Free Miss Milton Speaks Her Mind by Carla Kelly Page A

almost feel the weight lift from him and sink onto her own shoulders. “I will blame you entirely, Mr. Butterworth,” she murmured out loud as Andrew left the room. “And if I lose whatever standing I have in this house, you will have to find me a situation elsewhere.”
    She sat another quarter hour in the dining room, watching the hands of the clock and wondering why she had promised any such thing to Andrew. She rose finally, and then sat back down again because her ankles seemed weak. “It is merely your spine, Jane Milton,” she told herself. “Push off now.” She walked slowly upstairs to Lord Denby’s room.
    Stanton answered her knock. “Is something wrong, Miss Mitten?” he asked, and she knew that even the slow walk from the dining table to Lord Denby’s chambers had not erased the unease on her face.
    â€œ No, Stanton, nothing is wrong,” she replied. “Well, there is a small matter, but it is something I have determined to ask … no, to tell … Lord Denby, and it will only take a moment. Is he still awake?”
    The butler nodded. “He was looking at the book again.” He shook his head. “Do you know, he reads that first essay over and over. You know, the silly story about Lieutenant Jeremy Dill and the amorous landlady. I wonder why?”
    â€œ I cannot imagine, Stanton, particularly since his own life is so spotless of moral wrong,” she replied. “Except ….” She could not finish, wondering what to make of a man who believed rumors about his own grandson.
    She took her accustomed place beside Lord Denby’s bed, grateful again that his sister had gone to London. If only she will stay away until Christmas, Jane thought, as she watched Lord Denby, who lay before her with his eyes closed. She could not help but think of Blair, and the days and nights she had sat at his bedside. I do not care for deathbed watches, she decided.
    â€œ Lord Denby?” she began. “I have something particular to say to you.”
    She did not know if he slept, so she kept her voice low. He opened his eyes immediately.
    â€œ You don’t have to shout, Jane,” he said.
    â€œ I’m not shouting, my lord,” she replied, almost more amused than afraid. “I am merely speaking firmly.”
    â€œ Well, you don’t do that very often,” he retorted.
    She took a deep breath. “Lord Denby, I have decided that Andrew is not returning to the vicar’s Latin School. The other boys were rude to him about his mother, and I do not care if you think I am coddling him, but he will not be sent back for more abuse, not from little twerps who only repeat the gossip their parents inflict upon them.” She would have said more, except that she was out of breath. She sat back, amazed at herself and afraid to look at Lord Denby.
    When a minute passed and he said nothing, she looked at him and braced herself. To her further amazement, his eyes were closed and there was even a peaceful expression on his face. Dear God, I have killed him, she thought in horror as she reached for his wrist to take his pulse.
    To her relief, it beat quite steadily. She cleared her throat. “I thought you might have some commentary on the matter, Lord Denby,” she said at last, when he seemed disinclined to contribute anything.
    He opened his eyes again. “I don’t know why you should expect such a thing, Jane, since you appear to have reached a decision and have only come to inform me of it.”
    She glanced at Stanton, who appeared as surprised as she was. “You’re not going to insist that I send Andrew back?” she asked, when she could not contain herself.
    Lord Denby shrugged. “You would probably only remove Andrew again, and then march in here with another ultimatum. Do as you wish, Jane, but I do expect Andrew to be ready for Harrow in a year or two.”
    Don’t stop now, Jane, she thought.