An Artful Deception (6 page)

“
Yes, I can see why you intrigue my mother. You intrigue me, also. I would like to know more about you. Who were your parents and where did you grow up?”

Katharine decided it would be best to conclude the interview. “And I shall be glad to answer. Only now, I must see to the needs of Lady Charlesworth. I am sure her patience, great as it must be, will not stretch to allow tardiness.”

Philip nodded agreeably as he stepped aside to let her pass. “Anther time, then.”

He watched her ascend the stairs, still bothered by something he could not identify. She intrigued him and he did not know why. It was not only because she was attractive, though she was indeed pleasant to behold. He had never taken more than a passing fancy to the other young maids.

Katharine continued her journey to Lady Charlesworth’schambers. She paused at the doorway to steady her breathing. She did not want to answer rouse questions as to the reason for her discomposure.

She found Lady Charlesworth just arising. “My but I have slept soundly. Come here quickly and help me ready for luncheon. I do want to see my husband and son before they rush off again. I have little to do these long afternoons except for napping and reading Lord Byron.”

She pointed to a book of collected poems that lay next to her pillow. Without thinking, Katharine quoted the first stanza of her favorite, “Oh, Snatched Away in Beauty’s Bloom.”

Lady Charlesworth stared at her in surprise. “You are versed in poetry?”

Katharine felt mild irritation that the lady would be so astounded. “Indeed. I have read a great many poems and memorized more than a few.”

“
How delightful.I must confess to my surprise at finding a young maid with a serious penchant for poetry. I shall convince my son to read aloud tonight. He does quite often when I ask him, you know. He is quite good at reading aloud. You may bring some of my mending down and listen, if you would like.”

Katharine’s cheeks flushed with warmth at the memory of how close he had stood upon the stairs. He was intriguing to her, a mysterious metamorphosis, yet to be unraveled. She longed to know him better, to know what she might have discovered had she not trapped herself in deceit.

She decided quickly. The draw of spending an evening listening to his richly masculine voice read words of love and loss was too much to deny herself. “I should be very pleased to listen to a reading by Lord Charlesworth.”

Lady Charlesworth looked pleased with herself. “Then you shall join us. Now hurry and fetch my mint green gown. I want to wear something cheerful, for chilly weather and gloomy clouds get tedious. I look forward to arriving in London where there will, at least, be parties and balls. We would have gone sooner, except that we were awaiting the arrival of Lady Katharine.”

She slipped into her gown and added, “Mind you, I know the dear girl could not help upsetting our plans and I do not hold it against her. The House has not resumed its session, so we did not need to be in London. However, it would have been so jolly to be there over the Christmas season.”

Katharine got Lady Charlesworth situated into her dress and slippers and on her way down to luncheon. When she returned, they spent quite some time collecting garments that needed mending. Katharine took them up to her attic room and began work on them.

When Lizzy finished her duties she took an early dinner with Katharine. Then they retired to Katharine’s chamber where Lizzy sat at the small dressing table and allowed Katharine to try and force her dark locks into submission. She giggled at Katharine’s effort.

“
Here, you sit down and let me try it with your hair.”

Katharine sat in the chair and Lizzy began, smoothly sweeping Katharine’s copper hair into a smooth coil with ringlets down the back.

“
That is it, exactly,” Katharine exclaimed. “That is what Lady Charlesworth wants.”

“
Then I shall show you again and you can practice on me.”

Lizzy patiently showed Katharine each step. After several practices on Lizzy, Katharine finally mastered the skill. Lizzy looked at her reflection with approval.

“
There. You have done it. I knew you could.”

Katharine grinned ruefully. “I could not have done it without your help. You are the one who should be a lady’s maid, not I.”

“
Do you think so? As I have told you, I would dearly love to rise to it someday.”

“
You shall. I feel sure of it.”

When Katharine helped Lady Charlesworth’s attire for dinner, the lady was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of her hair. “Why, it looks just like it did when my Bertha did it. You are a quick learner.”

“
I had some help. The parlor maid, Lizzy, showed me how it was done.”

Lady Charlesworth nodded vaguely. She paid little attention to the names of parlor maids. “However you did it is of no consequence to me. Perhaps, you could learn other fashionable styles before we go to London.”

Katherine wanted to sigh with exasperation. Yet, she knew the patient Lizzy would help her. Better still, when the time was right, she would suggest that Lizzy come with them to London.”

Her thoughts were interrupted when Lady Charlesworth said, “Remember, you may join us at nine o’clock when we gather in the library.”

“
I shall not forget,” Katharine assured her.

While Lady Charlesworth was at dinner, Katharine sorted through her own wardrobe, trying unsuccessfully to decide on a gown to wear to the drawing room. It should not be too formal or they would wonder where she had got it. And yet, she wanted very much to look her best and the style of many of Ginny’s gowns did not suit her at all.

She finally settled upon a glossygreen batiste from her own wardrobe that complimented her eyes without being too formal. The long sleeves had tiny bows at the shoulders, then pleated to narrow cuffs at her wrists. As she stood at the mirror and surveyed her reflection, she felt her confidence grow. She was still Lady Katharine Kirby. Nothing could change that fact, not even her silly lie. Soon she would find a way to rectify both her situation and her title and all would be well.

