Courting the Countess by Donna Hatch

Author:Donna Hatch [Hatch, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical, General, Victorian, Women's Fiction, Fiction
ISBN: 9781509209491
Google: 5RsjDQAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1509209484
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Inc
Published: 2016-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Several weeks after his wedding ceremony, Richard strode up the stairs toward the house, stripping off his riding gloves. A new footman opened the door, grinning. Richard paused mid-stride, and raised a brow.

The footman’s grin only widened. “’ave a nice ride, milor’?”

“Er, yes.” Richard eyed him, unsure whether a footman ought to look so happy, and fairly certain he shouldn’t be addressing his master in such a way, but he let the matter go. It seemed bad form to reprimand a servant for unnecessary cheer, especially in the country where manners could relax. “Are you new?”

“That I am, milor’ an’ ’appy I am to be ’ere.” The man’s accent gave him away immediately.

“You are from London, I take it?”

“That I am. Mrs. Goodfellow said I’d like it ’ere, an’ she was righ’.”

Richard didn’t question the identity of this Mrs. Goodfellow but nodded as if he did. “Very good. Carry on.”

The footman touched his forelock, his grin still in place, and returned to his post. Shaking his head in amusement, Richard strode to his room and rang for his valet.

Wesley came in, a little more bent than usual. “Your bath is already prepared, my lord.”

“I’m still convinced you’re clairvoyant.”

“As any good valet should be.”

Richard stared. “Wesley, did you just crack a joke?”

“I’d never be so presumptuous, my lord.” He kept a straight face.

Richard smiled. “Your sister sends her best—through her husband.”

“Met with your steward today, sir?”

“If I didn’t need him so badly, I’d tell him it’s time to retire. I feel the same way about you.”

Wesley looked decidedly smug. “Being needed is my specialty, my lord.” He tugged until Richard’s boots came off but he moved a bit stiffly.

“Is your rheumatism acting up again?”

“’Tis of no consequence.”

“Doesn’t cook have a special liniment for that?”

“The stable master does. I have already requested more.”

“I’m meeting with my solicitor in the morning so I’ll need your skills with the cravat.”

“A mathematical knot would be in order, I believe.”

Smiling over the valet’s logic, or perhaps his subtle humor, Richard worked the buttons of his waistcoat.

A diminutive ’tween stairs maid tiptoed into the room carrying a box of coal. She took one look at Richard, her face transforming into terror, and with a squeak, fled the room.

Richard looked at Wesley with a raised brow. “Good heavens, I’ve frightened the poor child. Am I so terrifying?”

“Servants are meant to be invisible. Being caught by the master in a room is bad form for any servant.”

“Yes, but really, her reaction seemed overly dramatic. Are you spreading rumors that I eat every maid I see?”

Richard was sure Wesley’s mouth almost twitched. “She’s new. Hasn’t spoken a word.”

“Ah. Mrs. Brown is finally hiring more staff?”

“Under the direction of Lady Averston.”

“Excellent.” At least Elizabeth was taking her role as lady of the house seriously. At Wesley’s dubious expression, Richard eyed him. “What?”

“I’m sure her heart is in the right place, my lord, but if you don’t mind me saying so, hiring those sorts of folks seems just asking for trouble.”

“I trust Mrs.

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