Free The Earl's Desire by Alexia Praks Page A

Ross and a parlor maid, Emma, entered the drawing room with tea set just as the guests reached the main entrance. Their tasks finished, they left the room.
    Emma couldn’t contain herself and rushed below stairs, squealing with delight, “Did ye see her? Oh God, she is so beautiful. Oh, Master Chris, Lady Anne is here, and she’s so beautiful.” She jumped up and down with joy.
    “ Really, Emma. You don’t have to act as though God has finally made you a princess,” Betty, another parlor maid with dark brown hair and blue eyes, retorted sarcastically.
    “ Hah, Betty, you’re just jealous ’cause I’m going to win the bet,” Emma retorted.
    Christine grinned. It looked like Emma was going to win the bet she and Betty had over who was going to be Merrick’s new bride. With Merrick returning from London a full month before the season was to end and virtually accompanied by Lady Anne and her family, the servants’ gossip had increased about the possibility of a new countess.
    “ Emma, Betty, the luggage,” Mrs. Ross said from the door. “And you, too, Master Chris. You must meet the guests,” she said and left again.
    “ Mayhap we can get a peek at Lady Anne,” Emma said, looking pointedly at Betty.
    “ Oh, that girl,” Betty said through gritted teeth. “She thinks she has won the bet already. Huh, we’ll see about that. Come, Master Chris.” She snorted and walked toward the kitchen door.
    They arrived in the hallway and halted. There they stood and stared wide-eyed at the mountain of bags that the footmen and maids had just dumped from the many carriages outside.
    “ God!” Betty exclaimed, putting her hands to her forehead, pretending to faint as she looked at Christine.
    Christine giggled. She clamped her mouth shut with both her hands. Since Merrick had deserted her months ago for London, she had felt lonely and found companionship with the servants. She was a part of them now—one of the close-knit family. She even helped them out daily with the chores even though they had refused to let her touch a thing at first. She had told them firmly that she must earn her keep and she would do so by helping them out with the chores. Besides that, she had told them, she would be bored to death if she were to do nothing. That was when they had told her she should learn to do housekeeping since, after all, she was the earl’s ward. And so began her lesson on housekeeping with both Mr. and Mrs. Ross, who found it a pleasure teaching her for she was a fast learner. Now, after Christine had put her hands into spring cleaning the Hall, the place looked bright and very inviting, and the servants had said so to her with delight. Mrs. Ross had said to her at one time that she had the imagination and tactic of a woman instead of a young man. And Christine had blushed with delight with that compliment.
    Betty shook her head and started to pick up a bag.
    “ Give me that one, Betty. I’ll help you,” Christine said.
    “ Are you sure, Master Chris?” Betty asked, her eyes large.
    “ Of course, I wanted to see this Lady Anne. See how she treats people like me . Now pass that to me.” Christine gave out her hands.
    “ Oh, good idea,” Betty giggled. “Here then.” She dumped the bag into Christine’s arms.
    Christine caught it, and because of the weight she crashed to the floor. “Good Lord, what’s in there?” she exclaimed, pushed herself up, and rubbed her backside.
    “ I’m so sorry, Master Chris,” Betty said apologetically.
    “ I’m all right, Betty. Now let’s go.” Christine walked to the stairs. Betty picked one herself and followed.
    “ Hmm, I wonder who these bags belonged to.” Betty frowned and stopped abruptly, causing Christine to halt behind her to avoid them crashing into each other.
    “ Excuse me!” They heard a voice from down the hall somewhere. They turned to the left of the corridor and saw a maid hovering near one of the guests’ rooms.
    “ Come here. Those bags belong