Every Time We Kiss

“I cannot say for certain.” Jennette stared at the ground, praying she portrayed the appropriate amount of innocence.

“I think you know who was here.” Lady Aston stood in front of her and glared. “I believe you are hiding something.”

“Lady Jennette, perhaps if you know who was here, you should tell her,” Matthew said softly.

Jennette stared at Matthew and Somerton and shook her head slowly.

“Yes, tell me,” Lady Aston demanded. She folded her arms over her chest waiting for an answer.

“The woman called him Robert,” Jennette said with an exaggerated sigh.

Lady Aston’s face paled. “Robert?”

“Yes, ma’am,” she whispered.

“Did you hear the woman’s name?”

Jennette nodded but hated to give out the poor servant’s name. She doubted the young girl knew just how much trouble she could get into when she let Lord Aston into her bed.

“Tell me her name, Lady Jennette,” Lady Aston demanded in an overly loud tone.

“Annie,” she replied.

“What were they doing down there?”

“Oh, ma’am. I cannot answer for certain,” Jennette said, looking away from the probing stare of Lady Aston.

“Try,” Lady Aston insisted.

“It sounded as if they were…”

“What?”

“Having sexual congress.”

“I’ll kill him,” Lady Aston whispered. She walked toward the window and muttered, “How did I miss them?”

“Perhaps one of them locked Lady Jennette in the room,” Somerton offered.

Lady Aston’s cheeks regained their color. “Of course. Probably that little strumpet, Annie. She will be off this estate by nightfall.”

“Lady Aston, what if I was wrong?” Jennette said. “Their voices were muffled and—”

“Do not try to save that whore’s job.”

“I believe we should depart before it gets dark,” Matthew said. “We have dinner to prepare for.”

“Yes, I need a bath after being in this dirty house all day,” Jennette commented in an attempt to be done with this mess.

“Indeed,” Lady Aston replied. She appeared very distracted after the announcement of her husband’s affair with a servant.

Jennette still felt dreadful for the girl, Annie. Perhaps she could find her a job. Victoria was always looking for someone to help with the orphans.

“Let’s be off,” Matthew said.

Lady Aston and her friend huffed off down the stairs. Jennette mouthed a thank-you to both Matthew and Somerton. If not for Somerton’s plan, she would be completely and irrevocably compromised. And while a part of her loved the idea, she knew it was wrong and not to be considered again.

As much as she hated the thought, she had to renew her plan to find Matthew a wife.