My Reluctant Earl: Lighthearted Regency Historical Romance by Shirley Karr

Author:Shirley Karr [Karr, Shirley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shirley Karr
Published: 2023-03-28T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Ashley madly gestured for Maggie and her sewing to go to the dressing room, and Sally and Ashley whipped the bed curtains closed. “Come in!” she replied, sitting down at her writing desk.

Aunt Eunice sailed in and Ashley rose to greet her with a hug. She gently guided her aunt to the sofa before the fireplace where their backs would be to the bed.

“How is your friend? You must tell me all about your journey.”

“Oh, la, it is much too fatiguing to discuss all that has happened the last two days.”

You have no idea.

“Suffice to say Mrs. O’Keefe will soon be back on her feet, though I may go visit her again, soon. I want to spend more time with her before we return to Jamaica. Such a dear heart. So supportive when I was young. All the girls at my school seemed to have a natural talent for music except me. I don’t understand keys at all. If the composer wants a note played or sung as a B flat, I ask you, why don’t they just write it on the staff as a B flat?”

Ashley joined her aunt in chuckling. She forced her smile to remain in place when she noticed the bag containing Ravencroft’s shaving gear was sitting in plain sight on her dressing table.

“And you, my dear?” Aunt Eunice patted her cheek. “You look quite burnt to the socket. You didn’t go out dancing on your own, did you?”

“No, of course not. I confess I stayed up too late last night. Reading,” Ashley said with a twinge of conscience. “I kept meaning to stop after just one more page, but I had to find out what happened next.”

Aunt Eunice chuckled again. “I’ve done that myself a time or two.” She rose and shook out her skirts. “I’m going to have a lie-down before dinner. Perhaps we can play cards tonight after we eat, and you can tell me about the book. Perhaps I’ve read it, too. Or will want to read it.”

They hugged again. Ashley leaned against the door after she closed it behind her aunt, breathing deep to bring her heart rate down. She opened the bed curtain on the side towards the fireplace, noting that David still appeared to be sound asleep. Then she grabbed the bag with his shaving gear and went to the dressing room door. “You may come out now.”

Maggie exited, wearing her newly finished uniform. The dark green fabric looked similar to that worn by the other staff, and with the white apron tied on, she’d blend right in with the rest of the household maids. She turned in a circle so Sally and Ashley could inspect it.

“Much better.” Ashley stashed Ravencroft’s shaving kit in a drawer of her wardrobe.

“We’ll wash the other one and put it back in the trunk in the attic,” Sally said.

“We’ll still need to find or buy another uniform, so you can have a change of clothes.”

“Thank you, miss.”

Ashley absentmindedly waved acknowledgment as she opened her trunk of things she’d brought from the academy.

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