The Husband List (32 page)

Daisy moved closer. “Disregard her,” she said in a low voice. “She has declined greatly since Lord Bremerton and she arrived. It’s quite sad.”

Caroline nodded. “I understand.” But she also understood that Lady Carew, while old, wasn’t necessarily mad.

“Are you going to reseat me?” Lady Carew demanded. She pointed at Mama. “Make her move.”

Mama’s jaw had gone slack. Caroline couldn’t recall ever seeing her this shocked.

“Perhaps dinner in your room would suit you, Auntie?” Bremerton suggested.

“Yes, and tell me when you’re rid of the foreigners.” She glared at Mama. “This is all most irregular, bringing around this odd lot.”

Bremerton rose and motioned to the waiter. “We shall escort you to your room,” he said to his great-aunt.

Caroline couldn’t wait until she was back to hers, either.

*   *   *

TWO HOURS later, the jewels were off, the dress rehung, and Caroline sat in her dressing gown on the edge of her bed, running a brush through her hair. Annie was in her nightclothes, having snuck away from her room next to Berta’s to keep watch for Bremerton.

“I will never complain about my lodgings in any of your houses again,” Annie said.

Caroline had never actually seen the servants’ quarters in either house. “Why? Are your rooms back home not satisfactory?”

Annie laughed. “Well, I have my own room, even if it fits no more than a cot and an old wardrobe. That’s better than what I had with my family. But here?” She shuddered. “I opened my door and a rat ran out. I would have sent someone after it, but the thing looked like it was ready to starve to death on its own. I’m telling you, there are parts of this house no one has touched in years. And as for the rest, the devil can have it.”

Caroline slipped off the bed and put her brush next to her mirror on the nightstand. The candle there flickered with the breeze she’d made. “I’ve noticed they’re running even thinner on servants than the situation Peek described.”

Annie nodded. “There’s Mrs. Parker, the housekeeper, Charlie, the waiter and footman and I think gardener, too. Then there’s Cora, the only maid, and her husband, who’s both coachman and groom, and a cook. Small wonder no one can keep up.”

“Who has been here the longest?”

“Only Cora and her husband were here when the last Lord Bremerton was alive. Charlie’s new, and not nearly so fun to tease as Jack’s O’Toole.” Annie sighed. “A week here is punishment.”

A knock sounded at the bedroom door. Caroline held her finger to her lips.

“Is that you, Mama?” Caroline called.

No one answered for a moment, but then Bremerton identified himself and asked if he might step in. Caroline walked to the door and put her hand against it.

“That would be very improper,” she said through its hard surface.

“Culhane has seen you in less.”

Caroline winced at the reference. From behind her, she heard a hiss. Annie had risen and was ready to spring. Caroline shook her head and mouthed the word no.

“I am asking if you would please stay on your side of the door,” Caroline recited like a schoolgirl saying her verses.

“For now, I will allow that,” Bremerton replied. “Tomorrow, I am hunting in the morning. You and your mother may occupy yourselves here. Don’t disturb my aunt. As you’ve now seen, she’s not well.”

“We will do as you wish.”

“And, Caroline?”

“Yes?”

“Tell your maid to go back to her room. We sleep with neither Irishmen nor servants.”

TWENTY-TWO

Caroline made certain that Bremerton was off slaying birds before she went to breakfast the next day. Wearing her simplest morning dress, she walked to the dining room. Though it wasn’t even eight, the table had been cleared of all settings. She stood there feeling lost until Cora, the sole maid, came in, dusting rag in hand. The tall and slender woman, who looked to be a handful of years older than Caroline, quickly cleaned but showed no apparent interest in finishing any one task.

“I was wondering if it would be possible to get breakfast?” Caroline asked.

The maid jumped like a nervous cat. “I’m sorry, but that would be up to Mrs. Parker.”

“Is Mrs. Parker available?”

“She stepped out of the house.”

The information had been given hesitantly. Caroline decided to put the maid at ease. “My name is Caroline Maxwell. And I believe you’re Cora?”

“Yes, miss.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cora.”

“Thank you, miss.”

“So I am to wait until Mrs. Parker returns?”

“Yes, if you care to try to have breakfast,” Cora said as she picked up one dented candlestick from the buffet and wiped beneath it, but then cleaned around its mate. “But the master’s rule is that once the master has eaten, the meal is over.”

