A Lord Apart by Jane Ashford

Author:Jane Ashford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2019-02-26T16:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Something had teetered in the balance before that intoxicating kiss, Daniel thought, grasping the tatters of his dignity as Tom came over to them. Not the nonsense about the necklace—something more. “My desires are not your responsibility,” she’d said. He could still hear the conviction that had vibrated in her voice. He could feel her hand on his heart. She’d commanded him in that moment, and it was beyond any thrill he’d experienced before.

“Just a moment,” Miss Pendleton said. Daniel was pleased to hear the tremor in her tone. She was as shaken as he was, and he was fiercely glad of it. She picked up an elaborate hat to place it in its box.

“Watch out for that one,” Tom said. “It’s got some wicked pins in it. Sharp as a knife.”

She turned back, holding the wide brim of a confection adorned with ribbons, feathers, artificial flowers, and improbably, an entire stuffed bird. “I saw them. But how do you know?”

“Ah, well.” Tom shifted from foot to foot. “We were larking about when everyone was hauling papers down from here, and Kitty put it on, meaning no harm, miss. She tried to take it right off again, but them pins stuck in her hair.”

Miss Pendleton nodded. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Or it might have caught on the paper that was inside,” Tom added.

“Paper?”

“It fell out when we pulled the hat off Kitty.”

Her face lit with excitement. She leaned forward. “What sort of paper?”

“We didn’t look, miss. It was folded up in the hat.”

“Where is it now?”

Tom took a step backward, clearly intimidated by the intensity of her question. “Ned put it into a box. Following orders. All papers to go downstairs.” He looked worried. “That’s what we was supposed to be doing.”

“Yes, of course you were. Tell me about the box.”

“The box, miss?”

“The one Ned put it in.”

She was worrying the boy. “It’s all right,” Daniel told him. “There’s nothing wrong. Just tell us whatever you remember.”

“Yes, my lord.” Tom frowned. “I wasn’t paying any particular attention to Ned. I believe the box was wooden, sitting right about there.” He indicated a spot next to the trunk. “Mebbe so big?” He held his hands shoulder width apart. “I’m not sure.”

“Did it have any special markings?” Miss Pendleton asked.

“I didn’t notice any, miss. Was it somethin’ important? Nobody told us.”

“That box must have held the contents of my mother’s desk,” Daniel said to her. “Papers. That’s why it’s not here.”

“And that’s the one we have to find,” she replied. As one, they turned to the stairs.

“What about the doorway?” asked Tom.

“What doorway?”

“They’ve finished breaking through the wall down by the new bathing room. Mr. Carson wants you to have a look at the doorway. In case you want it bigger.”

“Right,” said Daniel. “We’ll do that first.”

Once they had, they consulted the housekeeper, who confirmed that the contents of his mother’s desk had been packed up into a box that was wooden, as far as she recalled. She couldn’t remember anything distinct about it, however.

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