Miss Nothing (Unexpected Heirs)

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

H er arms were sore, she was out of breath, her face was burning and sweating… and by the time she’d carried three heavy trays of ices up two flights of stairs, she had a fresh appreciation for the difficulties faced by servants.

She wasn’t afraid of work. Before her mother had died, she’d made certain that her daughter knew how to darn socks, mend clothes and lace, and do all sorts of other household tasks. Even a lady needed useful skills… particularly if that lady’s father were improvident, and her family was perpetually short of money.

But this was different. She suspected that her mother would be appalled if she could see her daughter scuttling around as a bad-tempered French cook shouted abuse at a battalion of cowed servants.

Worse, if Mr. Keynsham were to see her… But no. She put that out of her mind. What Mr. Keynsham thought could not matter. After tonight, she’d never see him again.

The important thing now was not to make a scene. She had to learn to keep her head down and her thoughts to herself, and not get herself into any situation that might draw attention.

Besides, there were only so many ices in the world. The end of this must be in sight. Then she’d leave London, and—with any luck—disappear from the face of the earth.

Upstairs again, backing through the door again, setting down the tray again… Mechanically, she laid out the ices as she’d been shown.

She was hungry and tired and thirsty, and Stephen the footman had told her that the work must be completed before the doors to the ballroom were thrown open and the guests came in to help themselves.

Downstairs again through a blur of exhaustion… and now there was a commotion at the kitchen door as a large straw-stuffed crate was carried in.

The huge molded ice dessert—decorated with candied violets and rose petals and gold leaf—had been hurried through the streets from a pastry-maker’s cold room at the last possible moment. Two footmen were to carry it ceremoniously into the saloon at shoulder height just as the guests were invited in to take a refreshing rest from dancing.

The butler himself supervised the careful of the placement of the dessert on the massive silver tray. He swung around to face her. “You! There is a tray of dessert cups still to go up. You shall not be paid if the work is not finished!”

The young footman—Stephen—tried to intervene. “I can take them, sir.”

The butler’s face was crimson with fury. “You are needed to carry the molded ice!”

She grabbed the tray of cups and rushed back up the stairs, very nearly tripping on the hem of her gown. Once again she pushed open the door to the saloon with her backside, swung around… and froze.

A young lady and a gentleman in a dark blue officer’s jacket were standing by the tall windows… in each others’ arms, kissing.

She stood in the doorway. What was she to do? They hadn’t noticed her. As she watched, the gentleman tugged the lady’s gown down her shoulder and lavished kisses on the bared skin. The lady, meanwhile, had her head thrown back and her eyes closed.

It was scandalous. Her body went cold with shock, then hot with embarrassment. She ought not to be seeing such a thing. But they were so lost in each other that they hadn’t noticed her at all.

Ought she to cough loudly? If she crept out of the room and took the tray back downstairs, the butler would shout at her. And if that happened, she thought that she might cry. No doubt a real servant was trained to know how to handle such a situation. All she knew was that her arms were shaking with fatigue, and that if she didn’t put the heavy tray down soon she’d drop it.

Before she could decide what to do, the double doors on the wall opposite silently opened a few inches. A lady with white hair and a rose pink gown peeped inside. She saw the kissing couple. A triumphant smile appeared on her face before she silently closed the doors again.

A second later a brassy flourish of trumpets sounded. “His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales!” bawled a man. The doors that the lady had peeped through were flung wide open.

The young couple sprang apart.