ring. Touching the brooch, she smiled because it reminded her of Sofia and she could almost hear her friend applauding.
âNow we shall see if I really am fit to be a lady,â she said softly. âWish me luck, dearest Sofia.â
âYou were born to the part, dearest.â
For a moment it was as if her friend were with her and she felt her courage return. Her part here was not to deceive for advantage, but to bring comfort and joy to an old manâs last days.
Roxanneâs things had not yet been brought up so she did not have the opportunity to change her gown; deciding that she looked the best she could after her journey, she left the bedroom and retraced her steps to the landing.
At the bottom of the stairs two footmen were discussing something and she caught the words âbeauty and better than expectedâ , before they became aware of her standing there.
âYou were quick, miss,â one of them said, a faint colour in his cheeks. âMrs Arlet said to take you to the back parlour when you came down. It is the masterâs favourite room these days. He mostly uses it when he is alone, though weâll be using the drawing room for tea in future.â
âShall you?â Roxanne said, controlling the urge to smile. Clearly the servants here considered themselves part of the family and that was somehow fitting. âThere is no need to stand on ceremony for my sake. Pleasetake me to the earlâI believe Mrs Arlet said your name was Jarvis?â
âYes, Miss Peters,â he replied, seeming surprised that she should remember. âIf you would like to come this way.â
âThank you,â she said and inclined her head in her most regal manner.
Roxanneâs heart was hammering against her ribs as she followed the footman through to the back of the house. He paused before a pair of impressive double doors and then threw them open with a little flourish.
âMiss Peters, my lord.â
Jarvis stood to one side so that Roxanne could enter; when she did so, he closed the doors behind her with a snap. Immediately, she saw the elderly man rise to his feet. He was tall, though a little stooped about his shoulders, thinner than she thought healthy, his hair dark pewter and his white brows bushy and slightly raised, intimidating. His eyes, though, were of a similar colour to Lukeâs and for some reason that made her smile. She was, she imagined, looking at Lord Clarendon as he would be one day in the distant future. The two gentlemen were very alike despite the years between them.
âMiss Peters? You are down sooner than that graceless scamp my grandson.â
âSince I could not change my gown to greet you, I thought it better to come sooner rather than later,â she replied and moved towards him, her hand outstretched. âLuke has told me a little about you, sirâand you are very like him.â
âYou are the first to say so in an age, though his mother often told me that he would be my image one day. Unfortunately, she did not live to see it. I have thought that a good thing, for she would have been disappointed in the young rogueâbut now I am not so sure.â
âI know that Luke has not always behaved in a way that pleased you,â Roxanne said. âBut you must not disparage him to me, you know.â
âYou are prepared to defend him if I do?â
âI should be a poor fiancée if I did notâdo you not think so, sir?â
The earl glared at her for a few seconds, then gave a harsh laugh. âI think he has done better than I imagined. I was prepared for you to be one of his doxiesâbut you ainât, are you?â
âCertainly not. I have been no manâs plaything and have no intention of it.â Her eyes flashed a challenge at him. âDo you really think so poorly of him, sir? It would be unkind to bring a lady of that nature into your home. From what I know of Luke, he would not be
Emma Daniels, Ethan Somerville