“I see,” Caroline replied over her grumbling stomach. “Thank you, Cora.”

“Yes, miss. Is there anything else I may do for you?”

“Nothing at all, thank you.” Caroline made her way from the dining room to the stairs and was about to go up when Mama came rushing down. She was dressed in her dark blue travel garb, and to Caroline’s knowledge, no travel was planned.

“Where were you for breakfast?” Mama asked.

“I was still in my room.”

“You’d better hurry tomorrow. The meal was over and done with before my tea could steep.” Her mother kept looking up the stairway as she spoke, and she seemed as skittish as Cora had, too.

“Where are you going?” Caroline asked.

“How did you know I was going someplace?”

“Your clothing.”

“Oh, yes. Of course. London.”

Caroline’s relief was infinite. “Thank heaven! Give us ten minutes, and Annie will have us packed.”

“No need. You’re staying here.” Mama pulled a telegram from her small purse. “Your father has instructed me to return to London at once.” She handed Caroline the paper. “As you see, it’s addressed to me, alone, and it says only ‘Return London Now.’ There’s no mention of bringing you.”

Caroline handed the telegram back.

“You know he meant me, too, even if he didn’t spell it out,” she said. Papa was always ridiculously frugal when writing a telegram. It was as though he guarded the family fortune one word at a time.

Mama returned the message to her purse and then gave Caroline a sharp look. “Have you accepted Bremerton’s proposal?”

Now she understood her mother’s game. “No.”

“Then it’s not time for you to leave. I hope to persuade your father to return here with me tomorrow so he can witness your engagement. Lord Bremerton thought it was a fine idea.”

Of course he did, because that meant Caroline would be alone tonight. “Mama, you can’t just leave me here without a chaperone.”

“You have Annie,” her mother said.

Caroline was speechless for an instant. “You wouldn’t even trust her to go to Harriet’s picnic with me, and yet you’d leave us here, alone?”

“You’ll be fine,” Mama replied. “Even you can’t find much trouble, here in the middle of nothing. And if you’re looking for a titular chaperone, there’s Lady Carew. Your reputation is safe.”

Berta teetered down the stairs, carrying Mama’s smallest travel trunk.

“To the carriage, Berta,” Mama commanded before coming to Caroline and taking her hands. “You’re twenty-one years old. I was married and had you at that age. Surely you’re independent enough to spend less than two days on your own.”

If Caroline had been anyplace but there, she’d have been popping champagne corks and celebrating her freedom. But tonight, she’d be turning the lock on her bedroom door.

“Travel safely, Mama.”

*   *   *

FOUR HOURS later, Bremerton was still harassing birds. No lunch was to be served until he was done. Annie had even gone to the kitchen to ask for bread and cheese, but with no success. Now she was off trying to sweet-talk Charlie into asking for her. Caroline was in her bedroom contemplating the healthful aspects of fasting when Cora appeared in the doorway and asked permission to clean.

Caroline put thoughts of hunger away. She sat at the dressing table and pretended to sort through her jewelry. Really, she watched Cora through the mirror. At first, Cora darted glances in her direction, but eventually she began to clean, and with more thoroughness than she’d shown downstairs, too.

Caroline decided it was time to speak. “Would you mind if I asked you a question?”

“No, miss,” Cora replied without looking her way.

“Last night, Lady Carew said something at dinner about Lord Bremerton having a wife.”

“Lady Carew is often confused.”

“Yes, but I don’t think she’s confused about this. And I do wish that you’d sit and talk to me.”

“I can’t sit, miss.”

“Would you at least take a moment from your work? I’m alone here except for Annie, and both of us see that things aren’t normal in this house.”

“You’ve got the right of that,” the maid said under her breath.

“I promise this isn’t just a visitor’s curiosity. Lord Bremerton has proposed marriage. I feel I have a right to know about him and his past, even if he refuses to tell me.” Caroline stood and walked to Cora. “You’re married, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“And you love each other.”

She nodded. “Very much, miss. My Jamie and I ran off, even though we knew I’d lose my job for having done so. Maids cannot be married. But the last Lord Bremerton’s wife, she told the housekeeper not to let me go. Lady Beth was a kind woman. We all hated seeing her leave Chesley House after Lord Percival died.” Her mouth worked for a moment as though she was trying to hold something in. “And I don’t like following the orders Lord Bremerton gave about you. It’s not right, not feeding you. I could hardly work while telling you that.”

