Betrayal of Innocence by Valerie Holmes

Author:Valerie Holmes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love story, historical romance, regency england, yorkshire, romantic adventure, kindle romance, regency adventure
Publisher: Valerie Holmes

Chapter 9

Lady Bagby summoned Jeremiah to the library. She was vexed and surprised that the youth had not reported to her first thing to confirm that the night’s work had been done successfully. After waiting some ten minutes there was an ineffectual knock on the door. It had fallen upon the shoulders of a young maid called Millie to tell her he could not be found.

“Where is the imbecile?” Lady Bagby shouted at the poor trembling girl.

“No one knows, milady. We’ve looked everywhere, ‘is bed’s not been slept in, the hay’s undisturbed. Mister Amos has not turned up at the stables this mornin’ either. There’s a wagon missin’ too…milady.” Millie’s voice became more confident and quickened in pace once she started to divulge the morning’s mysterious events to her mistress.

“Send Jenkins out to fetch Mr Mcgregor, the customs man, from the coastguards at Whitby. Tell him we have two servants and a wagon missing and ask him to inform me if he might know something of their whereabouts.”

Lady Bagby stared as the simple-minded Millie scurried towards the door. Constance grinned at the foolish child. “Millicent!” she snapped the word out and watched as the girl’s face paled with fear.

“Yes, milady.” Her voice was almost inaudible as she awaited Constance’s next command or rebuke.

Lady Bagby mellowed her voice. “Tell Cook I wish to see her - immediately.”

“Yes, milady.” Millie nodded and almost ran from the room.

As Millie left, Lady Bagby stared at the ornate fireplace. “Damnation!” she said, and felt as though she would throw the Wedgwood vase that adorned it, crashing into the hearth, but that would be folly. If the buffoons had not carried out such a simple task without messing it up, then everything at the Hall had to be seen to be as normal as could be. No suspicion should fall onto her or Lord Bagby. But where was Georgette and the brat? Had Amos done what she ordered or taken her to sell at market. She’d heard of such things. Perhaps Amos had got greedy and decided to sell them and Jeremiah too, and make off with the proceeds. So long as she never heard from them again, why should she care? No, Constance decided, she must stay calm. If Oscar is still alive he may yet have further purpose. “Damnation! Damnation! Damnation!” she swore to herself. What if he’d survived the accident? Why couldn’t anything go smoothly anymore?

It was with a great deal of trepidation that Cook approached the door. She was never summoned to Her Ladyship unless there was a party, ball or function in the offing. There wasn’t, not for another month, so that meant one thing – trouble.

Lady Bagby had seated herself by the fire. She smoothed her silk gown and waited a moment to compose herself before her servant arrived. Constance liked silk; it was her favourite fabric. It looked delicate, felt smooth but had great strength if you knew how to use it - like her. She liked her servants to fret a little before they came into her presence.

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