The Reluctant Reformer by Lynsay Sands Read Free Book Online Page B

up.” The girl beamed approvingly. “I said to Cook as how I thought ye’d be, but he was sure his work’d been for naught and the meal he’d prepared would go to waste.”
    When Maggie merely stared at her, concern clouded the girl’s eyes and she tilted her head. “Are you feeling all right, m’lady? Lord Ramsey said as how ye were exhausted from the journey ’ere and might sleep the dayaway, but ye’re looking a bit peaked, too. Ye’re not coming down with the ague, are ye?”
    Maggie managed to relax somewhat, and even felt a smile spread her lips slightly in answer. “Nay. I am fine, thank you.”
    The girl brightened at once, again beaming at Maggie. “Good. Then I am Annie. I’m to be your maid while ye’re with us. Anything ye need, ye just ask me.”
    â€œVery well. Thank you, Annie,” Maggie said after the girl paused expectantly.
    Nodding, the girl smiled wider. “Shall I show you down to supper?”
    â€œI…Yes, thank you,” Maggie agreed, then straightened her shoulders as she followed the maid out of the room. Annie led her along the hall, then down the stairs to the main floor. Maggie spent most of the trip distracted by her first real tour of the house in which she was imprisoned. It had been dark and gloomy this morning when they had arrived. Aside from that, her undignified position—hanging down her captor’s back—had not given her much opportunity to look around. She did so now curiously.
    Much to her interest, it seemed villains did not live in villainous abodes. Ramsey’s home was lovely. His maid led Maggie down a hallway of soothing grays with furnishings that were expensive and round-edged. The soft color scheme continued down the stairs to the entryway where it became more muted with dark blue. Annie then showed her through another hall of neutral colors and into a large chamber with a long covered table—the dining room.
    Lord Ramsey was conspicuous in his absence. Maggie felt her body relax slightly as she realized it, and thustook the time to appreciate the decor. The walls were painted a warm blue that could only encourage dallying over a meal. In the center of the room was a huge dining table covered with a pristine white cloth that barely allowed legs of a dark rich mahogany—matching the wood of the chairs surrounding it—to peek out from beneath. A sideboard of the same dark wood stood along the wall.
    Maggie allowed herself to be seated, her gaze slow to move to the table itself. The maid had nearly left the room before Maggie took in the fact that hers was the only setting. “But…” she began, and Annie paused, peering back questioningly. Swallowing, Maggie managed a smile as she asked, “Is Lord Ramsey not to join me?”
    The maid’s eyes widened. “Nay, mum. He had to return to town. He left shortly after arriving and said—Oh!” She patted her skirts as if looking for something, then muttered fretfully, “He left a letter for ye. I was to give it to ye as soon as milady awoke. Now where did I—Oh, yes! Won’t be a moment.”
    Whirling away, the girl fled the room, leaving Maggie to consider her words. Lord Ramsey wasn’t here. He had returned to town. What did that mean? Well, she supposed that made it obvious he hadn’t brought her here with the intention of ravishing her. Not that I imagined for a moment that he did , she assured herself. Though she did find herself feeling a touch deflated. There she had been hiding in her room all this time to avoid confronting a man who hadn’t even been here. She sat up in her chair as the ramifications of that fact occurred to her. He wasn’t here. Her captor wasn’t around. There was no one to keep her here!
    The thought brought her lunging excitedly to her feet, but before she could move away from the table, Annie came bustling back into the room with a