Netherby Halls

They waited at the front door, and it seemed an interminable time before a male servant opened the front door.

The elderly man made no effort to hide his shock as two young maids burst in on him, one demanding to be taken to Mr. Lutterel.

Obviously torn with indecision, the butler finally made that decision with a prim mouth and said, “You may not enter. You must leave.”

“Leave? Nonsense—we have already entered. Now be good enough to inform Mr. Lutterel that we desire an audience with him,” Sassy said, putting up her chin. All she wanted to do was escape, but she had to put on a front for the servant without giving away their identities. Tricky.

Sophia turned an admiring glance to her friend and said, “Well done, dear, well done.” She then turned to the butler. Her voice a bit shrill from the danger and excitement of her boldness, she said imperiously but politely, “Now, if you will be so kind, you may bring Mr. Lutterel to us at once.”

Sassy still could not believe she had allowed herself to become embroiled in this mess. She knew it was shocking behavior. She knew, if caught, her life would no doubt be ruined. What had moved her to do this? Sophy—she had felt Sophy and Percy needed to see each other, and the dratted girl had convinced her that he would leave. Ah, but was that the real reason? You also knew the marquis would leave with Percy. She frowned this thought away.

“Good God!” exclaimed the marquis, stepping into the hallway.

A darkling look came over his face, and his blue eyes seemed to fill with anger. Oh no—he wasn’t pleased to see her.

“That is all,” he said to the retainer; then in a strange voice laced with magic Sassy knew only she could hear, he added. “You will forget these young women. They were never here.”

The elderly man nodded and walked away. Sassy was a bit surprised that the marquis had used a spell right before her eyes. She looked at Sophy, who hadn’t a clue.

He ignored Sophy and went to Sassy, towering over her like a god, and asked, “How came you here?”

She attempted a smile, but it faded before completely forming. His grim expression made it clear just how terrible a thing she and Sophy had done.

“Miss Delleson’s curricle,” Sassy said quietly.

The marquis crossed the hall and pulled at a bell rope. A lackey appeared, dressed in blue livery, and the marquis’s voice came swift and hard. “Have my phaeton prepared and brought to the courtyard, at once. And on your way, you will see a curricle outside. Put it in the coach house, but in thirty minutes, fetch it and bring it to Mr. Lutterel. Now hurry, lad.”

Sassy assumed the boy would have no memory of his errands in the end. She watched him dart off and felt her elbow taken by his lordship. He steered her across the hall, not bothering to note whether or not Sophy followed, though Sassy turned to look towards her friend.

Sassy gasped at such commandeering but could not find the words to say. She allowed him the moment as he sat her upon a hard-backed chair in the study. She took to studying the Oriental rug at her feet, while Sophy stood fluttering her hands in the air and looking as though she were about to faint at the sight of Mr. Lutterel, who strode towards her, his face a mask of shock.

“Sophy,” he exclaimed. “Egad, Sophy!”

“Percy!” Sophy wailed, her hands outstretched towards his chest. Once he was within reach, she caught the lapels of his waistcoat and released a sob.

Sassy knew that in coming to a man’s lodgings they were breaking a rule but had managed to convince herself that they could get in and get out without any harm done. Now, it hit home that the breaking of this particular rule carried with it serious consequences if they were caught. Her gaze left the couple before her and returned to the design of the rug. What had she done? What could he think? She knew that to be found visiting a man’s lodgings would unalterably condemn both hers and Sophy’s reputations forever. She should have been the wise one; she should have done something other than give in to Sophy. Her heart sank with her gaze, and she had a moment where she felt as though she might just faint. She had never in her life fainted, but the disapproval in the marquis’s stern gaze, which she could see when she uplifted her own for a moment, added a certain appeal to the idea of succumbing to a case of the vapors.

“You will kindly tell us why you have you jeopardized your reputation and blessed me with your presence, Miss Winthrop.”

No longer did he call her Sassy was her reaction to his words. She felt shame rush through her mind, and the heat of high emotion stilled the sharp retort she might have given him under different circumstances. “Well, I did not come to visit you, my lord,” she managed.

“Then why, Miss Winthrop, are you here?” the marquis demanded.

Sassy did not wish to put the blame on Sophy and, in truth, knew she could have remained steadfast and refused to come. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Sophy had retired to her handkerchief while Mr. Lutterel held her shoulders and told her that she should not have come.

“Well … I-I …” stammered Sassy, at a loss.

“You what, woman?” the marquis demanded relentlessly.

“It was all my fault,” Sophy wailed suddenly when she realized her friend was being seriously put to task. “I insisted Miss Winthrop accompany me, and it has all been for naught.” She turned to Mr. Lutterel. “You, sir, are a brute!”

“A brute? Me?” Percy appeared astounded, too much so to say more.

“Yes, y-es … you are!” cried the distraught lady, once again diving into her handkerchief.

The marquis’s oath was indistinguishable, which Sassy guessed was just as well, as it was likely not something either lady should have heard. He returned his blue-eyed gaze to Sassy, his finger about to wag, but was interrupted by the arrival of his lackey, to whom he said, “Ah, good.” He turned back to Sassy and commanded, “Come along, quickly now.”

Sassy glanced towards Sophy and uttered, “But … Sophia …?”