A Bouquet of Thorns Read Online Free Page A

should be ashamed o’ yoursel’!’
    She stood, hands on hips and glowering at Charles from her ruddy face while Charles took the opportunity to regain his composure. ‘May I remind you, Mrs Bennett,’ he said coldly, ‘that you are no longer a servant in this household, and that you are only here under my sufferance.’
    â€˜Don’t you play Mr High and Mighty with me, young man! Your wife had already engaged me as nanny to her child, as I were to her virtually all her life!’
    â€˜And you can just as easily be dismissed by me.’
    â€˜And I could easily reveal to Mr Frean what a despicable monster you are! ’Twouldn’t do your precious reputation much good, would it, especially with Mr Frean being of such influence hereabouts,’ she gloated triumphantly, crossing her arms firmly over her ample bosom. ‘Now I’m going up to my Rose, and from now on, that door is to remain unlocked or I shall want to know the reason why! With the way you’ve been treating her, and her in the last stage of her pregnancy . . . Good God, have you no soul, man? She probably don’t want to go no further anyways. But she’s to have the run of the house and the garden whenever she wants. Now give me the key, or I swears that by tonight the whole of Devonshire will know what sort of man you really are!’
    She uncrossed her arms and thrust out her stubby palm with such force that it just missed Charles’s nose. He was so dumbfounded beneath her withering stare that he reached into his pocket and carelessly dropped the key into her hand, although not without a derisive sneer.
    â€˜I was about to release her anyway as she seems to have come to her senses at last,’ he drawled, ‘so don’t think it’s anything to do with you, Mrs Bennett.’
    â€˜And I’m the Queen’s hand maiden,’ Florrie scoffed as she flounced past him and up the stairs.
    â€˜And do convey to my wife that if she shows the slightest sign of misbehaving, she’ll be back in that room at once!’ Charles called out to her back.
    In the bedroom, Rose was dancing on the spot as she listened to the rumpus downstairs. Her heart was drumming hard as she heard Florrie’s heavy footfall stomping across the landing, and then she stood back as the key was turned in the lock and the door opened. There was Florrie, short and plump, her face more lined than Rose remembered, warm, comforting, secure. Rose melted into her fat arms, almost knocking off her black hat. All the strain and horror of the last weeks erupted in a torrent, and she allowed it to flow over Florrie, who she knew would be an island of strength.
    â€˜Oh, my girl, my lovely girl, what have you been up to?’ Florrie cried, drawing away and looking up into Rose’s face, her pink cheeks wobbling. ‘And look at you! Round as a ball! Whoever would have thought it!’
    Rose stood back, sniffing and drawing her sleeve across her nose just like a child. Florrie was back, and even if she wouldn’t approve of what Rose might be up to, she would support her in every way. Six months it was since Henry had passed on, six months of grief, but now the pair of them were back together, and Florrie would allow nothing to come between them ever again.
    â€˜Now this key stays with me,’ she announced determinedly, dropping it down inside her bodice. ‘And just see if his lordship tries to get it from there!’
    â€˜Oh, Florrie!’ Rose had to laugh through her drying tears. ‘Oh, everything will be all right now you’re back, I know it will!’
    â€˜Hmm, well, we’ll have to see about that! I never did want you to marry that man. He were never right for you. But I wants to know all ’bout what you’ve been up to before I makes any judgements one way or the other. I knows what a headstrong young maid you can be! Now I’m going to fetch some tea from the