Her Officer and Gentleman by Karen Hawkins

to find. I take ’em wherever I finds ’em.”
    “Which is why you’ve been married four times.”
    “Five, if ye count the Dane I met in Shrevesport.” Annie pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I don’t always put him on the list, seeing as how he died the very next day.”
    Beth’s lips quirked with amusement. She’d hired the dour Annie against her stepmama’s wishes and had never regretted it. Charlotte had not liked that Annie was so forthright and, at times, quite depressing. The maid was also very free-speaking according to the common dictates of society, and she was certainly an oddity. Tall and gangly, with her square, mannish face encircled with rows and rows of improbably red curls, the woman was still a wonder with a needle and had a flair for putting Beth’s long blond tresses into a variety of fashionable styles that was simply unequaled. All in all, she was a divine find as a lady’s maid, no matter her manners.
    “Annie, you are quite right not to count the Dane on your list of husbands. I would have left the scoundrel off, too. A man should be a husband at least a week if he wishes to receive credit for it.”
    “So I think, my lady.” Annie handed Beth her bonnet and gloves, a suspicious look in her gimlet eyes. “Just who is the man ye’re planning on meetin’ in the park today?”
    Beth became very busy pulling on her gloves. “Idon’t know what you are talking about. Beatrice and I are going for a ride in her new cabriolet. That is all.”
    “Hm. Ye look a mite too excited to just be jauntin’ about in a new carriage.” Annie stood back and eyed Beth up and down and then nodded fiercely, her red curls bobbing. “And ye put on yer best ridin’ gown, too. ’Tis a man. I’m certain of it.”
    “You can be certain if you wish, but you would be wrong. I have no desire to meet any man in the park today, or any other day.” Which was a patent falsehood; Beth had been thinking about the dark-haired, green-eyed viscount all morning, ever since she’d awakened to a rather disturbing dream that had him bending over her, as if to kiss her. Even now, if she closed her eyes, she could see his handsome face moving toward hers, feel the warmth of his breath, taste the excitement of being so close, so very close to him that—
    “Ye can’t tell me that look is fer a ride with yer own cousin,” Annie said with a smug nod. “’Tis a man.”
    “It is not,” Beth said pleasantly, looking Annie right in the eye. “And I do not wish to hear otherwise.”
    Annie threw up her hands. “Very well, my lady! Hsst it is, then. But take my word on it, if Annie Brice don’t know a woman on crusade, no one does.”
    There were times having such a discerning woman as a maid was a true annoyance, Beth decided. She pulled on her gloves and bonnet.
    “Grandfather needs me too much right now for such silliness.”
    “That’s not what he’d call it.” Annie straightened the top of the dresser. “How is your grandfather?”
    “Charlotte wrote and said he’d taken a turn for the worse this last week.” Beth met Annie’s gaze in the mirror. “I worry about him.”
    “Ye’re wastin’ yer time, my lady. The old duke is as tough as nails. He won’t nab up his dusters until he’s ready.”
    Beth had to smile. “I wish that was true.”
    “What’s to say it isn’t?” The maid picked up a reticule from the bed and held it out. “Off with ye now! No more mumblin’ about what might or might not happen. ’Tis a powerful pretty day, full of nip in the air. Could be ye might meet a handsome lad in the park that catches yer fancy and makes yer grandfather happy as a lark. At least, ye might if ye weren’t already on yer way to meet one now.”
    Beth took the reticule and pulled it over her wrist. “I won’t deign to answer that. Please have the pink silk ready for the ball this evening. The hem is a little loose on one side.”
    “I’ll have it done afore ye return,” Annie said, opening the