The Bride Sale by Candice Hern Read Free Book Online Page A

Verity could get her to talk. “Thank you,” she repeated, more controlled this time.
    â€œMrs. Tregelly, she do say I’m to maid ’ee whilst yer at Pendurgan, ma’am,” the girl said and bobbed an awkward curtsey. “My name’s Gonetta.” She stood facing Verity, hands behind her back, head lowered.
    â€œA pretty name,” Verity said. “Most unusual.”
    The girl shrugged. “’Tis but an old Cornish name, ma’am. Common ’nuff round these parts.”
    â€œNot common to me, I’m afraid,” Verity said, reaching for any topic that might get the girl talking. “I’ve never been to Cornwall, and so the language and names are quite new to me.” She attempted a friendly smile.
    The girl smiled readily in return. “I do hear tell,” she said while fussing with the towels, “that folks from up country do find it hard to get their tonguesround our words ofttimes. But don’t ’ee be worrin’ none. If ’ee do be stayin’ awhile, ’ee be gettin’ used to it soon ’nuff.”
    Staying awhile.
    â€œMeanwhile, ’ee just tells us to slow down when our talk’s not so clear. Now, me brother Tomas—he do be the footman what brung yer trunk up—he don’t be sayin’ much anyhow, so ’ee ought not have no trouble wid him. But me…Ma tells me I do rattle on fast as can be most times, but I’ll try to be extra careful with ’ee, ma’am, ’ee bein’ a foreigner an all.”
    Al tray tuh bay exter cawrfil wid ee, mum, ee bain ah furriner an awl . The accent was thick and unusual to Verity’s ear, as hard to decipher as that of a Yorkshire-man.
    It was difficult not to smile at this seemingly ingenuous young girl, regardless of her role in this drama. But Verity had her own role to consider, and not necessarily the one assigned her. She would never have thought herself capable of dissimulation of any kind, but at the moment she thought she might be capable of any number of things, just to get out of here.
    She forced a wider smile. “Thank you, Gonetta. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. And I am—”
    â€œMiz Osborne. I do know all about ’ee, ma’am.”
    Verity winced as though slapped. Of course, she would already be the subject of servants’ gossip. What must they all think of her, a woman purchased at auction?
    â€œMa do say as how ’ee be his lordship’s cousin and all,” Gonetta went on. “And as how ’ee lost yer husband real sudden, like. I do be right sorry to hear that, ma’am. And as how ’ee had no place else ter go.’Tis a real shame, ’tis, all that grief and hardship fallin’ down on ’ee all at once, like.”
    So, she was to be Lord Harkness’s cousin? She had wondered how he would explain her sudden appearance, or even if explanations were necessary. For all she knew, it might have been common enough for him to bring home unknown young women. She had assumed she would be acknowledged as his lordship’s doxy, and that she would, in fact, be precisely that. Perhaps it was still the plan, but he was masking his intentions with this cousin story.
    She shivered at the thought of all that implied, but it did not matter. Verity did not intend to stay around long enough to find out.
    â€œEa, but listen at me!” Gonetta exclaimed, blushing to the roots of her carroty hair. “I do got no right to be sayin’ such things to ’ee. Beg pardon, ma’am, but me tongue it do run on sometimes.” She caught her lower lip in her teeth, apparently flustered at the perceived breach of familiarity.
    Gonetta’s nervous babbling was precisely what Verity needed at the moment. Fortunately, no prompting was necessary.
    â€œâ€™Tis a fine old place, Pendurgan be,” Gonetta went on, looking up once again. “Old as the tors, almost. I do hope