As an Earl Desires by Lorraine Heath

of skates he held in his hands a
pointed look asthough she expected them to leap
back into the box from which they’d come.
    â€œI’m keeping these for the time
being,” Arch said.
    â€œYes, my lord.”
    She was leaving with the footmen when Arch called
to her, “Lillian, can you spare a moment?”
    She hesitated before returning to the room.
“Yes, my lord?”
    â€œHow often does she do this?”
    She gave an exasperated look that seemed to want to
say that she had no idea what he was referring to, then perhaps
thinking better of it because when it came right down to it, he was
the one who paid her salary each month, she offered, “A good
servant doesn’t gossip about her mistress or reveal her
mistress’s business.”
    â€œA commendable trait, which I admire.
I’m not seeking gossip, but answers. I’m trying to
understand why she felt that she needed to keep these good works
from me.”
    Lillian licked her lips, swallowed.
    â€œYou’ll find a bonus with your salary
at the end of the month,” he said.
    â€œNo payment would force me to betray
her.”
    Betrayal? Good God. What all
had happened in this household before it had come into his
hands ?
    â€œLillian, it’s a simple question. All
I’m asking is how often.”
    â€œEvery month. She thinks that if she spreads
the purchases out over the year, they won’t be
noticed.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Please don’t
tell her that I told you, and please don’t punish her for
it.”
    â€œPunish her for it? Why ever would I punish
her—”
    â€œThe old Sachse did. I’m sure of it.
She’d never admit it, though. He was so very tight with his
money. One Christmas she purchased dolls and cloaks for little
girls. When he found out what she’d done…I don’t
know what he did, and she never said, but I do know that she moved
most gingerly for almost a week.”
    It seemed once her mouth began working, Lillian
didn’t know how to stop it.
    He slid his eyes closed, well imaging what the
bastard had done. He’d beat her. He opened his eyes.
“Thank you for the confidence, Lillian. I’ll keep this
between us.”
    She raised her chin a notch, rebellion in her eyes.
“She still did it, though, bought the cloaks anyway, so the
children would be warm, but she did it by putting aside the small
amount of money that he gave her for different items. And when she
could convince him that she needed a new cloak, she would have it
made with several linings, claiming that she always got so cold.
When it arrived, she’d remove them all and we’d sewsmaller capes for children and piece the scraps
together for blankets. It wasn’t much, but it was something,
and it always made us feel good at Christmas.” Suddenly she
looked immensely embarrassed. “I’ve revealed far more
than you asked and more than I should have. She wouldn’t want
you to know all that.”
    â€œI know,” he said quietly. “And I
shan’t let on that I do know.”
    â€œThank you, my lord. May I go now?”
    â€œYes.”
    After she left, Arch walked to a window and looked
out on the garden. He thought of the way she’d stiffened
beside him when Spellman had questioned her purchases. Had she
thought Arch would react as her husband had—or had she simply
responded based on past experience?
    Was it any wonder that she’d built a wall
around herself?
    Â 
    She was familiar with skating, of course, having
observed it on several occasions. Young people enjoyed the sport
because it allowed them easily to rid themselves of the chaperones
who were seldom able to keep up with the nimble youths. No one
frowned upon the antics of the daring couples, because they were
usually in sight of other skaters, although Camilla had heard of a
few people being caught in ferventkisses. As
she sat on the park bench moving her