Damsel in Distress? (12 page)

“So you’ll come?” Cressandra asked hopefully.

“Yes, of course,” Harriet said absentmindedly.

Cressandra clapped her hands together in excitement, startling Harriet out of her musings. Oh dear, what had she just agreed to?

Chapter 25

“Veronica, please tell me you didn’t?” Bethany groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Not again.”

“I had no choice, Beth; he was going to end it there and then. Besides, we can’t afford to lose his patronage. At least not until I gain someone else’s.”

“And I suppose you have someone in mind?” her sister snipped.

“Of course.” She wasn’t about to tell Bethany who it was. She would try to make Veronica see sense and Veronica couldn’t stand to listen to her sister lecture her on morals. Bethany didn’t know things were becoming desperate. They would soon be out of money and Veronica did not want to think about where they would then end up. She had already spent enough of her life living on the streets, she wasn’t about to return.

“But to do that…at a ball! You could have been seen!”

Veronica was jerked back to the current conversation. She could tell that her sister was just getting started. “It wasn’t even a kiss, Bethany, no harm done.”

“Yes, but Veronica, what if you were seen? You would be a fallen woman!”

Veronica laughed. “I already am, Beth.” She smiled sweetly before she glided from the room. She was in no mood to argue with her sister. It wasn’t Beth’s fault really. She didn’t remember living in the slums, watching her mother at
work
each day. It was blind luck that they had escaped from that life. And Veronica was going to make sure they never returned there again.

BANG! BANG!

Veronica jumped. Whoever was banging on the door wasn’t concerned about waking the neighbours.

BANG! BANG!

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she muttered to herself as she grabbed her wrapper from behind the door and headed down the narrow stairs, tying it about her waist in a tight knot as she went. The cold bare boards under her feet squeaked in protest at being woken up so early.

BANG! BANG!

Were they intent on waking the whole neighbourhood?
She wrenched open the door to give whomever a piece of her mind, but the words got stuck in her throat.

“You be expectin’ someun else, are ye?”

“Rupert?!” The shock of seeing the man she was discussing earlier, standing on the front step, trapped her breath in her throat as she looked up at him. Everything about Rupert was large. She was considered a tall woman and she was accustomed to looking down at most everyone, but this man was huge. If he passed through her door, his head would connect with the frame. His hair hung in wild curls past his shoulders and his beard grew in a bush to his chest. His clothes hugged his body in all the right places, showing off his mass of muscles in his arms, chest and stomach. Despite the fear she ought to feel at finding a strange man at her door in the middle of the night, Veronica’s mouth watered at the sight of him.

She let her eyes wander all over him as his roamed over her, taking in her slept-in hair and dressing gown. She admired his thickly muscled legs encased in smooth leather breeches, ending at his feet in worn hessian boots that rose to just below his knees. They weren’t the fashionable type; they were well used tools of every day. Finally she dragged her gaze back to his face and into his emerald-green eyes. The breath left her lungs in a gasp upon contact and a small shiver skated down her spine. Light seemed to shine from them they were such a brilliant colour, and Veronica longed to see them in the light of day, so sure they would shine even more brightly.

She became aware her mouth was gaping open like a fish. She closed it with a sharp snap.

Rupert chuckled softly. The sound was warm on her skin and rich to her ears. If she hadn’t known he was laughing at her expense she would have joined in. His merriment was infectious.

“Ain’t ye be invitin’ me in?” The words were rough in his throat, as though he hadn’t spoken for quite some time.

“I do not invite strange men into my home, especially in the middle of the night.” Of course the sun decided to make an appearance just as her words left her lips.

“Aye, an’ now it be mornin’, move aside, miss.” He stepped past her, belying his bulk, and slipped through the door before she could offer protest.

“You can’t be in here!” Veronica hissed at him once she located him in what Bethany had dubbed the salon. In reality it was the only room in the house suitable for guests…except for the bedrooms.

“You be expectin’ someun else?” he asked again. He turned and looked her directly in the eyes, pinning her to the spot.

