Page 40 of A Stranger’s Promise

Meg hesitated, then nodded and bid her good night.

Charlotte glanced at the door. She’d been a victim of Captain Edwards’ temper before. She’d thought him a mere pompous bully, but now... Fear rippled deep inside her, and even though she knew full well she’d locked the nursery door, she couldn’t relax until she’d dragged a chair and propped it under the knob as well.

* * *

Charlotte had just sat the children at the breakfast table when a sharp rap on the nursery door made her jump. Exchanging a quick glance with Meg, she strode to the door. More relief than she cared to admit flooded through her when she opened it to find Lady Cassilis’s maid in the hallway.

“Good morning, Miss Atchenson.” The young woman greeted her with a nervous smile. “Her ladyship requests your presence. At once.”

Charlotte winced.

The maid’s smile turned sympathetic.

“Och, I will watch the lad and lassie,” Meg offered. “You’d best do as Lady Cassilis bids. ‘Tis better for all of us when she’s not kept waiting.”

“Right then.” Charlotte heaved a breath.

She darted to the mirror and quickly tucked in a few stray locks, then twirled, inspecting her new green muslin gown for anything out of order. This was the first dress Fanny had made for her. It would have been better not to accept the dress. But how did a governess refuse her employer’s gift?

“She’ll not find a thing to complain over, lass,” Meg assured. “Unless it’s the gown’s too fine or you are late in arriving.”

Charlotte snorted. “Most likely both,” she said, and left with the maid.

Lady Cassilis thinned her lips upon Charlotte’s arrival. Sitting at her secretary desk in a yellow morning dress, the woman clucked her tongue and shook her head in disapproval.

“You are such a pretentious servant.” Her eyes raked Charlotte from head to toe. “Look at you, so finely dressed. Not one to know your place, are you?”

So, Meg had been right. Charlotte kept her eyes downcast, dipped into a respectful curtsey and murmured, “Good morning, my lady.”

The woman humphed. “Fetch my rouge from the dye-shop. Be quick. I need it before Lady Ann arrives this afternoon.” She turned away and began shuffling the papers on her secretary desk.

“Pardon?” Charlotte asked, confused.

Lady Cassilis glanced up, but her maid quickly stepped forward. “I’ll be happy to explain it further to Miss Atchenson, my lady.” She offered a curtsey of her own.

The woman nodded and turned back to her business.

Charlotte followed the maid out the door and back to the servants’ stairs.

“I am afraid it’s my fault she’s asked you to do this.” The young woman lifted the hem of her dress and revealed her bandaged left foot. “I twisted it on the stair last night. It’s well enough for the castle, but not for a walk to the dye-shop in Maidens. Her ladyship could ask another, but…” the young woman smiled a bit ruefully.

“Her ladyship doesn’t care for me,” Charlotte finished with a dry laugh. “No matter. I am happy enough to help.”

“It’s not far,” the young woman assured. “Maidens is straight down Piper’s Brae, and it’s a pleasant enough day for a walk.”

“I’ll just fetch my bonnet and coat.” Charlotte smiled brightly, then hurried away.

“I will never understand the workings of her ladyship’s mind,” Meg tut-tutted in the nursery a few minutes later as Charlotte tied her bonnet. “What did you do to the woman? Why does she hate you so?”

Charlotte shrugged and they shared a laugh and, after seeing the children busy with their lessons, she hurried downstairs.

What had she done to antagonize Lady Cassilis? While the woman had detested her from the start, she’d apparently added another level of venom after Charlotte had caught her on the beach with that pockmarked man. Was the man a secret lover? Charlotte snorted and rolled her eyes. What man would willingly embrace such a bitter prune?

Heavy mist shrouded the castle lawn as she hurried across the grass, still wet from the night’s storm. She grimaced as cold water soaked through her thin boots. She hated wet feet.

As she neared the marshes and the Swan Pond, Alistair’s mention of a man with a red-feathered, green hat sprang to mind. Now that she thought of it, Oliver had worn such a hat in the stables. It was a rather odd style of hat. She wouldn’t have thought it popular enough for two of them to be seen around the castle. She’d have to ask Oliver where he’d come by the thing and where it now was. Lord Cassilis would want to know about the hat. It was too—

She started at a thundering of hooves behind her. She turned. In the mist, she discerned a rider galloping her way. As he approached, she hurried to the side of the road. Before she realized his intent, he veered her way, swooped down, and hauled her across his lap.