Her confidence did not desert her as she made her way to the library with a garment to be mended. Lady Charlesworth and her husband were just going into the room. Katharine followed behind them and gazed with longing at shelf upon shelf of all sorts of books. In the light of the wall scones, Katharine recognized a few titles that she had in her possession.

“
I do hope Mrs. Parker has instructed the fire to be made warm. I shall be very vexed if it is chilly,” Lady Charlesworth commented.

“
I am sure you would be vexed indeed,” agreed her husband. “But see, it is a roaring blaze.”

Katharine took in the massive stone fireplace that roared with a red blaze, casting its heat upon the thickly upholstered chairs that sat nearby. Lady Charlesworth took a seat near the fire while Lord Charlesworth took a seat in a chair with a footstool in the corner of the room. He set his candle upon a small table and absorbed himself in a paper of current interest.

Lady Charlesworth motioned to Katharine to take a seat in one of the three chairs beside the fire. “Lord Philip will join us in a moment. He is keen to amuse me.”

As she promised, Philip appeared in the doorway, handsome beyond measure in a black dining coat that rested perfectly upon his broad shoulders. Katharine felt her eyes drawn to him as he settled into the third chair. His dark hair glistened in the firelight. His hands were strong and capable as they opened the cover of the leather bound volume of poetry.

He glanced at Katharine. “Mother tells me that you are familiar with Lord Byron’s works.”

“
I am a little acquainted,” Katharine answered.

“
Then I shall hope that my reading will do justice to their merit.”

He began with a poem about the churchyard of Harrow. It took her back to her childhood with her happy hopes and her memories of hours whiled hours away in carefree play. It reminded her of the pain of losing her parents, Mamá several years ago and Papá only last month. Philip finished the poem with a passion of feeling that stirred her senses. She bent over the seam that she was mending and blinked back tears.

He asked her softly. “Did you not like the poem? I did not mean to make you sad.”

She answered without raising her eyes. “I like it very much. You did it great credit by your reading.”

“
I do not think my mother was much impressed. She has fallen asleep.”

Katharine gave a glance at Lady Charlesworth to find that she was indeed slumbering lightly.

Philip continued to observe Katharine. “Do you like to read?”

“
I do. I had a great many volumes to choose from at Lady Kirby’s estate. I even own a few of my own. Jane Austen is a current favorite. I am reading PRIDE AND PREJUDICE for the second time and enjoying it every bit as much as the first reading.”

“
Ah, I have not read that one, but have heard a little about it. I shall have to read it since you have recommended it so highly.”

Katharine bent back to her work.

“
You may read any book you like in this library or in London,” Philip offered.

Katharine smiled. “That is a kind offer and one that I shall remember.”

A huge log crashed on the grate. Lady Charlesworth stirred and opened her eyes. “I must have gone to sleep. Forgive me, Philip. It is so very stuffy in these rooms. I would not be so lethargic if I were in London.”

From his corner of the room, Lord Charlesworth sighed and said, “One week, we will leave for London in one week.”

Lady Charlesworth sat bolt upright. “One week? That hardly gives me time to get ready. Why, I will have to rush madly to get everything in order.”

“
I am sure that you will manage somehow, my dear.”

Philip smiled at Katharine, an intimate smile that she was not likely to forget.

CHAPTER FOUR

True to her word, Lady Charlesworth threw herself into a dither of activity in order to meet the goal of leaving for Londonin one week’s time. She rushed about ordering the packing of gowns and jewelry and overseeing the collection of small household items that she wished to take along. Katharine became out of breath merely trying to keep up with her often overlapping demands.

“
Put my pearls in the case, and, oh yes, go and ask Mrs. Parker to collect the best gold candle holders. I shall want those for my dinner parties.”

Katharine flew about, trying her best to remember all that she had been told. The packing she had done to come here and begin a new life seemed simple by contrast. Yet she had learned by now that Lady Charlesworth rarely did anything in a way that was simple. She seemed to thrive on the excitement of upheaval.

When the week was at last nearly past and all was done well enough for the lady’s approval, Katharine was disappointed to learn that Lord Philip had already ridden ahead to London. “He shall see to the opening up of our house on Park Lane. Have you ever been to the Mayfair section?”

“
No, I have not,” Katharine murmured around the pins that were stuck in the gown that she was mending for Lady Charlesworth

“
Indeed, I suppose not. It is truly lovely. Our residence overlooks the great greensward of Hyde Park. We shall walk there when we have a mind to do so and take our carriage to Grosvenor Square. I can hardly wait.”

Katharine put the last pin in the dress and said, “I have been meaning to ask if you would consent to bringing the parlor maid, Lizzy, with us. She is a wonder with hair and quite good with fashion.”

Lady Charlesworth glanced at the stitches Katharine was putting into the hem and sighed. “And perhaps she is adept with sewing, also. Bring her along if you would like.”

Her train of thought shifted and she asked. “Where did we put my calling cards?”