Nina Coombs Pykare Read Online Free

much like a cackle. “Her that was—”
    Wiggins sent the old woman a sharp glance that quieted her, and struggled to his feet. “This be the housekeeper, Mrs. Simpson,” he said, nodding to Edwina.
    Edwina nodded back, barely giving a moment’s thought to what the housekeeper had been going to say about her. She’d been gossiped about for so long that it meant little. “Hello, Mrs. Simpson. Wiggins, my valise is in the village — at the greengrocer’s. Have you someone we can send to fetch it?”
    Wiggins scratched his balding pate and frowned. “Ah no, miss,” he said finally. “Fraid not. The grooms be all gone. Nobody here but us two. And Cook.” He frowned. “Course there’s the viscount’s man, Smithers — a peacock of a man he be, can’t see nothing but clothes.” He shook his bald head. “And her ladyship’s dresser, she never says nothing but ‘Yes, milady,’ — just a wisp of a woman, might fade away any minute. Clinthorn, her name be.” He shrugged. “But they don’t be doing no work like carrying. Neither one a’ them.”
    Edwina nodded. Of course not. The hierarchy of servanthood was well established — and quite precise. A valet wouldn’t consider going to fetch a mere governess’s valise. “When will the carriage return?”
    “Don’t know, miss. Can’t rightly tell.”
    “Probably not afore dark,” Simpson said, rolling her eyes. “The viscount, he took the carriage. Likes to ride about, he does. Says it be boring here. We wasn’t ‘specting no one to have need of it.”
    Edwina swallowed a sigh. She’d have to walk back to the village herself. Of course she could wait until tomorrow to get the valise, but she was driven by the desire to have her own things about her. Meager as they were, her possessions gave her a sense of comfort. Besides, she had no wish to spend the rest of the day in this dampish gown. She must have a nightdress to sleep in.
    A glance out the window told her that the rain had stopped. That at least was a blessing. “I’m going down to the village,” she said. “If his lordship asks, tell him I’ve gone after my things.”
    The old people exchanged knowing glances. “He won’t ask,” Simpson said. “Not that one.” At Edwina’s sharp look, she added quickly, “But if he do, miss, we’ll tell him. Sure and we will.”
    “Thank you.” Edwina gave them both a smile. After all, these two had stayed on when everyone else left, and they were probably doing their best. “I should appreciate it, Wiggins, if later on you would keep an ear open for me at the front door. When I return, I’ll need to be shown to my room.”
    “Yes, miss, I’ll be doing that.”
    “I’ll see that it be ready, miss,” the old woman piped up with a toothy smile, her eyes twinkling. “Neat and cozy it’ll be.”
    Edwina couldn’t imagine any room in this great pile of stone being cozy, but she said, “Thank you.” Considering his odd behavior and the frightening reputation of the castle, the earl was fortunate to have kept any retainers at all. She would do what she could to see that these two stayed on.
    * * * *
    The return walk into the village seemed to take Edwina even longer than the walk out. The road was wet and muddy, full of water-filled ruts, and her damp clothes grew increasingly uncomfortable. But she got her valise from the greengrocer, thanked him, and ignoring his dire warnings and upraised eyebrows, set out immediately on the return journey. She wasn’t going to be put off by curses, but she had no wish to be on the road after nightfall.
    She was able to keep up a good pace for some minutes, shifting the valise from hand to hand. But after a while she began to tire. Each step grew more wearying. Her possessions hadn’t looked like much when she’d packed them earlier. But now it seemed that she was carrying a terrible load. Her rain-soaked straw bonnet refused to stay put, continually slipping sideways to obscure her vision.
    Maybe she