He filled the room, and her senses. He shouldn’t be here. He
couldn’t
be here. She stiffened her spine and drew in a deep breath. “You really mustn’t be here, sir. I’m terribly sorry, but you’ll simply have to go.”

“I ain’t goin’ anywhere, miss, not withou’ you.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean, not without me? You are
not
kidnapping me.” Veronica crossed her arms on her chest and tried to look as intimidating as possible but she was afraid she was having very little effect.

Rupert looked at the girl before him. He had to admit, she wasn’t what he expected. For starters her dressing gown was closed up to her neck and her hair in a loose plait. Not exactly the attire of a seductress. He tore his gaze from the oddly alluring woman standing before him. His eyes roamed around the small room he had deposited them in. The soft glow of the single candle she held did nothing to soften the threadbareness of the room. The worn patches of fabric on the settee shone in the unearthly glow of the candle.

“I thought you be livin’ betta dan this,” he murmured into the still room.

Veronica drew her chin up. Just because he was used to a life of luxury, he had no right to judge her. She didn’t grace him with a response.

“I ’ear ye recognised me?”

“How do you know that? I only told your mother.” Curiosity got the better of her and she was unable to not respond.

“Yah, well, me mother found me.” Rupert sat down on a threadbare chair and looked up at her. “I have something very important to discuss with you.” He dropped his ruffian persona. “I need you to make sure you don’t tell anyone you saw me. It is most imperative you keep this secret. There are lives at stake.”

Veronica sank slowly down on the other seat in the room. She plucked at the worn upholstery. “Whose lives?” she asked quietly.

“Philip’s and Miss Harriet’s.”

She gasped. Although tonight she could have easily murdered him herself for his betrayal, she didn’t want to see him dead. Nor did she want to see his new love die either.

“I’m willing to make your silence worth your while.”

Veronica’s hands shook and she felt dirty, but she knew she couldn’t turn down his generosity. She couldn’t afford to, not with her sister and her mother to feed. She gave him a tiny nod, but she still couldn’t bring herself to look at him in the eye. He made her feel cheap.

“Thank you.” He got to his feet and his voice returned to how it was when he arrived. “Here ye be, then.” He withdrew a large purse from the inside pocket of his coat and dropped it into her hands. “I’ll see ye get more.”

Veronica stood there, looking at the bag full of money lying in her hands long after he left the house. It was a long time before she could bring herself to climb the stairs and get back into bed.

Chapter 26

Later that afternoon Harriet was in her room preparing for Cressandra’s dear friend Arabella’s musical. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t
Arabella’s
musical but her mother’s. Oh this was getting confusing. Her mother wasn’t playing in the musical, but hosting it. Harriet’s brain hurt from trying to sort it out in her head. Nevertheless, she was going to a musical tonight when all she really wanted to do was sleep.

It was luckily she and Cressandra were the same size and her new-found friend had lent her enough gowns that she didn’t need to purchase any for herself. Not that Philip hadn’t offered to pay for her to have a whole new wardrobe; he had insisted actually, but she couldn’t bring herself to be any more beholden to him. He had already saved her life, which was a big enough debt to repay without adding monetary items to the tally.

Rebecca came from her wardrobe holding two dresses for her to choose from. The green one immediately caught her eye, with its rich tones. It was dark emerald green and each fold of the fabric showed a different shade of the material.

“Thank you, Rebecca, I think the green one is lovely.” Harriet smiled at her and reached for the gown.

Rebecca handed her the dress and turned to replace the other back into the wardrobe.

“Wait.” Harriet caught a glimpse of the other gown that Rebecca held against her chest. It was a brilliant cobalt blue. “Wow,” she whispered. “It’s absolutely gorgeous. Can I wear that one instead, Rebecca please?”

The young maid laughed, “Of course you may, my lady, it is your dress after all. You will look stunning in it.” The girl ducked her head with a shy smile. “Sorry my lady, I speak out of turn.”

“Oh Rebecca, you can tell me any time that I look stunning!” Harriet grasped the girl’s hands once she had laid the dress on the bed and waited for her to raise her eyes. “I may not be like other ladies about this house. Please know you can always speak your mind to me. Especially about fashion. I wouldn’t want to go out looking less than wonderful.”

