Always Come Home (Emerson 1) (12 page)

“Very well,” said Ava. “I look forward to it.”

Colin turned to his new cook. “Maude, I hate to
ask, but did you see anything in the larder that might do for Christmas
dinner?”

“I am afraid there is not much, milord. Though
Victor and I have given it some thought.”

The valet spoke up. “If those are your woods, my
lord, I would like to go shooting. I was thinking we might have a few game
hens.”

“An excellent idea,” said Colin. “Although we
should probably coordinate your outing in the woods for a time that does not
coincide with ours. I would hate to return home only to be shot the next day.”

“That would be terrible!” said Letty.

Colin smiled at his sister. “Fortunately Stemple is
an excellent shot and I have not angered him overly much as his employer. Is
that not right, Stemple?”

“Not overly much, my lord.”

Rose giggled. “Since our credit has been restored
in the village, I believe we shall have a truly delicious feast, which will be
most welcome after my rather feeble attempts in the kitchen.”

“I love your cooking,” asserted Letty again.

“Thank you, dear. But I suspect we shall be much
indebted to Maude and Stemple before long.”

“I believe this will be a most memorable Christmas,”
said Colin, who couldn’t quite keep his eyes off Ava.

At the end of the meal, Rose showed Ava to her
bedchamber.

“Is there no nursery?” asked Ava.

“There was never a need for one since this is the
dower house. There are just the eight bedchambers on this floor. Colin, of
course, has the main suite. Letty’s room is down the hall and will have a
grand view of the garden once spring comes. And I am at the end.”

“Which view do you have?”

“Nothing to speak of,” said Rose turning away. “I
was thinking you might like to have this bedchamber.” She opened the door to a
room not two doors down from the master suite.

“This looks a bit grand for a governess,” said Ava,
as she looked at the charming room with yellow wallpaper. “I can sleep in the
servants’ quarters. Or, at the very least, I should be closer to Letty.”

“I believe Letty enjoys feeling like she is on her
own, though she is close enough to me that I would hear her call out in the
night. I hope you will enjoy this room, though we must give it a thorough
airing. The house has been unused for quite some time. I apologize that we
were not prepared for your arrival.”

“Lady Rosemary, I am a completely unexpected
addition to your household, and a servant at that. And this is a lovely room.
The nicest I have ever had.”

“Please call me Rose.”

“While I appreciate that very much, your sister has
been on the receiving end of some rather abhorrent rudeness. I should like to
call her Lady Leticia, so it would be odd for me to call you anything other
than Lady Rosemary.”

“Thank you for your kindness toward Letty. And you
are right about her treatment from others. Very well, we shall do it that way,
except for when you and I are alone. Then I shall be Rose. I will not take no
for an answer.”

“And I will be Ava. I look forward to our outing in
the woods tomorrow. It has been quite some time since I was able to gather
greenery for Christmas. It will be a treat.”

“I am glad you think so, Ava.”

Then the girl impulsively hugged her before
departing.

There was no fire in the hearth and Ava suspected
there was little fuel to waste. Fortunately, there were several blankets on
her bed. Though she’d be living in an earl’s household, she’d best find a way
to make do with less.

Ava still found it hard to believe how much her life
had changed in the past few days. She had a new position – though it paid
nothing. But she already liked Rose and Letty very much. She would be a good
teacher to Letty and a confidant to Rose. She imagined Rose’s life had been a
rather lonely one in the country, caring for her sister and without the funds
to travel. But both girls were extremely good-natured, much like their brother
Colin.

Colin. Or, as she must refer to him now that he was
her employer, the Earl of Ridgeway. She was immensely relieved to have a new
position, especially since she was not at all sure that Viscount Clayton would
make good on his promise to send her the wages he owed her. But it would be a
challenge to live in the same household as Colin – Lord Ridgeway – and not develop
feelings for him. Or, more accurately, to not see her feelings deepen.

There was some consolation to the fact that he would
likely have to return to London soon to continue his search for a wealthy bride.
She would remain in the country with his sisters. And, perhaps, by the time he
returned with the lucky woman in tow, Ava would have found another position
elsewhere.

But in the meantime, she would be spending Christmas
with him. And she could not help the smile that came to her at the very
thought.

*

It was such a relief that Colin was
finally home
, thought Rose as she made her way to
her room. The last few months had been difficult due to their dire financial
straits. She was opposed to Colin selling himself in marriage and had been
particularly keen to do her part to help wipe out their father’s debts by
leasing the manor. She hoped it would be enough to dissuade Colin from making
a disastrous marriage.

She was almost nineteen and knew enough of the world
to realize how important love was. Her elder sister Winifred never spoke of
her marriage but Rose did not think it was a happy one. How could it be?
Their father had arranged it when Win was barely eighteen. While Win might have
welcomed it as an escape from the old earl at the time, six years later it
appeared she was in a prison almost as bad as the one she’d left. But it was
hard to know since she saw Win so infrequently and received letters from her only
sporadically.

