The Marquess Move Page 7

  A few moments later, Lady Elizabeth stopped. “Here we are. Mine is the fourth door on the left. Jessica’s is directly opposite. Let’s go inside. I’ll show you all the gowns. Then there’s something I need you to take downstairs to my brother. I believe he’s in his study.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Justin scanned the daily report from his solicitor. Years ago, he’d instructed the man to keep the thing to one page. All Justin required was a certain set of figures to ensure his estates were running smoothly. Fortunately, he was quite skilled at numbers and it took him no time to evaluate both the solicitor and the report. He made his rounds to speak to his tenants quarterly and otherwise, he enjoyed his life in London. The less responsibility, the better. Just as Father had taught him.

  A tentative knock pulled him from his thoughts. “Come in,” he called absently, assuming it was the butler or the housekeeper with another question about the twins that he’d no doubt refer to his mother. What did he know about young ladies’ debuts and their endless requirements? He was quite happy to pay the invoices that seemed to arrive on his doorstep hourly and leave the details to Mama.

  He glanced up as the door to his study opened. In walked…Madeline? He blinked and shook his head. He had to be seeing things. But when he looked again, Madeline still appeared to be standing just inside the doorway to his study.

  She had turned pale as a ghost and her mouth fell open.

  She was dressed as a servant—black gown, white apron, and white cap—and she held a piece of paper in her hand.

  What the devil?

  He stood in a rush of confusion. “What are you doing here?” The words flew from his lips as he searched her face.

  “What are you doing here?” came her equally shocked reply.

  “This is my house.” As explanations went, it barely scratched the surface, but his mind was still struggling to catch up.

  “You’re the Marquess of Whitmore?” she asked in a tone that implied she didn’t believe it.

  He bit his bottom lip and winced. Damn. “Yes.” What else could he say?

  “But you said…” Her brow was furrowed, and she looked as if she wanted to turn and run.

  He closed his eyes briefly. “I said my surname was Whitland. A slight variant. It is Whitmoreland.”

  “You said you were a mister,” she replied in a high-pitched voice that Justin found adorable even while guilt spread through him.

  “Actually, I never said that,” he replied, still biting his lip. “You assumed it and I did not correct you.”

  “And I…” Guilt washed over her fine features. “Didn’t tell you the truth either.” Her shoulders slumped, and she glanced down at the floor. “I’m a lady’s maid. Your sister is Lady Elizabeth?”

  Justin expelled his breath. Hands on his hips, he shook his head. It suddenly made sense. All of it. “You’re Eliza’s new lady’s maid?”

  Madeline nodded. “Yes. She hired me this morning after I was—”

  He narrowed his eyes on her. “After you were what?”

  Madeline hung her head. “After I was sacked by Lady Henrietta Hazelton.”

  Justin rubbed his forehead between his thumb and forefinger and stared at the ceiling. If it had all made sense a moment ago, now the entire story somehow made perfect sense. It made sense and it was unbelievable at the same time. Obviously, Eliza had been paying close attention during their talk at the Hazeltons’ ball. She’d somehow learned Madeline was a maid, and she’d installed her directly in his house. But what was this about being sacked?

  “You were Henrietta Hazelton’s maid?” He asked it as a question, but he already knew the answer.

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “And she sacked you because…?” Nausea roiled in Justin’s gut. He’d asked another question to which he feared he already knew the answer.

  Madeline let out a shaky sigh before replying, “Because she found out I had borrowed her clothing and her jewelry to attend the Twelfth Night Ball.”

  Justin closed his eyes as more guilt washed over him. Wave after wave this time. Bollocks. Damnation. Hell. And bollocks again. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Madeline. I’m afraid that is my fault.”

  “Your fault?” she repeated, the crease in her brow becoming more pronounced. “How could it possibly be your fault?”

  He groaned and winced. “Because I’m the one who brought Henrietta the missing earbob and asked her if she knew anyone at the party named Madeline.”

