A Heart Revealed Read Online Free Page A

brothers, two of whom were now at school—had spent their childhood. It seemed as though Mama was always away, and Amber had not yet lost the ache of wanting her mother’s attentions.
    Amber clearly remembered the day Mama had come home from a stay in Bath and looked upon her eldest daughter in surprise. “Why, you are becoming a woman,” she’d said to Amber, who was barely fifteen. “And a lovely one at that. We must attend to your education in the graces that will secure you the future a beauty such as you deserves. A woman gets one chance to secure herself any power in this life, you know, and we shall make certain you do your family credit.”
    For the first time Amber had a place in her mother’s life and had from then on kept a sharp eye toward the world in general in hopes of becoming everything her mother wished her to be. Tonight, Amber felt the validation of her efforts. She ignored the stirring within her that wished it had not taken so much accomplishment to earn Mama’s attention.
    Lady Marchent pulled back from the near-embrace and smiled. “I shall talk to Darra about tonight’s attendance,” she said. “I don’t want you to be out of sorts for the night’s assemblies. I shall also be sure to ask after Lord Norwin’s father at the dinner party. Mrs. Heyworth is sure to know the circumstance.”
    Amber nodded her approval. She’d known Mama would comply with her, and she enjoyed the internal victory she felt at having been correct in that expectation.
    Lady Marchent released Amber’s hands which were left cold from her withdrawal. “We leave in just over an hour, and I am sure your new abigail awaits you quite anxiously.”
    “Then perhaps she will be eager about my presentation,” Amber said, frowning at the memory of the difficulties she’d had with her prior maid, Helen, these last weeks.
    Amber quit her mother’s rooms and returned to her own bedchamber where the new maid was waiting with Mrs. Nitsweller, the housekeeper. Just as Lady Marchent had supposed, both women seemed anxious about the time left to prepare Amber for the dinner party.
    “Miss Sterlington,” Mrs. Nitsweller said. “Might I introduce to you Suzanne Miller, your new maid.”
    Amber kept her gaze unaffected as she looked at the woman who bobbed a curtsy before her. “It is an honor to have been requested to assist you, and I thank you for the position,” the woman said.
    The new maid had surprisingly high tones, not the Cockney accent Helen had retained. Suzanne was also older than any other maid Amber had had, likely in her thirties. Amber hoped that her age communicated experience.
    “I am to call you Miller, then?” Amber asked. She’d never had an actual lady’s maid, who would traditionally be addressed by their surname. Amber turned her attention to Mrs. Nitsweller when the answer was not immediate.
    “She is more of an abigail than a lady’s maid as she has served multiple women in a household before now,” Mrs. Nitsweller said, causing Amber to purse her lips in disapproval. “But she is very skilled and well recommended. She even reads some. In a few years’ time, I’m sure she will arise to that station.”
    “So I shall call you Suzanne,” Amber said coldly so that both women would know of her irritation that she’d been told this woman was a lady’s maid when she was not one.
    Suzanne nodded and kept her eyes on the floor.
    “Might I leave you to your toilet?” Mrs. Nitsweller asked, her introduction complete.
    Amber nodded and waited for the housekeeper to leave before she explained her expectations to the new maid. She always dressed before the rest of her toilet, with a cape to shield her clothes. She preferred at least a portion of her hair to be worn about her shoulders in order to show off the color and curl. She did not fancy tightly curled fringe at the sides of her forehead though she would tolerate long ringlets so far as they reached her chin at least.
    Beads, flowers,