The Housemaid's Scandalous Secret (24 page)

‘Ross.’ Her mouth murmured the word against his.

Without taking his mouth from hers he lifted her in his arms and carried her across the room. Placing her on the bed he knelt beside her and with slow, deliberate hands he undressed her, loving every inch of her naked body before gathering her up and nestling her against him with what seemed to be perfect content.

She knew it was wrong, and yet she felt it couldn’t be. Did she care? Did it matter that she was a servant when his mouth and his hands and his powerful body were demanding of her what she knew only she could give him? No, she thought. She loved this man. She wanted him and it was enough.

Ross shrugged out of his clothes and lay beside her, in no hurry. His manner implied this would be as good as it had been before, the firm flat muscles of his body pressing against hers, the exploration of his hands on her skin, the sweeping caresses that set her purring and glowing, but when he entered her she felt the heated frenzy come upon her which demanded that she be possessed by him. She cried out and so did he, while all about them the great house and the servants slept and the lovers were unheard.

And then she slept, her head resting on his chest, his arms about her, his lips against her hair. But Ross did not sleep, for his thoughts were occupied with how he was to keep this beloved woman in his life. Before he closed his eyes he knew there was only one way and having reached his decision he was content.

Before dawn Lisette sat up and her loveliness struck him. Her raven-black hair tumbled about her round, peaked breasts and her graceful shoulders and back. Without a word she slipped out of bed and fumbled into her clothes, smoothing back her flowing hair and securing it in a knot in her nape. Then she leant over and kissed him.

‘I must go before anyone is about.’

‘Yes, you should. We will talk later,’ he murmured, his body sated, his spirit quietly joyous, caressing her cheek.

Lisette left him then, his kisses still warm on her lips. With the house slowly stirring to life, she moved swiftly back to her own room with a heavy heart, for it was as though he had taken the spring of life within her. The thought that she would not be with him again tormented her, and she could not bear a day, a month, let alone an eternity beyond that, without him. The weight of it, her love, was almost more than she could bear. Her heart ached with the desolation of it and with the loss that must come next.

* * *

When Smithins appeared in the breakfast room and issued a summons to Giles and Ross for them to attend His Grace in his rooms, they were surprised. He had become such a solitary person of late he seldom disturbed the males and females of the household or saw them except when it suited him—avoiding everyone except Smithins and the Reverend Seagrove when he came to call.

Ten minutes later they stood before him seated in his chair. It soon became clear that he wished to speak to them on a matter of grave importance, for not even the dedicated Smithins was allowed to remain.

His Grace fixed his rheumy eyes on his son and nephew. The death of two of his sons had left him feeling tired, old, ineffectual and useless, but Jamie’s son had given him something to think about, something to fight for, injecting new life into him. He sat straight in his chair, and when he spoke his voice was more controlled than it had been in a long time.

‘There is something that you should know right away—something I have decided concerning Jamie’s wife and the child.’ He said it quietly, but the room was hushed and waiting for something which would not be pleasant when it came. ‘Young Crispin is my heir so he is my responsibility. I am trustee to the estate and therefore his guardian, so it is for me to make some sort of provision.’

‘There is still an element of doubt that Alicia is telling the truth,’ Giles said, sitting opposite his father and indicating for Ross to do the same. ‘We have no proof that Jamie married her. Until we hear from Harry I suggest we do not commit ourselves to anything.’

‘And what happens to the child in the meantime? He cannot be ignored—and nor would I wish to.’ His voice was high, every word stressing his indignation. He cast Giles a stern look. ‘Since Jamie was taken from us, on my request you have assumed the position of heir apparent well, Giles.’

‘Of course, but you know it is a position I have never coveted.’

‘I know that and Jamie’s son will relieve you of the responsibility. The inheritance issue can no longer be ignored. We cannot disclaim that young Crispin is Jamie’s child and we must recognise him legally, not only to give him his name but to have papers drawn up with the utmost speed. We have the same blood running in our veins. No class or legality can wipe out that fact. I am thinking of taking certain steps with regard to the child and having him brought to Castonbury.’