  She was quiet for a few moments, obviously allowing the information to settle into her mind before she finally shook her head. “No. No. It was my fault, my lord. I shouldn’t have borrowed Lady Henrietta’s things. It was an outrageous thing to do. I deserved to lose my position. And I will understand if you decide to sack me on the spot. Only, I hope you will believe that I did not know this was your household when I came here this morning.”

  “I believe you,” he replied. “And while I admit I’m certainly surprised to learn you’re a maid,” he straightened his shoulders, “I have no intention of terminating your employment. After all, I’m responsible for the fact that you lost your other position. I’m not about to toss you out.”

  She expelled a long sigh, which told him how relieved she was to hear his decision. With it came a dazzling smile and those tempting dimples. “Thank you, my lord. I promise I will not do anything as foolish as trying to sneak into a ball again. I am in need of this position, and I will not do anything to jeopardize it. You have my word.”

  Justin nodded, feeling like the biggest arse in the land. He’d got this poor girl sacked. He’d chased her up the staircase, made her lose her earbob, and then got her sacked. She should want nothing to do with him. The least he could do would be provide her gainful employment for as long as she needed it.

  Madeline glanced down and appeared to remember the document in her hand. “Here,” she said, taking long strides toward his desk to give him the paper. “Lady Elizabeth asked me to bring you this.”

  “Did she?” Justin asked, quirking a brow. A quick glance at the paper revealed it was nothing more than another bill from the modiste. But the fact that Eliza had sent Madeline as the courier told him something important. His sister clearly wanted him to know she’d located his missing dance partner. “Thank you,” he said to Madeline.

  She spun toward the door to leave, but as she was about to step into the corridor, she turned back hesitantly, one hand resting on the door handle. “It can’t be a coincidence, my lord. Can it? That I am here.”

  “It’s not,” Justin admitted. “I mentioned our meeting to my sister. But not to worry. Eliza is the soul of discretion. She would never tell your secret, and neither would I. I promise not to make your work uncomfortable. Please stay.”

  Madeline nodded. “Thank you, my lord. I will. Though I hope we can both agree to forget about our dance.” Her face flushed a charming shade of pink and her voice lowered to a whisper. “And our…k-kiss?”

  “Consider it forgotten,” he replied with a nod.

  Relief covered Madeline’s face, and she left the room, closing the door behind her.

  Justin stared at the empty space she’d just left, cursing himself seven times a fool for ever mentioning Madeline’s name to his meddling sister. He should have known better. All the women in his family were meddlers. Even Grandmama.

  He rested his hands on his hips and poked out his cheek with his tongue. To make her feel more at ease, he’d promised Madeline he’d forget their dance and their kiss, but he had no idea how the hell he’d manage either.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Maddie left the study quickly, yet she slowed as she climbed the stairs back to Lady Elizabeth’s bedchamber. She needed time to sort through her feelings. First of all, she was embarrassed. She’d never expected to see Mr. Whitland again. She’d counted upon not seeing him again, actually.

  She certainly never would have kissed him if she thought she’d see him again, let alone be employed by him. The fact that he knew she’d been sacked by Lady Henrietta for something so silly and fanciful was embarrassing too. It was beyond embarrassing. Her cheeks flamed just thinking about it.

  But second of all, she needed this position. Depended on it. Had no other options, in fact. So, she would have to recover from her embarrassment at once. Besides, how often would she see her mistress’s brother? She’d be relegated to the fourth and second floors most of the time. She would remain abovestairs except for meals and outings. There was little chance they would encounter each other.

  And thirdly, except for the fact that she’d made a complete fool of herself to her new employer—a marquess, no less!—and kissed him, this position was already better than her previous one. The wages, the accommodation, and her new mistress were all far superior to life at the Hazeltons’.

