The Romanov Heiress by Jennifer Laam

Author:Jennifer Laam [Laam, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-03-20T00:00:00+00:00

Sipping her black tea with milk and nibbling on a scone, nothing was wrong, per se. And yet Olga found her chair too wobbly and the heat from the kitchen so excessive she needed to fan herself with a napkin. Upstairs, she hadn’t heard—or overheard, she supposed—anything she didn’t already know.

Part of her discomfort had to do with recounting her background with Rob and Celia while leaving those gathered around the table in the servants’ hall in the dark. Particularly now that Marlingham felt like home.

She stopped herself mid-bite. How could she think that way? Home was with her sisters. This place wasn’t her home.

Still, it felt jolly to be included at tea time below stairs, and it was considerate of Ada to make a point of inviting her. Ever since the evening when Olga had bandaged Rob’s wound, Ada tried to loop her into more chats and tittle-tattle.

This afternoon, Mrs. Dasari had taken off for one of her brisk walks around the grounds, and Mrs. Acton was still cleaning rooms upstairs. The footman, Charlie, had joined them. He was trying his best not to stare at Ada, but anyone could tell he was mad for her. With Olga, Charlie was personable, a far different young man than the stiff and nervous boy who’d first greeted her at Marlingham when she came to interview. Ada and Charlie were trying to make Miss Bennett feel welcome in their world, even if they teased her whenever she glanced at the bellpull, worrying over Celia.

“She’s fine,” Ada said with a dainty wave of her hand.

Olga made a mock-serious face. “You don’t believe she requires twenty-four-hour care?”

Ada wrinkled her nose. But then, realizing it had been a joke, she let out a snort of a laugh and reached for another scone.

Charlie beamed and watched Ada’s fingers as she tore off small pieces of the pastry and popped them into her mouth. Olga wondered if Ada and Charlie were accustomed to holding hands during their free time in the afternoons. She almost told them they should go ahead and do so, never minding her presence, but she wasn’t that comfortable with them. Not yet.

While Ada munched on her scone, mouth full, the conversation lagged. The silence was companionable enough but awkward. Charlie cleared his throat and Olga looked all around the kitchen, wondering what Rob was saying upstairs. To fill the quiet space, she was about to make a random comment about the gazebo Celia had identified for a paint job once the weather warmed, but Charlie spoke before she had the chance.

“Seems like a long time since callers last came round. Makes me wonder what they’re talking about, you know.”

He licked his lips. Ada took another sip of tea. Olga could practically see the wheels turning in Charlie’s head as he tried to sort out something interesting to say to her.

“It’s been a while.” He scratched his head and left it at that.

“That it has, as Mrs. Dasari would say.” Ada had lowered her voice into a pitch-perfect impersonation of the cook but with no malice.

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