Saving Persephone (The Haberdashers Book 4) Read Online Free

on the heels of the butler.
    The sitting room was large, bordering on huge. The walls soared to over twenty feet in height, covered in gold and white silk. The oak floors spanned out in all directions, soaking afternoon sunlight filtering in from cloister windows. In the midst of that golden expanse sat three women in a coze, heads close together and laughing before looking up at her entrance. One blonde, one honey brown, and one a darkest sable. After Imogen's name rang out across the room the dark-haired one nodded once, quite serenely. “Welcome to my home.”
    This was the duchess? Hardly larger, hardly older than a child. But the feature that sent Imogen's stomach sideways were the girl's eyes. A darker, more intense blue, but she knew there was no mistake. This girl was a relative of Robert Bittlesworth. The afternoon took on a decidedly less cheerful air.
    She curtsied low. “Your grace.”
    The duchess herself radiated a muted gray aura that was difficult to assess. The blonde was awash in the violet light of an artist, while the brown-haired girl had a soft blue radiance. Imogen waited for one of them to speak.
     
    * * *
     
    Sabrina Telford nee Bittlesworth, Sabre to her friends, used almost every ounce of her quite considerable control to keep from bouncing up and down in her seat. The last time she remembered being this excited was the first time Charlie took her out to ride a pony. This was the woman that Robert had danced with last night and then ‘took outside for some air.’ Now Sabre would do her sisterly duty and ensure that Miss Grant was the catch that Robert needed. Not that her eldest brother would thank her at all for presuming to interfere in his business. In fact, her friend George, the blonde on her left, had already suggested that Robert would come up with some quite creative revenge for any meddling. But if she were so concerned, then George shouldn't have come over first thing this morning to report the news about Robert, which she had heard from her husband, who had heard it from his business partner, who had been at the dance in question. Because it was completely predictable what Sabre would do with such news. Starting, of course, with inviting over Jack, the honey-haired woman to her right, so that they could discuss the potential ramifications of Robert having formed a tendre. The three young women called themselves the Haberdashers. In their youth they had been the terrors of Derbyshire. Now they were a duchess, a countess, and a former spy.
    None of that was of any mind to this Miss Grant. Sabre regarded her keenly. Tall, though not as tall as Jack. Ginger-haired with a direct, bright aqua gaze. Yes. Sabre thought she could come to quite like Miss Grant. Provided that first looks weren't deceiving and the woman didn't turn out to be a simpering nitwit.
    “Please, join us,” Sabre invited, indicating a seat on the low settle across from her. “May I introduce the Countess of Harrington,” she said, indicating Jack, “and Mrs. Rokiczana.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” Miss Grant said. Such a harsh American accent. That was definitely a mark against her.
    “How do you take your tea?” Sabre asked, beginning to pour.
    “Just plain, please.”
    Like George. Interesting.
     

Chapter Five
    Introductions having been made, Imogen waited patiently to find out why the duchess had summoned her. As the tea was poured, the blonde asked, “You realize there’s no harbor to throw it into?”
    The countess gasped. “George!”
    The duchess gave her friend a quelling look and said evenly, “Yes, George. Don’t.”
    The blonde looked far from quelled, but also seemed more interested in teasing than anything else, as she waggled her eyebrows at Imogen. 
    “Actually,” Imogen said, “I developed my fondness for tea while in China. That’s why I don’t take milk or sugar. It’s only inferior tea that requires something additional to make it palatable.”
    The blonde grinned now. “I