Summer Darkness, Winter Light by Sylvia Halliday

Author:Sylvia Halliday
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626815421
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2015-01-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

I want you to know that Margery is quite vexed with you this morning!” Barbara flounced into Allegra’s room, carrying a tray with a cup of milk and a slab of bread. She set it down on Allegra’s chair and smiled condescendingly.

Allegra fastened her apron over her skirt and sighed. “What have I done to Margery?”

“Your neckerchief.” Barbara glanced at the white linen square folded across Allegra’s bosom. “I see you have another. It’s just as well. Margery says she can scrub until her hands are raw, but she’ll never get the other one free of His Lordship’s blood. They had to use it to wrap his head.” Her smile deepened into a knowing smirk.

Allegra sighed again. The breakfast gossips had clearly been busy. “Tell Margery I’ll wash it myself.”

“It was strange that Lord Ridley was in the box room at that hour. And then to suffer such a wound…If he has told Mr. Briggs what happened, we’ll never know. Mr. Briggs is as shut-up as an oyster.”

She was grateful for Briggs’s discretion. “So he is.”

“Well? What happened?” Barbara leaned forward, eyes shining with expectation.

“If Mr. Briggs says nothing, I suppose we’ll never know.”

“Oh, come now! Do you take us all for fools? What were you and His Lordship doing in the box room?” The insinuation was sly and ugly.

She frowned at the girl. “Playing cribbage.”

“Don’t be high-and-mighty with me!” snapped Barbara. “You’re the one has something to fear. Mrs. Rutledge has been at Mr. Briggs all morning, begging him to get Lord Ridley’s permission to give you the thrashing you deserve. And Verity said…”

She pressed her hands together to still their sudden trembling. “I really don’t care what Verity said.”

Barbara shrugged. “Please yourself. I’ll leave your door unlocked. You are to present yourself at His Lordship’s chambers when you finish your breakfast. By the back entrance, Mrs. Rutledge said. You’re not fit to show your face at the front door.” She tossed her head at Allegra and swept from the room.

Impatient to be done with the whole business, Allegra left her breakfast untouched and went down the stairs to Ridley’s rooms. The few servants she passed on her way stared at her and elbowed one another in the ribs. She felt like a condemned prisoner going to the gallows. Whatever His Lordship had—or hadn’t—told about last night, all of Baniard Hall clearly assumed she was guilty. She gulped and tried to still her racing heart. God only knew what awaited her in Ridley’s rooms!

She tapped on the door of the dressing room and was admitted after a moment by Mrs. Rutledge. The woman’s tight mouth curled in a smile of victory. “I knew you would stumble at last. Not even a pretty face can make up for a vicious disposition. I’m only surprised that it took His Lordship this long to discover it.” She motioned toward the door of Ridley’s closet. “Come this way.”

Viscount Ridley sat at an inlaid table in his closet, busily signing papers. As he

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