The Rake Read online

  “Ah!” Lynette observed, smiling. “Did I not say so? Such a pity carpenters don’t take this much pride in their work anymore--Do look at the chandelier, my dear. I imagine we won’t be stumbling around in the dark as we were at Elk Park!

  “All the wainscoting, Mr. Meeks,” she added, including him in her discussion. “Quite lovely, really, but so dark one could not find enough candles to keep the place illuminated in the evenings. I have often observed that it must be much like living in a cave--particularly since, in the winter, gales blow through the old place--I give you my word, gales! It’s nigh impossible to keep the candles lit.”

  Mr. Meeks gave her a condescending look as he paused at a door along the corridor. “We have gaslights, Miss Shirley, in most of the public rooms and many of the bed chambers, as well.”

  “You don’t say!” Lynette exclaimed. “So modern! I do feel uneasy about the gas, though.”

  Meeks managed a thin smile. “We are very careful, Miss Shirley. You need have no fears there.” He transferred his attention to Kathryn as he opened the door. “This will be the blue room, Miss Kathryn. I trust you will be comfortable here?”

  Kathryn glanced into the room. “Where will Lynnette be?”

  “Just there, Miss Kathryn,” he replied, pointing to the next door down. “I thought, you being a stranger to the place, that you would be more comfortable with Miss Shirley close by and the old house is quite empty now. Lord Huntington lives here alone so all of the bed chambers, save his, are available.”

  Relieved, Kathryn followed him inside and smiled politely as he pointed out the room’s amenities. When he’d left again, she settled in a chair beside the hearth, warming her toes and trying to chase the chill of her cool welcome.

  She found it impossible to dismiss the impression that Lord Huntington was less than thrilled to find himself in the position of her guardian. She supposed she should not have expected anything else. Dermot had not been very happy when she had come to live with him either, despite the fact that it was he who had tracked her down and taken her to Elk Park.

  She supposed it was for much the same reason--a great desire to have no more responsibility than absolutely necessary and the uneasy feeling that she would be a bother, particularly since he was accustomed to doing pretty much as he pleased.

  She stiffened her spine. She and Dermot had learned to rub along quite well together. She was certain, if he would only give her a chance, she could prove to Lord Huntington that she would not a be burden to him either--perhaps not an asset, but not an encumbrance.

  She was very independent and quite capable of taking care of herself. She had been no more than five when she had gone to live at Elk Park, if that much, and she had managed well enough until he had hired Lynette.

  In fact, she had managed completely on her own for several months between the time of her mother’s death and the time that Dermot had sent someone to find her. She was very resourceful.

  She had not seen so much as a spark of recognition when Sebastian had looked at her, she realized suddenly. She had been so awed by him, she had not been in any state to notice his reaction at the time--except that she had thought that he found her attractive. Now, she realized she had misread everything. He had not been stunned to see she was all grown up into a woman because he hadn’t remembered the child she had been. He had just been stunned--probably at the magnitude of the responsibility he had accepted.

  That didn’t make sense either, though.

  Until she recalled his question about Dermot.

  He had thought she was a child, she realized suddenly! When he had agreed to accept guardianship, it was because his friendship with Dermot had made him feel an obligation to his child and when he realized that she wasn’t a child at all, he had rushed out.

  He had probably hurried off to find stuffy old Mr. Winston about the papers!

  She surged out of the chair at that and began to pace the room, but she was too agitated to think. After a few moments, she left the room and tapped on Lynette’s door.

  To her relief, Lynette opened it. “Why--child! You look as if you’ve seen a ghost. What is the matter?”

  Kathryn felt her chin wobble at the sympathy on the other woman’s face. “I think he means to send me away.”