“Thank you,” Caroline replied. “I’d guess that not feeding me isn’t the only strange thing you’ve seen around here.”

Cora’s expression grew darker for a moment. “I’ve seen plenty.”

“A friend of mine heard whispers that Lord Bremerton might have had a wife,” Caroline said. “Having loved and lost someone isn’t usually the stuff of rumors. I’m sure you can see why I’m worried.”

“I want to help you,” Cora said in a rush. “I do, but this is the only job I’ll be getting unless Jamie and I part.” She shook her head. “I can’t do it, miss.”

If Caroline had had a house of her own, she would have offered the couple employment. But she didn’t, and wouldn’t before they starved. But she did have something.

Caroline returned to the dressing table. Papa had said that a woman’s jewels were insurance against many things in life. Hers might be insurance against marriage. She selected a heavy gold brooch set with diamonds and rubies, and brought it to Cora.

“I want you to have this,” she said. “It’s your assurance that if you choose to leave here, you and Jamie can start a new life.”

The maid shook her head. “I can’t be taking that. I’d be accused of theft.”

“I’ll write a letter of gift,” Caroline said. “Please. All I want is to have the same freedom given to you. I want to marry for love.”

She held out the pin again. This time, Cora hesitantly took it. She held it cupped in her hand and looked at it for a moment, then sighed as she handed it back. “I can’t do it, miss. But I’ll tell you what I know about Lord Bremerton’s late wife, and that will be my gift to you.”

Caroline felt nearly weak with relief. “Thank you.”

Cora knotted her hands together and began speaking. “When Lord Bremerton took over the house, he came straight from France and brought with him a wife. She was French and spoke not more than a few words of English, but she was very beautiful and full of smiles for the first days she was here. Then something happened. I don’t know what, but her smiles were gone and she spent most of her time avoiding the master. I don’t suppose that’s surprising, considering his nature.”

“No, it’s not,” Caroline agreed.

“Not more than a week later, Lord Bremerton told Jamie to saddle a horse for his wife. They were going to explore the countryside. Jamie chose a mare he knew was safe, but Lord Bremerton said his wife needed a mount with a spirit to match hers. He insisted on a filly that was hardly saddle-broken.” Cora gave an angry shake of her head. “The master said the horse bolted and his wife died. He called it ‘a most tragic accident.’ I call it near close to murder. I always think about how horrible it must have been for her, in a land where she couldn’t speak the language, had no friends, and then died not a fortnight later.”

“What was her name?”

“Adele.”

“Is Adele buried in the village churchyard?” Caroline sought proof of events that even her doubting mother would accept, but more than that, she wanted to feel as though Adele had found peace.

“No,” Cora replied. “His lordship said he wished her returned to her family. I’d like to believe he did that, but I can’t. He’s not a kind man.”

Caroline had nothing to say for that, now knowing she’d received only a negligible dose of his unkindness. “Did his wife meet any of the neighbors?”

“No,” the maid said. “His lordship was in mourning for his brother, so they didn’t socialize.”

“Lady Carew had to be here, at least.”

“She wasn’t here, either. She didn’t come until after Lord Bremerton was alone.”

“So she couldn’t have known Adele, then,” Caroline said to herself.

“I think Lady Carew sees things the rest of us don’t, miss. And I think those things are real.”

If that were the case, Caroline wished she could see Bremerton’s wife, too. She wanted to know what truly happened. “Where did Adele spend her time?”

“Mostly, she’d be in the east wing’s library or out walking the grounds. It was all so very sad.”

“Thank you for telling me about this,” Caroline said.

“You’ve a right to know,” Cora replied. “And Jamie and I are the last here who can tell the tale.”

Caroline held out the brooch again. “Please, take it.”

Cora deliberated for a moment, then accepted it. “Thank you. You’ve changed our lives.”

Caroline smiled. “And you might just have saved mine.”

*   *   *

JACK WASN’T sure what he was doing in the Maxwell parlor at three on Tuesday afternoon, and he hadn’t been impressed by Bernard Maxwell’s terse summons, but he was there, just the same.