The Hourglass by Bárbara Metzger Read Free Book Online

gossip.”
    “For myself, I do not.”
    “If you are concerned with my reputation, staying at the same hotel and traveling with you, then we can hold the ceremony in a nearby church here and worry about the particulars later,” she offered, still not certain of her fiancé’s religious beliefs. For all she knew, he could choose to be wedded by a warlock.
    “No, everything must be aboveboard, without question. I would have no one doubt the legitimacy of our union. As you said, there will be gossip aplenty without a mourning period, and again when the child is born too early to be of my blood. There would be more if we did not marry. Let no one think either of us is unhappy with the match. I would wed you in London’s grandest cathedral, in front of the king if I could.”
    The king was almost as mad as Lord Ardeth.
    Fearing that time and distance would let Genie doubt her decision, he kept her busy with visits to the wounded soldiers, calls on the consulate, and dress fittings when he found a seamstress willing to take up her needle again. He bought her gifts, gloves and books and candied sweets—almost like a real betrothal, almost like a man in love. He ignored the scandalized looks, the matrons’ titters, the soldiers’ snickers, so Genie tried to, also.
    None of the officers’ wives came to call on Genie, not to offer congratulations or condolences. Everyone wanted to speak with Lord Ardeth. When the earl was consulting with bankers and generals and surgeons and ambassadors, giving his advice and getting their cooperation for the wedding and the return to England, he made sure Genie was not alone. He knew she would fret herself into a panic. That panicked her worse, that he understood her so well, while she understood him not at all.
    His man Campbell was full of praise for his lordship, but the sergeant could not explain where his new employer had come from, how he learned his healing techniques, or what a rich nob was doing in the middle of a war. The soldier had met the earl mere hours before Genie had, and Lord Ardeth had helped with the horses, which were Campbell’s first love. Lord Ardeth was arranging Campbell’s discharge from the army, and that was enough—that and a well-paying position and passage back home. He was to be the earl’s man-of-all-work, footman, valet, and groom until they were home. Then he was to be in charge of filling the earl’s stables. Campbell thought he must have died and gone to heaven, the way he kept grinning. Except Lord Ardeth wouldn’t have let his man die, Campbell swore while he accompanied Genie on her way, on his lordship’s orders.
    Campbell’s second love after horses, it quickly turned out, was Marie, the French maid Ardeth found to help Genie with her clothes and her hair. She knew all the latest styles, plus the best way to conceal Mrs. Macklin’s growing condition. She also knew a good opportunity when she saw it. Of course she’d rather serve the master than the mistress, but Monsieur le Comte was not as generous with his affection as with his money. C’est la vie. Marie’s former employer had fled back to France ahead of the advancing armies, so she was alone and without income. Brussels offered no such lucrative post, now that the British were leaving, so she was eager to accept whatever job Monsieur was offering. She was not as eager to accept poor Campbell’s attentions. A mere sergeant turned gentleman’s gentleman was below her standards, but he’d do—until they reached London and Marie could find a better beau.
    Genie did not inquire too closely into the nature of her new maid’s last position, but very much feared she was being cared for by a cast-off kept woman.
    Besides Campbell and Marie making sure Genie was never alone, the crow was constantly flying overhead or tapping on Genie’s window. The silly bird seemed to be making sure she did not run off rather than marry the earl.
    “Alive, keep alive,” she thought the crow cawed