‘And the mother?’ Ross asked, conscious of a sudden feeling of unease creeping over him. His uncle Crispin believed in his right to ride through the heritage of the Montague family, and when he had his mind made up about something, he would not allow any obstacle to stand in his way.

‘Some provision will be made for her.’ The duke stared at his nephew for a moment, then he said, ‘You have met the woman, Ross. Tell me, how did you find her?’

‘Likeable and civil—given the circumstances.’

The duke’s face twitched. ‘The circumstances?’

‘She is a poor widow with a child to raise alone. It cannot be easy for her.’

‘Did you see the child?’

‘No, I did not. But I believe she is a good mother and she spoke fondly of her son.’

The duke made a sound in his throat and after a moment he muttered thickly, ‘I wish to see him. The child is my grandson, my heir, and I want him to be brought up as such. If what you say is correct and the mother has no means of supporting him, then I’m sure she could be persuaded to let him go.’

Unable to believe he was serious, Ross studied him in cool silence, noticing for the first time that there was an infuriating arrogance about his uncle, his thin smile, and even the way he was sitting in the chair. ‘Let him go? What are you saying?’

‘It is my will that the child should be removed from her.’

Giles was staggered by his father’s words and deeply shocked by what he intended. ‘We cannot do that. She will not part with him.’

‘Why not? She will be amply compensated. Arrangements will be made for her and an offer to place her in some comfort elsewhere.’ His voice was impatient. ‘The child is being brought up in poverty and I will not allow it to go on. I could take her son away from her by the simple matter of going to the law.’

‘Are you saying that you would remove the child by force?’

‘If necessary. Possession is nine-tenths of the law, don’t forget. If the child was out of her reach for a time, then she might be brought to her senses through argument and discussion. Of course, she could take the matter to court under the heading of abduction—’

‘Or kidnapping,’ Ross interrupted, absolutely astonished at what his uncle was planning to do.

‘She couldn’t afford to do that. The law has ways and means, and if I decide to make it a legal matter she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.’

‘I know what you are saying, Father, but it is not right. It is not right to separate a child from its mother.’

He came back at Giles sharply. ‘Right? Of course it’s right. The child will have everything he could wish for and nursemaids to look after him.’

‘Nursemaids are no substitute for a mother,’ Ross pointed out.

‘I second that,’ Giles said. As children he and his siblings had been kept in deferential awe of their parents. Indeed, they’d seen little of them. As babies they had been given over to the care of wet nurses and later cared for by nursemaids and nannies, with just the occasional duty visit from their parents. If what Ross said was true, then young Crispin’s closeness to his mother was surely better than that.

Banging his hand on the arm of his chair, the old man’s eyes swung to Ross, madness and desperation in their milky depths. ‘Who is this woman anyway? A nobody by all accounts. A woman who had to work for a living before she married Jamie. She is not fit to call herself the Dowager Marchioness of Hatherton. I will not acknowledge her. I am still a powerful man. I have ways and means to get what I want, and a position such as hers offers me numerous ways and means.... You understand me?’

Both Giles and Ross understood him—and with the understanding their fear grew. He was right; he had the power to take the child from Alicia. Of late he had become possessed of only one idea, and that was to have Jamie’s child under his care. He had even gone to the extraordinary lengths of ordering Mrs Stratton to have all the nursery floor redecorated, setting the whole household agog. It was plain to both his son and his nephew that His Grace would have his grandson by fair means or foul.

‘The courts don’t always do what is expected of them,’ Giles pointed out.

There was a slight constriction in His Grace’s throat. He moved his thin blue lips, one over the other, then looking at Giles with hard eyes, he said, ‘Which is why it would be wise to have this matter settled once and for all—quietly and without fuss. I want you to send a letter to this woman, informing her that I wish to see her—and her son. I expect you to respect my feelings.’

Giles nodded. ‘I will write directly.’ His father was still very much the master of the house and the family and his wishes must be obeyed.

