The Earl and the Highwayman's Daughter Read Online Free PDF Page B

and petticoat. The soap provided smelled like a bouquet of flowers. She washed and dried herself on the towel. Her shabby cloth bag had been brought up and sat forlornly on the dresser.
    As she was to dine in her room, she donned her gown again and sat on an armchair covered in pink-and-white striped cotton, crossed her ankles and spread her gown over her knees, and waited. Eugenia yawned, she was too tired to eat, having remained alert for the whole journey. She hadn’t wanted to miss a thing as the carriage traveled through unfamiliar countryside.
    She took inventory of the chamber. There were a great many candles placed on every gleaming surface. Unnecessary surely and very bad economy. They weren’t tallow either but beeswax, and they certainly smelled delicious. She had to admit it was an altogether charming room. The bed hangings had gold tassels and matched the curtains, which were gold silk damask. She rose to study the paintings. One was of a ballroom where ladies in wide gowns danced with gentlemen dressed in silks and satins. The other featured a spreading oak tree beside a river. She eyed the bed. It did look inviting. She’d love to crawl into it.
    A knock startled her, and she swung around to face the door. “Yes?”
    Two footmen in their colorful livery entered the room. “Your supper, miss.” Each carried a silver tray. They unloaded plates onto a table, along with a crystal glass of wine, a napkin, and silverware. One of the footmen built up the fire then they both bowed.
    She stared as the door shut behind them. They’d bowed to her! As if she was above them in station. How ridiculous! She wondered if she could make friends here, perhaps in the kitchens. Overcome with loneliness, she sat at the mahogany table and unfolded the napkin. An assortment of delectable foods awaited her, cold meats, fresh rolls with butter, and a large piece of pork pie with a light flaky pastry. Delicious smells rose to entice her. Her appetite returned and she ate every crumb, even finding room for the delicious chocolate pudding.
    After cleaning her teeth, she removed her flannel nightgown from her bag and slipped it on, buttoning it to the neck. Seated before the dressing table, she brushed and plaited her long hair. She snuffed out all the candles. The coal glowed orange-red in the dark room. Eugenia snuggled beneath the covers. The sheets were of the finest cotton, smooth and cool and smelt of lavender. Sighing, she closed her eyes.
     

Chapter Five
     
    EUGENIA AWOKE. Surprisingly, she’d slept well. For a moment, she lay spellbound viewing the elegant bedchamber perfumed with potpourri, before a rush of uncertainty at finding herself in a strange house made her throw back the covers. She opened the curtains, and the violet-tinged dawn flooded into the room. After washing, she hurriedly dressed and pinned up her hair, intent on finding her way to the home farm to see if Molly was all right.
    Once she’d left her chamber, she became lost. She wandered along a corridor until she found a narrow timber staircase, which she guessed to be the servants’ stairs. Relieved, she hurried down them to the vast kitchens, where the chef barked orders in a heavy French accent and servants hurried to obey. Delicious smells of roasting bacon and herbs wafted through the room. Having worked in a similar place before, Eugenia was more at home here than in the grand bedchamber. 
    The chef’s sharp gaze swept over her. “What are you doing in my kitchen, mademoiselle?”
    Before she could answer, Vanessa appeared and rescued her from the chef’s sharp gaze. “Miss Hawthorne is his lordship’s ward, Monsieur Renaud. You’re up early, Miss Hawthorne. I was just going up to help you dress.”
    “Good morning, Vanessa.” Eugenia stared in surprise at a scullery maid who’d dropped into a curtsey. “Could someone direct me to the home farm?” 
    Monsieur Renaud shook his head and turned back to his work at the huge scrubbed