Where the Lady Belongs by Laura Landon

Author:Laura Landon [Landon, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

Mack stepped into the foyer when Harper opened the front door. “Where is she?” he demanded.

“Miss Lane, you mean?”

“Who else?”

“She’s in the kitchen, sir.”

Mack stopped. “The kitchen?”

“Yes, with Cook. Miss Lane decided Cook might need her help.”

Mack didn’t wait to hear any more of Harper’s explanation. He walked to the kitchen and threw open the door.

Before he could step inside, he stopped to listen. Laughter. There was laughter coming from inside.

He cleared his throat and both women looked up.

“Oh, Mr. Wallace. We didn’t hear you come in, did we, Mrs. Ramesdale?”

“No, sir. We didn’t.”

“Have you had lunch, Mr. Wallace?”

Mack was at a loss for words. He’d been prepared to reprimand Cora for putting herself at risk by taking plates of food out to Quinn and Hugh. He’d been prepared to remind her of the danger of her situation, but seeing her with flour smudged on her cheek and her face flushed from the heat of the ovens in the kitchen stole his bluster.

“No, not yet,” he answered. “But it’s getting late, so I’ll wait for dinner.”

“Nonsense.” She lifted her apron over her head. “Mrs. Ramesdale and I have had a busy day. We’ve made a peach cobbler, an apple pie, raspberry tarts, and a delicious coconut cake. You go into the study, and I’ll bring in tea and a few samples of our delicacies. Except don’t expect any coconut cake. That’s for later.”

He stared at her openmouthed. He couldn’t believe what he saw. Cora Lane moved around his kitchen like she’d always been a fixture, and Mrs. Ramesdale—he didn’t even know that was Cook’s name—had a smile on her face that made her appear ten years younger.

“Go on now, Mr. Wallace,” Cora said. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Mack left the kitchen and went to the study. After the afternoon he’d had, the idea of a glass of brandy held more appeal than a cup of tea and a raspberry tart. But the thought of spending time alone with Cora made tea sound extremely inviting.

“Here we are,” she said, bustling into the room carrying the tea tray. She set the tray on a table, poured him a cup of tea, black, like he liked it, and put a raspberry tart and a piece of apple pie on a plate, then handed it to him. After he’d taken the plate, she walked to the door and closed it.

“You don’t look like you’ve had a very good day,” she said, sitting on a chair beside him.

“I haven’t,” he answered. “Not all that bad, but not good, either.”

“I take it Sir George didn’t have any information to offer.”

“Not only did he not offer any information, but he refused to believe that the attempt could have been aimed at him. Or that it was anything other than an attempt to steal the diamond.”

Cora poured herself a cup of tea and sat back in her chair. “I see. Then we’ll simply have to convince him otherwise.”

Mack stopped with his fork midway to his mouth. “Who’s

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