Secret Fire Read Online Free Page A

walked. She had such high arches that walking any distance gave her sore feet. And what was all this uncertainty, this stammering? “How long will you be, love?”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Beth said evasively. “I might venture over to Regent Street and do a little shopping before the afternoon crowds arrive. You know how dreadful it can be there between two and four.”
    Katherine was speechless, and before she could recover, Beth had waved and closed the door. And then Katherine’s eyes flared and her headache was momentarily forgotten as the most astounding thought occurred to her. My God, she wouldn’t be that foolish, would she? But her unusual behavior, that ridiculous statement about going for a walk, the even more absurd suggestion that she might shop—without a carriage to carry her parcels. She was meeting William! And if she had to be so sneaky about it, they had to be going to elope! There had been ample time for him to obtain a license. And the city abounded in churches.
    “Lucy!”
    The red-haired maid appeared almost instantly in the bedroom doorway. “Lady Katherine?”
    “Quickly, call my sister back here!”
    The maid fairly flew out of the room, alarmed by the harried note in her mistress’s voice. She caught Lady Elisabeth descending the stairs, and they both returned to Katherine’s sitting room.
    “Yes, Kit?”
    A definitely guilty look this time, Katherine thought wildly, her mind already racing ahead. “Be a dear, Beth, and confer with Cook over tonight’s menu for me. I really don’t feel up to making any decisions just now.”
    Obvious relief. “Of course. Kit.”
    Elisabeth closed the door behind her, leaving a confused Lucy staring at Katherine. “Didn’t you already—”
    Katherine leaped off the chaise. “Yes, yes, but going to the kitchen will delay her for a few minutes while I change. Now, if only Cook won’t mention that I have already spoken with her, I’ll pull this off neatly.”
    “I don’t understand, Lady Katherine.”
    “Of course you don’t. I don’t expect you to. I’ve got to prevent a tragedy from occurring. My sister is going to elope!”
    Lucy’s mouth simply dropped open at that. She had heard the gossip among the servants concerning Lady Elisabeth and the young Lord Seymour as well as what the Earl had threatened to do if she should marry against his wishes.
    “Shouldn’t you stop her, my lady?”
    “Don’t be a ninny. I can’t stop her now without any proof of her intentions,” Katherine said impatiently as she unbuttoned her morning gown. “Quickly, I need your dress, Lucy!” Then back to her first thought: “It would be too easy for her to sneak out again when I’m not expecting it. And I can’t very well have her locked permanently in her room. I’ve got to follow them to the church and put a stop to it there. Do hurry, Lucy! Then I’ll take her home to Brockley Hall where I can better keep an eye on her.”
    The maid didn’t understand at all, but she quickly stripped off her black cotton uniform and handed it over. “But why do you need—”
    “Here, help me put it on, Lucy. You can change into my dress after I’ve gone. So I won’t be recognized, of course,” she said in answer to the maid’s question. “If she sees me following her, then she won’t meet Lord Seymour, and then I’ve no proof, and then I can’t do anything until she tries again. Understand?”
    “Yes, no, oh, Lady Katherine, you really can’t mean to go out looking like a servant!” Lucy exclaimed even as she helped to button up the stiff dress.
    “That is the whole idea, Lucy, to be in disguise. Even if Beth should see me, she’ll never recognize me in this,” Katherine said, trying to pull the skirt down over her many petticoats. It stuck at the waist. Lucy’s dress was more form-fitting. She wore only two petticoats. “This won’t do. I’ll have to remove some of these flounces and especially this bulky horsehair petticoat. There, that’s