  She would be a fool to leave over a silly bit of embarrassment. If Lord Whitmore didn’t want her gone, Maddie wasn’t about to give up such a lovely place and a generous salary. He’d been nothing but kind to her and had given her no reason to believe he would be anything but kind in the future. He may have misled her about his identity when they met, but she’d misled him too.

  As for her most egregious transgression, the kiss. Well, that was in the past, wasn’t it? It wasn’t as if she could have a future with a marquess. Her playacting, her fantasies were over. She was mortified that she’d been found out by the man she’d been playacting with. But that’s what she got for being so selfish as to sneak downstairs and try to insert herself somewhere she didn’t belong. Her one consolation was that he’d lied as well. They were even on that score.

  Now, she needed to count her blessings and do her best for Lady Elizabeth. And while Maddie might very well turn pink every time she saw her new employer, she would just have to overcome that for the sake of her sister, her position, and her future. She’d been given a second chance. She’d be a fool not to take it.

  She still wasn’t entirely certain how Lady Elizabeth had known who she was just because her brother had mentioned the name Madeline, but did it matter? The fact was, she’d been sacked, and now she was here.

  Maddie pushed open the door to Lady Elizabeth’s room. The young woman was perched on a sage-green settee in front of the wide windows, reading a book. Maddie had already learned that her new mistress loved books. It was a charming trait, really. The moment Maddie stepped into the room, Lady Elizabeth pulled the book down to her nose and blinked at her. Maddie kept a blank smile pinned to her face.

  “Did you meet my brother?” Lady Elizabeth ventured innocently. “He’s a very nice man. I can assure you.”

  Maddie allowed one of her brows to lift. “I think you know I’ve already met your brother.”

  The book slid away from Lady Elizabeth’s face to reveal her wince. She quickly snapped the book shut and set it on the settee while standing and biting her lip. “Guilty.”

  Maddie nodded. “I am quite grateful, Lady Elizabeth. Please don’t misunderstand me. But I must ask: Why did you do this? Why did you hire me?”

  “I hope you’ll forgive me and allow me to explain.” Lady Elizabeth folded her hands together. “The main reason I hired you is because I know what an awful person Lady Henrietta is. It can’t have been pleasant working for her. And I was telling the truth when I said I was sorely and quickly in need of a lady’s maid.” She paused. “And finally, I hired you because you’re the first young lady in whom Justin has taken any interest whatsoever.”

  Maddie clapped a hand to her throat. “Interest?” She choked. “But…I’m…I am…a lady’s maid. Surely you cannot mean that your brother and I—”

  Lady Elizabeth waved a hand in the air, dismissing Maddie’s words entirely. “You’re a lady’s maid at present. I’ve read enough to know one’s circumstances can change when one least expects.” With that cryptic message, Lady Elizabeth left the room, the book still firmly in her hands.

  Maddie watched her go, a riotous mass of confusion still ringing in her head. Her new mistress’s last words had been correct, however. One’s circumstances could change when one least expected. It had already happened to her.

  Twice.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Justin remained in his study and drummed his fingers against the top of his desk. Guilt continued to pound through him. He’d got Madeline (he still didn’t know her surname, blast it) terminated from her position. The poor girl had only been trying to enjoy herself at the ball for a bit. Perhaps unconventional, perhaps slightly odd, but understandable.

  There was something endearing about it that made him wish she’d got away with it. She’d clearly wanted to enjoy herself and he remembered how excited she’d been to have one dance. Only, he’d come along with the earbob she’d lost and got her sacked. Still, how in the world had Eliza pieced it all together and learned that Madeline had lost her position? To that end, Justin had sent up a footman with a summons for his meddlesome sister.

  It didn’t take long for a tentative knock to sound at the study door.

  “Come in,” he intoned.

  Eliza entered with a completely innocent look on her face. She’d always been good at feigning innocence. Not as good as Jessica, but adept, nonetheless.

  “You asked to see me,” Eliza announced, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. Her omnipresent book was tucked under her arm.

