His Naughty Maid by Cerise DeLand

Author:Cerise DeLand
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2019-07-21T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Jess had spent another sleepless night. The next morning, Charlie did not appear in his sitting room when she entered to do her cleaning. Grateful he’d taken her at her word, she nonetheless worried he’d still write to her friend and mentor, DuVal, and ask questions about her departure. But even if he did—and DuVal had returned to Brighton, DuVal would tell him nothing. She trusted him beyond all others.

But she had to stand up for what was right and fair. What she had seen she must reveal. Criminals deserved to be punished. Her mother’s attacker had not been and had returned to injure her further. Jess hoped that was an unusual circumstance and that, with her testimony, this culprit who’d attacked Mister Heathmore would serve long and bitter years moldering in some ramshackle gaol.

Screwing up her courage, she ate her breakfast in the servants’ dining room. She stirred her porridge and debated when to ask for time away from the house to find her way to Bow Street. Thanks to Charlie’s generosity to pay his betting debts, she most likely had enough coin to hire a hack.

As she entered the kitchen with her empty dish, she passed by Nancy who stood beating eggs in a bowl.

Cook hovered over her, shaking her head. “Not right, girl. You need a quicker turn of the wrist.”

“I can’t go faster, Mrs. Barker.”

“Well, if you can’t, them eggs will not stand up as they should.”

“Perhaps that bowl, there,” Jess indicated the white crockery with the wider neck.

“Oh?” Cook glanced at the crock. “A good idea. Try it.”

But once Nancy transferred the eggs, Cook still rode her about her poor technique of whisking.

“I could teach you,” Jess offered. Her mother had taught her how to loosen her wrist and lift the eggs in quick strokes.

Cook squinted at her. “You know how?”

“I do.” She pointed to the well in the yard. “I’ll wash up and show you. Only if you wish, of course.”

Nancy’s eyes went dark with resentment as Cook said, “Be quick about it.”

“It’s not hard, Nancy. You’ll be able to do it. Don’t worry.”

Minutes later, Cook was happy if Nancy was not.

The girl wiped her hands on a towel and marched to the yard.

“She’s angry,” said the downstairs maid Mabel as she leaned closer. “She’s always angry. And cuz you’re taking to Thomas, too.”

“Mabel, I’m not.”

“Haven’t you got sewing to do, Mabel?” Moseley chided her.

“I do, Mrs. Moseley. I will too. But I need to go down to Mary at the Cartwells’ house to take back me pins.”

At mention of the neighbors’ name, Jess nearly jumped out of her skin. “The earl and countess of Cartwell live in the Crescent?”

“They do,” said Moseley. “Why?”

“I know the countess well.”

“Miss ‘igh and Mighty.” Nancy stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. “How’d you know ‘er?”

Jess faced the housekeeper. “We were children together. Friends. My mother was cook in a neighboring house.”

The housekeeper frowned. “So that’s how you know how to beat them eggs?”

“Yes.” Hope sprang bright in her heart that she might be able to see her old friend, Belle.

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