* * *

It was a deliriously happy, shiny-eyed Araminta who greeted Lisette on her first morning as a wife. In fact, she was so caught up in her own happiness she failed to notice her maid’s unusually quiet manner. It was when Araminta went to join her husband in the breakfast room to bid farewell to the guests who would be departing after breakfast that Mrs Stratton appeared to inform Lisette that Mrs Landes-Fraser wished to see her.

Lisette knew why she was being summoned into the presence of the great lady. She expected the worst.

Mrs Landes-Fraser gave Lisette a cold stare. Normally she never interfered with the hiring or dismissal or discipline of the household staff. She usually left that sort of thing to Lumsden and Mrs Stratton, but her loyalty to the Montagues was never in doubt, and if anyone threatened any one of them her stoic nature turned to steel and she became a lioness defending her cubs.

Her instinct told her that this extremely beautiful girl was such a threat. However, she grudgingly admitted that she was certainly presentable. She had the colouring, the carriage and the neck most young women of class would envy. She drew herself up, looking down her long patrician nose, making no bones over her disapproval. In her day all young ladies had known the rules, had been inducted from birth in the rituals of their world. But this young woman was from a different world entirely.

‘I understand you wish to see me, ma’am.’

‘Most certainly. You can be at no loss to understand the reason. Your own conscience must tell you. A report of a decidedly vulgar nature has reached me.’

She went on to berate Lisette on her unacceptable conduct, leaving Lisette in no doubt that her employment as Miss Araminta’s maid was indeed at an end.

‘The Montagues are descended from a noble line, Miss Napier—respectable, honourable and ancient. It is clear you have a clever head on your shoulders so you will know what I am saying.’

Standing straight and proud, Lisette raised her head and looked the superior lady in the eye. If she’d had any hopes at all of forming some kind of life with Ross, then Mrs Landes-Fraser’s voice now attacked them with the cutting knife of reality.

‘Perfectly.’

‘Then if you have any sense of propriety and delicacy you will walk away.’

‘I am aware of the embarrassment I must have caused and I would like you to understand that I am not aiming to claim anything more than an acquaintance with Colonel Montague. You need not trouble yourself that I will take advantage of our encounter. Colonel Montague has done nothing wrong. I assure you his sterling reputation is constituted by a keen observation of all the proprieties and a more than ordinary measure of honour. I hold him in the highest regard. I understand your concern, ma’am. I will leave at once.’

Without another word, with her head held high, Lisette turned and walked away. After packing her few things together she went to say goodbye to Araminta.

* * *

Araminta was astounded by Lisette’s disclosure. ‘You and Ross?’ A smile curved her lips. ‘I have to say that it comes as no great surprise to me. I knew from the very beginning that my brother showed an unusual interest in you. Why else would he have suggested that you be my maid?’

‘You...don’t disapprove?’ Lisette asked tentatively.

‘As a bride I feel so happy today that I would like everyone else to feel the same as I do, and if you make Ross happy, then why should I mind? It certainly explains why he was reluctant to encourage my sister-in-law into forming any kind of relationship. But must you go so soon? Please, Lisette, wait for Ross to get back from Hatherton.’

‘I cannot. I am doing this for Ross. It is because I love him that I have to leave.’

‘But—but if you love each other, he surely will ask you to marry him.’

‘He has made no indication that he will. He must think of his future. One day he will meet someone he will be proud to introduce as his wife and to bear his children.’

‘No, Lisette. If you loved him you would not put him through this torment.’

Lisette turned to go. ‘Just ask him to forgive me.’

She next went to say goodbye to members of the staff who had become her friends—others slanted their eyes in her direction, all judging her, all condemning her.

Faith was genuinely upset by her dismissal and hugged her close. ‘I’m sorry you’re leaving, Lisette. I, for one, will miss your friendship sorely.’

‘And I yours, Faith.’

‘Whatever the truth of it, if it makes you feel better, Nancy with that treacherous tongue of hers has also been dismissed. She was idle and lazy to boot.’

‘It doesn’t make me feel better, Faith. But it doesn’t matter now.’