The Dress of the Season by Kate Noble Read Free Book Online Page A

passed when I was thirteen, and my brother John was already of age then, so the elder Lord Osterley’s guardianship was fairly nominal. After all, Sylvia and I stayed in our little house, while my brother went about completing his medical training. We wanted for nothing.”
    Mrs. Smith’s breath hitched, her eyes shining with wetness. “But the epidemic came,” she sighed, all of her world-weary starch gone.
    “Many died. As many as half the village of Whitney.”
    “I was told that his lordship’s parents died of the disease. Did your brother—”
    “Yes.” Felicity replied roughly. “He . . . my stepmother contracted the disease, and insisted that my brother and I be sent away to avoid becoming ill. But John, then a doctor, insisted on staying. Apparently he tried everything to save Lord and Lady Osterley, but . . .” Felicity cleared her throat, trying to keep her emotions in check. “Then my brother contracted the illness, too. Anyway, that is how I became the current Lord Osterley’s ward. Whether or not he has mentioned having one. Feel free to ask around the village. This is as much my home as his.”
    “M-Miss Grove,” Mrs. Smith began, in a stutter. “I apologize profusely. I had absolutely no right to make such assumptions—or even to speak like that to a guest. Although, you’re not a guest, I don’t know what I was thinking.”
    “Neither do I,” Felicity replied wryly. “Honestly, Osterley is the least lascivious man in the world.” Which made his recent actions—buying a gown for Mrs. Grace, and last night’s odd behavior toward her—all the more astonishing. “Do you know what they call him in town?” She asked Mrs. Smith, pitching her voice low, conspiratorially. “‘Austere Osterley.’”
    Mrs. Smith gave a relieved smile, and nodded. “I well believe it. I’ve been working for him for two years and have yet to see him slouch.”
    “I’ve been his ward for four and from what I can tell, his spine is not capable of bending.”
    The two women laughed together. Then, meekly, Mrs. Smith asked, “So, you will not tell his lordship about my grievous mistake?”
    Felicity regarded her. The woman seemed younger now, although gray still came in at her temples and lines fanned out from her eyes. But there was vulnerability in her posture. Felicity got the impression that life had not been easy for her—and even from her quick walk through the house she could tell Mrs. Smith was a good housekeeper. Everyone deserved to have a second chance, she thought. Besides, Felicity’s normal sense of fun and enjoyment in life would not allow her to be the ruination of another person’s.
    “Only if I feel like he needs a laugh,” Felicity replied, with a twinkle in her eye, her normal bounciness returning to her. “His most marked feeling for me is indifference. No one who knows us would ever think that Osterley could have romantic intentions toward me!”

Chapter Five
    Supper was served promptly at eight—much later than the country house staff was used to, but Osterley’s clothes were the problem. Namely they had to be dried before a fire, before he could put them back on. Thus, the meal was served later than usual. He could kick himself for leaving his valet in London—Daniels would have thought to at least pack a small valise. But then again, it was foolish to make the old man travel when Osterley had intended to be back in London that very same evening.
    And he would be little worse for wear when he arrived back in London on the morrow. Although his clothes would still not be up to Daniels’ fastidious habits, he suspected.
    A supposition that was confirmed when Felicity joined him at the dinner table, freshly scrubbed and warmly dressed in a high-neck muslin gown and shawl.
    “If Daniels could see you now,” she said, shaking her head.
    “Yes, he’ll take a certain delight in reprimanding me tomorrow.” Osterley smiled. He couldn’t help noticing that Felicity was