Rebecca’s eyes widened and she gave a quick nod before turning back to her work. Harriet sighed and allowed herself to be helped into the dress. She stood in front of the mirror while Rebecca lowered the dress over her head. It was a wonder as to how the girl reached high enough to get it over her head. Harriet turned her head and spotted her maid standing atop a box.
Well, that explains it
.

This time Rebecca wove little blue flowers through her hair, managing to complement the colour of her dress. The door opened the exact moment Rebecca slid the last flower into her hair. “Aren’t you ready yet, dear? We shan’t be late. Come Harriet, Charles has the carriage waiting.”

With a quick thank you to her maid, Harriet grabbed her wrap and hurried out the door after Cressandra and into the waiting carriage.

***

She sat in the back, Cressandra having abandoned her as soon as they walked into the room. Harriet didn’t mind. The rest of the people there pretended she wasn’t in the room. She supposed it was due to her destroying Mrs Barrett’s dress last night. She only wished she could be spending the night at home, snuggled up at home with a good book. But, Cressandra insisted the best way to avoid the scandal was to jump headfirst into the fray.

Lady Bingham spotted her not long after she sat down and came to join her.

“It’s so nice to see you again, Miss Harriet. Have you recovered from last night?” Lady Bingham was a petite lady with jet black hair gathered up in a most peculiar knot on the top of her head. “My husband, Jasper said he saw you this afternoon at Philip’s. Oh do forgive my familiarity, but I just can’t get used to using their titles. Is it alright if I call you Harriet?”

“Of course you may, my lady, Miss Harriet sounds funny to my ears.”

Lady Bingham cocked her head to the side and gave her a strange look. “Does it?” She leaned in close to Harriet and lowered her voice to almost a whisper. “ I am glad we have met, I hope we will be friends now. I believe we may have much in common.” Lady Bingham’s eyes sparkled, almost as if she held a secret, before she laughed and said, “Oh look, there is Miss Penderson, I must go speak with her, but do remember Harriet, you will always be welcome in my home.”

Lady Bingham disappeared into the crowd of women and the spattering of men leaving Harriet gaping after her. She longed to chase her through the room and ask her all the questions now zooming around her head, but if Lady Bingham was off to see Miss Penderson, Harriet had no desire to reacquaint herself with that particular lady. She’d just have call on Lady Bingham tomorrow.

Harriet turned her attention away from her surprising conversation with Lady Bingham and shifted in her seat to watch the audience move about the room, enjoying each other’s company before the recital commenced. She smiled to herself as she watched elegant elderly ladies totter around together, clutching teacups and biscuits in their hands. One lady in particular captured her attention. She watched unashamedly as the lady greeted each and every one of the attendants, receiving them as if she was the queen. A curt nod to the ones she obviously didn’t deem worthy enough of her time and warmly embracing those whom she did. Harriet smiled as the lady used her cane more for a weapon than a walking aid, thumping it down incredibly close to toes that were standing nearer than they should.

As the musical was about to start the lady made her way over to where Harriet was sitting. Harriet sat as straight and still as she could, not wanting to draw any attention to herself.

“Who are you?” The old lady didn’t bother exchanging niceties when she’d settled into the seat next to Harriet.

Harriet opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The lady looked oddly familiar.

“Cat got your tongue, has it? Harrumph.” The old lady continued to watch Harriet even as a young lady took the stage. “Well, are you going to tell me who you are?”

She decided that honesty was probably the best policy at this moment. “My name’s Harriet. I’m staying with Lord Eaglestone and his sister Lady Cressandra.”

“Ah, I thought you were the one. Great gumption you have for showing your face today. By all accounts you should be thrown out of society forever. I was there, but somehow missed your performance.” The lady looked Harriet directly in the eyes. “Not many women would dare to do what you did and then show up as though nothing was wrong.” She shook her head in wonder. “Genius.” She smiled somewhat wickedly. “They won’t know what to do with you.”

The lady heaved herself out of the seat and patted Harriet on the hand before stalking off to the front row, not caring that she caused the young lady at the pianoforte to miss three notes.