Chapter Two #3
“I am trying to explain to this…chailin…this horrid man, whoever he is, that I am a guest of the Merricks, but he refuses to let me enter.” The lilt in her voice was unmistakenly Irish.
“Good God!” Richard could not hide his shock. “You cannot be Miss Rafferty?”
“That I am,” she snapped. “And I have repeatedly demanded to speak with the Earl of Seldon. He is my guardian.”
“I am the Earl of Seldon.”
It was Miss Rafferty’s turn to look astonished. “But I supposed the earl to be much older.”
Richard tamped down a wave of irritation. Was his age a discussion topic once more, and in the middle of High Street?
“Surely you don’t expect my majordomo to allow an unknown visitor into my house without suitable references?” Richard asked in the iciest manner possible.
Instead of appearing cowed, the infernal woman lifted her chin haughtily. “And I suppose these are London ways, rudely denying entry to an expected guest?”
“Not another word, Miss Rafferty. We shall all go inside with no further discussion in public. Unless”—he lifted a brow—“this is how things are done in Dublin?”
Her fair cheeks reddened, but she appeared far from chastised.
Richard rounded on Hansen. “And you, fetch a footman and bring the luggage into the house. This minute, Hansen.”
The majordomo glared at Miss Rafferty and opened his mouth, then clamped it shut. He stiffly climbed the front stairs to the house.
His mother had disappeared, presumably hiding inside. He turned back to the disaster at his gate. “Miss Rafferty, in the house, if you please. Jerome, take the horses to the stable.”
To his amazement, neither Jerome nor Miss Rafferty took a step. The tiger coughed none too discreetly and wagged his head at the hackney driver waiting on the curb.
“Eh, now…’oo’s to pay me?” the burly figure demanded. Richard winced; the man sounded just as rough as he looked. Where in God’s name had she found him?
“I brung this ’ere young lady and her load o’ belongings all the way from the harbor with nary a pence. You, my fine gent, owe me some scratch.”
He jabbed a filthy finger at Richard, who noticed the small crowd of neighbors and passersby congregated across the street. Evidently, they were watching the disaster unfold in front of his home, both shocked and entertained, if he were to hazard a guess.
“You—’is Lordship, or ’ooever you be—”
Richard turned back to the driver “Are you addressing me?” he enquired in freezing tones. “If so, you may use the title the Earl of Seldon. What is it you are owed?”
“A crown,” the driver growled, holding out his hand.
“I spent all the money I have on the passage, Lord Seldon,” Miss Rafferty explained, not in the least embarrassed. “But my solicitor will transfer funds to your bank, I assure you.”
“May we not discuss finances on the street?” he replied, clenching his teeth. “Inside, if you please, Miss Rafferty. I will take care of your transportation.”
Richard heaved a sigh of relief as she turned to climb the brick stairs into the house and the onlookers began to dissipate. He reached into his pocket and handed the hackney an excess of coins.
After the hired carriage had rolled away and the trunks and various pieces of luggage were brought into the house, he followed to find his guest standing in the atrium surrounded by an astounding amount of baggage.
“Miss Rafferty, please follow my footman to my library, and I shall join you momentarily,” he requested and was vaguely surprised when she nodded and followed his servant.
He approached his distraught mother, who hovered on the side with Valentina.
“Of all the things…” she moaned. “Hansen and Miss Rafferty in that dreadful exchange on the street—and then that horrible hackney coach. I do sincerely hope Lady Wilkins wasn’t lurking in the crowd. That woman will be sure to tell everyone.”
Richard thought it better not to mention he had seen Henrietta Wilkins’s towering coiffure in the crowd outside his house.
He had stifled his initial impulse to refuse Miss Rafferty entrance and send her back to the dock to find the first ship home. But there was nothing to be done until morning when he would determine the full extent of his predicament by a visit to Falworth.
It seemed she would spend the night, at least.
“Should we have Miss Ernest bring Octavia down, Richard?” Valentina asked. “It is almost time for tea.”
“Let me speak with this Miss Rafferty first and try to shed some light on her circumstances. In the meantime, Mother, I think you should plan on an extra guest for dinner. It’s doubtful we’ll resolve this matter before I see our solicitor tomorrow.”
“Richard, that was no girl. She is quite the young woman. And a very strong-minded one. Certainly there is some mistake.” But Lady Amelia did not sound very hopeful, and neither was he.
“Perhaps.” He gently kissed her scented cheek. “Don’t worry, Mother. I shall see to it.”
“Thank you for the carriage ride today, Richard,” Valentina teased. “And for the amusing melodrama afterward. Good luck with Miss Rafferty.”
He shot her a quelling glance and left to meet with his unwelcome ward.