The Adventuress: HFTS5 Read Online Free PDF

then he saw her.
    A shaft of morning sunlight was striking the doorway of 67 Clarges Street. Between the two chained iron dogs that ornamented the front step stood Miss Emily Goodenough. She was saying something to the watchman and handing him a crown. The watch touched his hat and walked away.
    Emily stood for a moment on the step, her face lifted up to the sunshine.
    The sunlight lit up the gold threads in the masses of her hair, which tumbled down her back. In her white muslin wrapper and white nightgown she looked like some princess in a fairy-tale.
    There was a purity about her, and a vulnerable innocence. She was as fresh as the morning.
    Strangely touched, the earl stood watching her until she turned about and went back inside.

Chapter
Three
     
    Last night
, party
at Landsdowne House. Tonight,
party
at Lady Charlotte Greville’s—deplorable waste of time, and something of temper. Nothing imparted—nothing acquired—talking without ideas … Heigho!—and in this way half London pass what is called life
.
    —Lord Althorp
     
    Emily was just sinking into a deep sleep when she remembered that rat. And then she remembered the drama caused by Lord Fleetwood’s startled horses. In the heat of the moment, she had been sure it was all the fault of the servants. But Rainbird had been so apologetic … and yet … and yet, he had not explained anything.
    She tossed and turned, determined to put the matter out of her head, but now every creak and rustle sounded like the furtive movements of rats.
    She rang the bell.
    Alice answered it, looking her usual relaxed and beautiful self.
    “I shall fetch your morning chocolate directly, miss,” said Alice, crossing the room to open the curtains.
    “No,” said Emily. “I still want to sleep, but I am troubled about that rat. Is this house
full
of rats?”
    Alice, like Rainbird, had no conscience about lying when she considered it necessary. “Oh, no,” she said in her slow, rich country voice. “Lord Charteris next door had the rat-catcher in and one of the rats got away. But we have no trouble on account of The Moocher, the kitchen cat. Fearsome hunter, he is.”
    “But why were Lord Fleetwood’s horses frightened?”
    “I don’t know, miss. Reckon there are many odd people about London. Mr. Rainbird said a horrible-looking man shouted at them and frightened them. Will there be anything else?”
    “Yes. Rainbird apologised for his earlier insolence but did not explain
why
he had been insolent. Can you tell me?”
    Alice looked at Emily with wide blue eyes while she tried to think of an excuse. Then it hit her that perhaps the truth was the best explanation.
    “You see, miss,” said Alice, “we have mortal-poor wages, and we rely on a tenant to increase those wages. Seeing as how you was so nice over the matter of the rent, we reckoned as how you might be overnice in the matter of household expenses. And there was still time to find another tenant.”
    “Do you mean,” said Emily wrathfully, “that you were trying to
drive
me away?”
    “Sounds a bit harsh put like that,” said Alice, “but times is hard. We are all ever so sorry now.”
    Emily tried to stay angry, but anger was quickly being replaced by relief. They had not thought her common or despised her for her low origins. They did not know! They had merely considered her to be stingy.
    “Oh,” said Emily. “Well, behave yourselves in future. Perhaps I understand now why that normally deft and agile butler contrived to fall over the table. What
was
in those cakes?”
    But Alice felt she had revealed enough. “Mr. MacGregor, the cook, is a genius,” said Alice. “Pity them cakes was spoiled.”
    “It is a
pity
that Lord Fleetwood was given a disgust of this house,” said Emily, although she knew it was she herself who had disaffected him. “Is he a great personage?”
    “Yes, miss. Mr. Rainbird do say as how Lord Fleetwood is a leader of society. This is his second Season in London since the