The Diary of Cozette by Amanda McIntyre

Author:Amanda McIntyre [Amanda McIntyre]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-04-16T05:00:00+00:00

April 25, 1874

They’d married in secret after Miss Farrington’s employment at Willow Manor! I could not have been more surprised, and at the same time intrigued.

“My apologies, Miss Cozette, for not revealing this news to you sooner. I could not be certain that I…that is to say, that you’d…”

“That I might be given trust to your secret, Miss…or shall I say, Mrs. Farrington?” I leaned forward and whispered with a sly grin. The poor woman seemed so ill at ease with her confession. If she only knew half of my experiences and besides, I am not so blind to know that romance is alive and well. She simply does not knock upon my door.

She sighed, took a sip of her tea and nodded. We sat in the servants’ kitchen late that afternoon with our tea. Rare it was that we had occasion to do so, but the afternoon chores were complete, Lord Archibald was away on a short trip, and the mistress was out with Mr. Coven on a ride of her dapple-gray horse, Grace. Yes, despite my thoughts of Mr. Coven’s more annoying qualities, he is a most loyal and protective servant to the Archibalds.

I poured out more tea in both cups, splashing fresh cream in mine, thanks to the timely arrival of the deliveryman. “Does the mistress know about your husband?”

Mrs. Farrington placed her cup gently on the saucer before she spoke.

“You must swear your oath, Miss Cozette, on what I am about to reveal.”

“More than what you already have, mum. Such scandal!” I giggled. “You have my oath, good woman.” I slashed my finger in the form of a cross over my heart, more for good measure than anything else.

“It was Lady Archibald’s idea to refer to Patrick, that’s my husband—” her cheeks turned rosy with a blush “—as the deliveryman.”

Indeed, my regard for my mistress rose yet another notch. Perhaps there was hope for England’s women.

“Indeed?” I was delighted. “I had no idea that our mistress was one given to the idea of romance.” She kept that part of her as well hidden as her loneliness, I suspected. Perhaps it was the very reason she understood Miss Farrington’s position.

“What is your husband’s true line of work then, Mrs. Farrington, that keeps you separated at such lengths?”

“I met him just after he signed on to the Queen’s Navy. Regulations state that soldiers cannot be married, but we were able to find a parson over the border in Scotland who agreed to marry us.”

And I had mistakenly thought the propensity of scandal more sedate in the country.

“It must be horrid for you, having to wait for him. The months apart must be excruciating.”

She blushed again, lowering her gaze from mine, quiet a moment before she spoke.

“The mistress is most lenient when he is ashore. I do receive letters from him often.”

“Aren’t you afraid the master will see them?”

“Patrick’s friend, our…true dairyman, brings them to me.”

“I had no idea that this manor held so many secrets.” I grinned as I took another sip of tea.

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