The Unwanted Heiress by Amy Corwin Read Free Book Online Page A

hand, staring down at Lady Beatrice while she berated him. Face as red as the spilt wine, the man finally got down on his knees to clean up the broken glasses with his handkerchief.
    Suddenly, he stopped and his shoulders stiffened. Lady Beatrice moved, her back blocking Charlotte’s view.
    She tried to see around Lady Beatrice, but the angle was wrong and the wide expanse of the terrace separated them. Charlotte held her breath and after a tense minute, Lady Beatrice moved, stepping toward the French door.
    Charlotte’s gaze dropped to the servant. He knelt on one knee, staring after his beautiful ex-employer with eyes rounded in shock. Slowly, he raised his hand and stared at it. A thin dribble of red ran down his wrist, staining the edge of his cuff and dripping to the floor.
    Blood? Surely not.
    Charlotte wasn’t sure what she had seen. It seemed so senselessly cruel, even if he had ruined Lady Beatrice’s gown. She had publicly humiliated the servant, and then it appeared as if she had stepped on his hand while he collected the broken shards of glass.
    Revenge for ruining her lovely silk dress? Or had one of the glasses cut him when it had fallen? Charlotte was too far away to be certain. It could even have been the Madeira dripping over his wrist.
    No matter, it certainly seemed as if Lady Beatrice had not changed much over the years. She had not liked to be frustrated or thwarted in school and she had always been absorbed by her own flawless appearance. Ruining such an expensive silk gown would infuriate her. No wonder she had berated and dismissed the servant.
    Charlotte turned away, shivering as the damp garden mist swirled over the edge of the terrace and curled around her. Perhaps she could find the footman after the party and offer him employment. The accident had not been his fault, and Charlotte felt unaccountably sorry for him and disturbed about his fate. She knew how it felt to be alone and unsure about the future.
    At least she had resources. She was an heiress, and if she paid his salary, the Archers could not refuse her request.
    Lady Beatrice swayed through the door, graceful and beautiful despite her spoiled dress. Her head turned toward the man at Charlotte’s side, and her step quickened. Charlotte turned to him just as he stood from another search under the stone bench. He had missed the entire scene between Lady Beatrice and her servant.
    Now, he glanced in the direction of the doorway and seemed to stiffen. Charlotte followed the direction of his gaze with dismay.
    “Say something,” he said, bending over to whisper urgently in Charlotte’s ear. “Anything—just don’t leave me alone with her. Please, you must help me!”
    Charlotte started as his warm breath played over her neck.
    Lady Beatrice floated toward them across the flagstone terrace. “Your Grace,” she called.
    “I don’t see why you think I should—” Charlotte paused as Lady Beatrice neared.
    What did he want from Charlotte? Did he hope to make Lady Beatrice jealous? Charlotte could almost smell the faint, metallic odor of an iron trap following Lady Beatrice like stale perfume. Suddenly, Charlotte didn’t trust either of her companions in the soft, cold darkness of the terrace.
    Lady Beatrice placed a light hand on the man’s sleeve. He gazed beseechingly into Charlotte’s eyes and she wavered in confusion. She could not protect him from Lady Beatrice, even if that was what he wanted.
    Unable to resist the entreaty in his eyes, Charlotte said the first thing that came to mind. “I don’t see why you want me to explain the differences between the Garden Tiger and the, um, Buttoned Snout again. It is not difficult, you know. A child could do it. All you have to do is concentrate.”
    He had asked for her help. A lecture on moths was the best she could do considering the circumstances.
    “Yes,” he said, his tone humble. “But I am new to this, uh, that is, I have never appreciated moths before. Couldn’t you