When Angels Fall by Meagan McKinney

Author:Meagan McKinney [Meagan McKinney]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Warner Books
Published: 2001-08-07T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Though the ball was still a week away, Powerscourt practically shook from all the activity within its stone walls. Housemaids prepared guest apartments; two additional cooks were summoned from Paris; and lads hopeful of playing footman for even just one night came and were measured for livery.

As the preparations and confusion built to a crescendo, Lord Powerscourt was not to be found. Mrs. Myers mentioned that he had taken off for London, and while Lissa didn’t want to seem at all interested in the marquis’s comings and goings, it seemed the housekeeper could read her thoughts. She assured Lissa he would be back in plenty of time for his ball.

Apparently the marquis so desired to be back at his castle, he rode all through the night, and showed up at Powerscourt late the next morning. When Lissa arrived, Mrs. Myers told her that the cook had the marquis’s breakfast waiting in the hot closet. With some trepidation in her voice, she added that Lissa was to bring it up to his apartments.

The request, though made in the innocent light of morning, seemed to make both women anxious. Mrs. Myers fluttered about the servants’ hall like a bird guarding its nest while Lissa warily listened to her explanation of the route to the marquis’s suite. She was then handed his breakfast tray, which was made of heavy coin silver. Her arms ached with the weight and she was anxious to have the task over with. Mrs. Myers seemed to be equally concerned, for just as Lissa was ready to leave she added ominously, “If you are delayed, love, I shall come find you.”

The first bad omen occurred when Mrs. Myers’s instructions on how to find the marquis’s apartments went askew. Powerscourt was a huge castle, and Lissa knew she should have listened more attentively to the directions. More than once she found herself in a corridor that seemed to lead only to dark oblivion.

Finally she did find the massive double doors with the Powerscourt coat of arms emblazoned on it. She set the tray on the floor and tentatively knocked on the door.

The second omen occurred when there was no answer. She stood there for several moments contemplating what she should do next. She couldn’t leave the tray where it was for he would never know it was there. Yet to enter Ivan’s chambers unannounced most certainly gave her pause. He could be napping—or worse, bathing. He could be doing any number of private things.

She frowned. In indecision, she fingered the ancient splintering oak of the doors. When she could procrastinate no longer, she knocked loudly, then cracked open the door. She fetched the tray and pushed against the door to pass through, yet suddenly it flew open and she nearly dropped the tray at Ivan’s feet.

“What are you doing out in the passage?”

Lissa barely heard the question for she was too busy trying to steady her tray. When the milk pitcher was no longer wobbling, she looked up at him and was again startled, this time by his appearance.

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