Strange Capers Read Online Free Page A

book, which she had so swiftly shuffled into her drawer, out of my mind. I wouldn’t put it past her.
    “It doesn’t begin to cover the expenses,” Rachel said, and arose. But I knew the expense of the servants was covered separately from this salary. “We shall have a glass of wine before dinner. I hope he comes on time,” she continued, dismissing the former topic. “His note said he’d be here for dinner. I daresay he will he expecting city hours, but he shan’t find them here.”
    As we descended the stairs the view of the front hall was unusually fine after all our hard work. The old marble floor shone, and the lamps twinkled cheerfully, casting a glow on the woodwork and gilt frames. This seemed to put Rachel in a good mood.
    “Perhaps we’ll have one party while Aiglon is with us,” she said. “It seems a shame not to show off our work to the community. We owe Lord Ware an invitation, and the Wigginses—any number of people.”
    I was already excited by the approaching visit of Aiglon. I peered hopefully into the near future and envisioned a whole new style of life, with parties and beaux. We discussed the party while awaiting Aiglon’s arrival. After fifteen minutes, we had settled the guest list and menu.
    After half an hour, we had taken our second glass of wine and begun to lose interest in the party. The talk now was of overdone meat and whipped cream that had begun to return to liquid. As the sun’s rays lengthened and grew weak, Rachel more than once mentioned eating without Aiglon. She wouldn’t do it, of course, but she seemed to take some satisfaction in making the threat. “I’ve never been so hungry in my life,” she said wearily.
    Then it happened. We discerned a distant thud of hooves and darted to the window. Soon a few moving dark spots—horses or carriage—showed above the thornbushes that guard the road, and before long the horses came into view. It looked and sounded like a whole herd of animals.
    “Good God, I swear there weren’t less than a half dozen horses pounding by the window!” Rachel squealed. “Does he expect me to stable six horses?”
    Aiglon didn’t stop at the front door but drove directly to the stable and entered the house via the kitchen. The glory of shining marble and polished chandeliers would not be his first impression of her housekeeping after all. What he would see was Meg in the kitchen surrounded by pots and pans. Rachel refused to budge until he came to her. Her nose was nearly pulled into her mouth by the time his tread was heard coming along the hall toward the saloon.
    The door opened and a well-knit young gentleman, outfitted in the highest kick of fashion, glided into the room. His dark hair was carefully clipped in the stylish Brutus do. His face was lean and rather tanned, the nose well-sculpted but hawkish, giving him a predatory air. His eyes were dark, their color not distinguishable in the shadows of the saloon, but they glittered, and darted about from myself to Rachel to the window. I noticed he wore a well-cut jacket of blue Bath cloth, and at his neck was a pristine maze of intricate folds and creases that shone immaculately white. He had Rachel’s knack of remaining elegant even during travel. There wasn’t a wrinkle in his faun trousers, and considering the rain, his Hessians were remarkably shiny.
    The apparition advanced toward me, hand extended, with a smile lifting the corners of his lips. “Cousin Rachel, delighted to see you again. How long has it been? Over a decade, I warrant. You look lovely as usual.”
    “I am not Rachel!” I exclaimed, mortified to have been mistaken for a forty-year-old dame.
    Rachel’s thin laugh floated on the air. “Pay him no heed, Constance. Aiglon is playing off one of his little jokes. He is a famous jokesmith,” she said, not displeased with this particular effort. “Come here and kiss your cousin, you rogue,” she commanded easily.
    Aiglon made a show of embarrassment and confusion,