The Devilish Mr. Danvers by Vivienne Lorret

Author:Vivienne Lorret
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-03-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Hedley had never slept better in her life. For the first time in years, she had a feather pillow and mattress—both as soft as clouds—instead of rough, lumpy straw that made crunching sounds each time she shifted.

Heavy blue satin bedclothes trimmed in white fur had kept her warm all through the night. This morning before dawn, a maid had even entered her room to light a fire in the hearth and sweep out the old ash. Hedley had thanked her, which ended up startling the maid because, apparently, people usually slept while she went about her work.

Hedley felt safe here at Fallow Hall and comforted by the lack of groaning and creaking coming from the walls surrounding her. Sometimes, she feared that Greyson Park would collapse on her.

Calliope’s chambermaid had found more clothes in the attic. Apparently, another crate hosted scores of day dresses, underclothes, shoes, and hatboxes. One of the dresses was a walking dress. Although more than a decade out of fashion, as Meg had told her, Hedley couldn’t wait to see what it looked like.

Throwing back the covers, she raced across the room and washed. Donning this design of dress took her quite a bit longer than she imagined. In the end, however, she enjoyed the fit.

The bright plum-colored muslin hugged her torso in a way that might have been scandalous if not for the short velvet-trimmed jacket that hosted two rows of buttons. At her waist, the dress fell in thick pleats down to the floor. There was even a pair of half boots. Of course, these too pinched a bit, reminding her that these clothes weren’t truly hers. But when she saw her reflection in the mirror, she didn’t mind at all.

This was all such a wonderful dream that she never wanted to wake from it.

Outside her bedroom door, she was surprised to find Boris, sprawled out and looking like a spilled vat of lumpy gray gravy. Lifting his head, he yawned before assembling himself into a standing position.

“Were you my guardian last night?” She reached out to run a hand from the top of his head down the length of his spine, earning a tail wag. “I don’t suppose anyone else is awake this morning.”

Boris’s tail wagged faster. He looked at her with his head tilted to one side. Then, as if he’d understood, he headed down the hall for a time before he looked back over his shoulder.

“Do you want me to follow you?”

She received a low woof in reply. So, with nothing better to do, she followed.

After a series of long halls adorned by polished tables topped with fresh flowers, beautiful landscape paintings on the walls, and even a statue or two, Boris suddenly stopped in front of a door.

Hedley knew enough from her tour of Fallow Hall to realize that this was a bedchamber door. “No, Boris, you shouldn’t have brought me here,” she scolded in a whisper.

But before she could lure him away, the dog lifted a massive paw and scratched the door.

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