  “Take a seat.” He gestured toward one of the two large leather chairs in front of his desk. It wasn’t lost on him that his stubborn sister’s hair was down, and she was wearing that blasted green dress she refused to take off. Both things were battles for another day, however.

  She slid into the chair and sat up straight. She perched on the edge of her seat, blinking at him expectantly as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

  Justin shook his head. He might as well get directly to his point. Eliza wasn’t one to deny guilt after she’d been caught. She was level-headed that way. “What precisely were you thinking hiring Madeline?”

  “I was thinking I was saving her from Henrietta Hazelton,” she replied without missing a beat. She’d obviously been prepared for this conversation. “She sacked her, you know? The night of the ball.”

  Justin winced. Guilt poked at his conscience again. “Yes, I know.”

  Eliza set her book on the desk in front of her. “When Mama and Jessa and I saw Henrietta at the modiste yesterday morning, she mentioned she’d just sacked her maid for stealing an earbob. I asked her name and the moment I realized it had to be your Madeline, I rushed to find her. You know how Mama’s been after me to hire a maid. And everyone knows Henrietta is awful. I couldn’t let the poor girl be tossed on the streets. Henrietta wasn’t about to write her a reference.”

  So that’s how Eliza had found out about Madeline. She’d run into Henrietta. Regardless, he couldn’t argue with any of his sister’s points. Instead, he insisted, “She’s not my Madeline.”

  “Isn’t she though?” Eliza replied, inclining her head toward him and crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Certainly not.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought it was you who mentioned her beauty, her blue eyes, and her dimples that could tempt a saint. Perhaps that was my other brother.” She finished with a far-too-certain-of-herself smile.

  His nostrils flared. “I thought you promised not to pry into my personal affairs.”

  “I didn’t pry. You offered that information, which was so unlike you, by the by, that I assumed you were looking for assistance. You wanted to find the girl.” Eliza shrugged. “Well, I found her.”

  Justin rubbed his forehead with a knuckle. Damn it. He couldn’t argue with Eliza’s logic. He had brought this on himself, hadn’t he? Would he ever learn to never tell his sisters things? Any of them? “Fine. I might have mentioned her dimples, but that doesn’t make her mine.”

  Eliza shifted in her seat. “If that doesn’t make her yours, perhaps the fact that you’re the reason she was sacked does.”

  He groaned as if he’d been slugged in the gut. Nothing Eliza could have said would have made him feel more guilt. And she wasn’t wrong. He cursed under his breath.

  Eliza crossed her arms over her chest and lifted a brow. “Our family owes Madeline a position, Justin.”

  Justin leaned back in his chair and scratched his chin, cursing the entire situation for the dozenth time. “I agree, and I have every intention of allowing her to stay. But I want to make one thing clear.” He deepened his voice and leaned toward his sister, doing his best to appear the ominous head of the family. “You had better not be trying to matchmake. It’s beyond inappropriate for more reasons than one. No more sending Madeline on errands to my study. Do you understand me?”

  “You’ll let her stay?” Eliza asked, a bright smile spreading slowly across her face.

  Justin expelled his breath. “I have no choice. I am the reason she was released from her position. I feel awful for the young woman.”

  “Oh, thank heavens.” Eliza pressed a hand to her throat. “I was certain you’d send her away. I cannot imagine having to go on the hunt for another lady’s maid.”

  Justin arched a brow, giving his sister a highly skeptical glare. “I don’t for a second believe that is the reason you hired her.”

  “Of course it wasn’t.” Eliza stood, grabbed her book, and rushed back toward the door. “But if it happened to solve my problem as well, all the better.”

  “One more thing,” Justin said, still staring directly at his younger sister.

  “Yes?” she chirped, a half-smile pinned to her lips.

  “Neither of us are to mention a word about Madeline’s former position to Mama or Jessica or Veronica.”

  “Of course not. I wouldn’t do that to Madeline,” she agreed.

  “Oh, but I’m fair game?” he asked, shaking his head.