Free The Earl's Desire by Alexia Praks Page B

to Lady Anne,” the maid said, waving her hand at them to come toward her.
    Christine and Betty looked at each other, smiling. They knew this was their chance for a meeting. They picked up the bags and staggered toward the woman as she opened the door wider.
    “ Here, you two can set them over there.” She pointed in the direction of the bed. They followed her instruction and placed the bags near the bed in the center of the room. Christine was about to walk to the door when she heard a sharp voice behind her.
    “ Claire! Do come help me with this stupid gown. It’s too tight on me. Oh God, I can’t breathe! This corset is killing me. Damn it, Claire, hurry up. Can’t you see I’m suffocating?”
    Christine eyed the beautiful woman. She was at a loss for words as she stared at the angelic form. The woman had golden-blond hair that was formed into ringlets high on her head with some curls dropping down that rested about at her breasts. Her skin was petal white and smooth like ivory. She was slender and tall. Suddenly, Christine felt like she was dirt next to a diamond.
    “ Aye, my lady, I’m so sorry.” Claire, the lady’s maid, scurried to help the woman with her dress.
    “ You two,” the woman turned her eyes on them, “Don’t just stand there. Leave at once. You should know your duties. Have you no manners? Leave, I say!” She shouted at the two of them, pointing a delicate, slender finger at them.
    Christine felt a pang of shock. She and Betty glanced at each other and quickly left.
    “ Servants these days have no manners,” Anne muttered as though there was poison in her mouth.
    Christine and Betty went down, got more bags, and came back up. Claire quickly helped them put the bags down and checked both bags for something. “It’s not here,” she murmured to herself.
    “ Found it yet?” Anne asked.
    “ Nay, my lady. I’ll go down myself and find it,” the maid said and rushed to the door.
    “ Wait!” Anne snapped. “Come back and undo my corset.”
    “ What about the perfume?” Claire asked.
    Christine’s and Betty’s eyes met.
    “ I want that, too,” Anne snapped.
    “ But—”
    Anne sighed and looked heavenward. “Those two can find it for you. Come and undo this corset for me. Hurry!” she said through gritted teeth.
    Claire nodded nervously and rushed to Christine and Betty. “Please, find a bag for me. It’s green with red strips. Please hurry. You don’t want Lady Anne to, err, get annoyed.”
    Christine looked at the maid and saw the frightened look in her eyes. She herself had worn that look before, when Mr. Brad had been around, watching her and trying to find faults in her work. Then he had whipped her even though she hadn’t made any mistake at all. It was fear, that look the maid was wearing. Would Lady Anne whip Claire if she did something wrong? The very thought brought forward a lump in her throat, and she pitied the maid. To ease the maid’s mind, she nodded her head firmly, and she and Betty rushed out.
    “ Good Lord, did you see her, Master Chris? Just look at the way she speaks to us, as though we are nothing but rubbish, and we’re not even her servants. I feel sorry for that maid,” Betty muttered as they descended the stairs.
    “ She is very pretty though, isn’t she, Betty?” Christine said.
    “ What? Don’t say you’re one of them, too? Falling head over heels in love with that witch,” Betty said disgustedly and sniffed noisily.
    “ Well, she is pretty,” Christine put in firmly.
    “ Huh, come on, Master Chris. If you listen to me, I advise you to pay no heed to that witch and stay away from her. She’s bad, I tell you.”
    Christine found herself trying to keep up with the maid’s hurrying steps. They were only two steps away from ground floor when she lost her footing and crashed into Betty. They tumbled down the last couple of steps and landed flat on their faces on the polished marble floor.
    She was sore all over. Christine was sure she