Seduction In Silk: A Novel of the Malloren World (Malloran) by Beverley Jo

Author:Beverley, Jo [Beverley, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

As they went inside, Claris was reluctant to slip her hand from his, but she did it.

“My shoes are muddy,” she said as an excuse. “I must take them off here.” She didn’t quite dare to order him to take off his boots, but she looked at them. When he continued toward the stairs, she said, “What purpose in tramping mud all over the place?”

He seemed startled by the notion, but he sat on the lower stairs. “What purpose indeed?”

He began to pull off his boots, but the footman hurried over to assist him.

Claris hadn’t noticed the servant, and now she blushed at her tart question.

“Shall I take the boots to the scullery, sir?”

“And my wife’s shoes,” Perriam said, standing. “We require washing water in our rooms. Come, my dear.”

Claris put down her shoes and joined him to go up to their rooms. “I’m sorry. I was rude.”

“But to the point. Of course, we’d normally have entered by the back, where leaving our footwear would be more natural.”

“My fault.”

“There’s no fault in any of this, Claris.”

He said it gently, but as if there was greater meaning. What else had she done that might be faulted?

He opened the door to her room and for some reason her heart began to pitter-patter, as if he might enter with her. He merely guided her inside with another light touch on her back—merely!—and left.

Claris closed the door and leaned against it, trying to shake nonsense out of her head. It had to arise from the magic of the evening light.

Would she really have let him enter with her?

Why not? asked reason.

Because it would cross the boundaries they’d established. It would imply something.

Had he wanted to come in?

She pushed away to go to the window, to look out at the darkening sky. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing down. The memorial enclave was deeply shadowed and yet some trace of light touched the five marbles, making them even more ghostly.

Alice came in with warm water and Claris turned, smiling, probably too brightly.

“My shoes need a good clean. I’ve been visiting the home farm.”

Alice poured hot water into the basin. “Yes, ma’am.”

“The estate is very interesting.”

Alice uncovered the pot of soap, then took the towel and stood ready. “Yes, ma’am. Do you want the candles lit, ma’am?”

Claris realized that she’d been conversing with a servant, which probably wasn’t appropriate. Certainly Alice showed no sign of interest in her day, and why should she?

“Yes, please.”

A companion would have to at least feign interest. It seemed such a dismal relationship, however, with one side obliged to be pleasing, no matter how she felt. Ellie wasn’t like that, but Claris wasn’t sure what Ellie was, and Athena was certainly no conventional lady.

As Claris washed her face, she remembered that Alice was only on loan from Cheynings. She too might want to leave.

“Do you think you’ll want to stay here, Alice, or will you prefer to return to Cheynings?”

“I’ll stay as long as you need me, ma’am, but my family’s there, you see.

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