaten her?
“My apologies, Lady Brisby. It is only that I did not expect to see you here.” In the gardens, alone. Or on the property at all, if she were going to be terribly frank.
Something dark and thunderous passed behind Lady Brisby’s eyes, her lips forming a thin, pinched line as all pretence of friendliness fell from her features.
“Of course you didn’t,” she snapped. “I heard what you did. And while I don’t know how you accomplished it, I’m certain you used your feminine wiles to try and convince him to get rid of me the same way you used them to ensnare his attention in the first place.”
“My feminine wiles?” Josephine repeated, laughing despite the severity of the accusation.
She couldn’t imagine a world where Henry could be convinced so easily or in such a manner.
“Yes,” Catherine hissed. “Your feminine wiles. Don’t act so innocent! I see you for what you are, whore.”
For one insane moment Josephine worried that she did somehow know about the night before. She didn’t know how she would or could, but her stomach dropped all the same, her breath catching in her chest.
“See!” Catherine cried gleefully even though the ugliness never left her expression. “I knew it! You cannot fool me, you horrid girl. You have no idea what I have done for Henry, how much of my life I have devoted to looking out for him.”
Josephine didn’t like how Catherine kept stepping closer, her words becoming more harried and more angry with each new one uttered.
“I don’t know,” she agreed slowly, trying to diffuse the tension between them. “But I think that you mistake me, Lady Brisby. I’ve done nothing to hurt His Grace, nor would I.”
“Because you love him?” Catherine sneered. She looked Josephine up and down as if the very suggestion was offensive. “You are hardly the first woman to think that she did!”
Josephine could only imagine. Henry was an easy man to love.
“I know that you loved your sister, Lady Brisby–”
“That bitch!” Catherine interrupted her with a grimace.
