Amberley Chronicles Boxset I: The Impostor Debutante My Last Marchioness the Sister Quest (Amberley Chronicles Boxsets Book 1) by May Burnett

Author:May Burnett [Burnett, May]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Romance
Amazon: B016SBJIZW
Publisher: Mind Games
Published: 2015-10-16T00:00:00+00:00

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There was no time to think about Mr. Beecham. Minerva called the butler and housekeeper to her, and handed them the list of items she planned to take to Sussex for Charlotte’s ball.

“Here is the mail, milady,” her brother’s butler said, respectfully handing her a large pile of envelopes in exchange for the list. “And these are cards that were left in your absence.” A thick sheaf of the little rectangles followed.

Minerva swiftly looked through the mail, and extracted a letter postmarked in Greece from the rest. News from her brother George, that she would read at leisure as soon as all her orders were relayed.

“The food and wines should be bought right away, on my brother James’ account,” she told the housekeeper. “Could you see to it, please? I suppose we’ll need the Berline to convey everything to Sussex.”

“It is in Amberley, my lady,” the butler pointed out regretfully. “If I might suggest …?”

“By all means.”

“These bulky supplies, and the items from our own and Mr. Ellsworthy’s household, can just as easily and quite cheaply be transported by hired cart. For safety I propose to send one of our own coachmen and a footman along.”

“That makes sense. If you don’t need him, the footman could stay to help during the ball, and then escort the borrowed items back.”

“Very well, my lady. I will send Bert.”

“Before you start, let me tell you about the other errand that brought me to town.” In a few words Minerva explained about the disappearance of the small Mademoiselle de Ville-Deuxtours and her wet nurse. “If you hear anything at all that might help, inform me right away.”

“There was one thing,” the butler said slowly. “Could it be connected?”

“Speak up, please!”

“Yesterday in the early evening a young gentleman from the French Embassy called, you will find his card among the others I just gave you, my lady. He wanted to know if we had any news of M. le Marquis, where he might be found.”

“Which was his card? Quickly, show me.” The butler identified it with ease, and she read, M. le Chevalier Georges Matthieu de Mantigny.

“Send a footman right away – running – to the Chevalier, and beg him to call upon us again, if his visit had anything to do with the child and Mme Fourrier,” Minerva ordered, trying not to give in to premature optimism. “Wait – let me write a note.” Pulling the pencil out of her pocket, she wrote on the back of the visiting card, in very small letters, If you have any news of Mme Fourrier and Mlle de V-D, please bring them to Amberley House. M.E.

As she handed the card to the butler, doubt assailed her. “Would she really have thought to apply to her embassy, a simple woman like that?”

“We should soon know,” the housekeeper said. “Just in case, should I have the nursery readied?”

“Of course – thank you, Mrs. Peckling.”

The butler left, but the housekeeper was not done yet. “And would you like a meal

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