Rose dearly wanted Colin to marry for love. She
knew he was giving little thought to that, but he should. They would find a
way out of their financial troubles without his sacrificing himself. They were
already on their way, were they not?

She thought about his interaction with Ava. There
was something between them, whether or not they themselves recognized it. It
was one of the reasons Rose had so readily accepted the idea of hiring Ava as a
governess. Rose knew she had no need of one – she was, after all, almost
nineteen. But with Ava in the house and so close at hand, who knew what might
happen between her and Colin?

Rose grabbed a quilt from the bed and wrapped it
around her, then sat in the wingback chair that was positioned in front of the
window. This was the smallest bedchamber in the house. But it did have one
thing to recommend it: an excellent view of Castle Bancroft. Rose settled into
the chair and thought about the castle’s residents. Well, mostly one
resident. She wasn’t even sure if he’d arrived for the holidays, though he was
due any day. And he would likely be gone again as soon as he was able. If she
were lucky, perhaps she’d catch a glimpse of him in the village.

She laughed. She was being extremely foolish. The
man wasn’t even aware of her existence – not as a woman, at any rate. She was
simply Colin and James’s younger sister to the great marquess. She knew she
had to get over her girlish infatuation sooner or later

But it wouldn’t be tonight.

*

The enormity of Colin’s challenges was slowly
becoming clear to him. The dower house was ice cold and dark. After living
in his small rooms in London for so long, he’d forgotten what was required to
heat and light a home as large as this, though it paled in comparison to the
manor. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about that monstrosity of a house
for now. However, he would have to take stock of their basic supplies the next
day, for he couldn’t have his sisters – or anyone else – starving on Christmas
Eve. Or on any day, for that matter. Thank God he’d brought Stemple, for he
knew his capable valet would be an enormous help with the challenges ahead.

He made his way to the kitchen, where he found Maude
and Stemple finishing the dishes. From the looks of it, they were having more
fun doing that chore than he’d had in two months of London balls. Hell, he
wasn’t sure he’d had that much fun in years.

He cleared his throat to announce his arrival.
Unfortunately, he startled Maude so much she almost dropped the dish she was
holding. But Stemple reached over to save it, brushing his hands against hers.
If Colin wasn’t mistaken, Maude blushed.

“Good evening, milord,” said Maude as she bobbed a curtsey
and quickly dried her hands. “Do you need something?”

“I wanted to thank you for doing such a superb job
in preparing dinner, especially since I have a feeling the larder had little to
offer. I also wanted to make sure you and Stemple are settled in your rooms.
Stemple, I trust you have already been your usual efficient self?”

“I do not know about that, my lord, but I can show
you what I’ve found so far.” The three of them went through a short hallway to
the servants’ quarters while Stemple explained. “There are a few servants’
rooms in the attic, but it appears that the quarters for the cook, butler and
housekeeper are down here. I believe this one was used by the cook.” He
pushed open the door to the room closest to the kitchen. Though small, it
opened into a sitting room, with an adjoining bedchamber.

Colin looked at the room, which appeared to be fairly
clean, though it contained little furniture. Had it always been this way? He’d
never spent time in the servants’ quarters checking on their comfort before.
It had always been someone else’s job.

“Do you like this room Maude? Or would you prefer
the housekeeper’s suite?”

“Milord, I couldn’t take that room. Where would the
housekeeper sleep?”

“Maude, there is no housekeeper. And there may not
be one anytime soon. If there is to be one advantage to working here now
without wages, I daresay it should be to pick your room. Which one would you
like?”

“The cook’s room is grand enough,” she said. “I’ve
never had a bedchamber to myself before and it even has its own sitting room.
Are you sure this is just for me?”

“I am quite certain of it.”

In the end, Maude thought it would be most practical
to be close to the kitchen, so she chose that room. Colin made a note to
himself to find a small table and chairs to move into her sitting room. The
least he could do was make her comfortable. He already felt guilty enough not
paying her.

The butler’s suite, while still small, was twice the
size of Maude’s. The girl seemed astounded by the grandeur of it, making Colin
wonder about the condition of Clayton’s servants’ quarters. Even Stemple was
walking about the room reverently.

“But my lord, since I am your valet, would it not be
better for me to sleep in your dressing room?”

“You deserve the extra space down here with all the
additional duties I am afraid will be coming your way. I will make do as well
as possible without you up there.” Besides, if he ever did have the good
fortune to find Ava in his bedchamber, it wouldn’t do to have Stemple in the
next room.

He stopped himself right there. He could never have
Ava in his bedchamber and there was no use thinking it would happen. He was
roused from his unsettling thoughts by Maude.

“So, Vic…I mean, Mr. Stemple will be sleeping down
the hall from me?” she all but squeaked.

Colin blinked. “Is that a problem?”

Maude reddened. “In Lord Clayton’s house, the male
servants are on different floors from the women.”

“I can certainly sleep in his lordship’s dressing
room, if it will put your mind at ease,” said Stemple quietly.

“No, I didn’t mean that!” said Maude. “You should
have the butler’s suite. I can sleep in the attic.”

Stemple looked extremely disappointed. Colin could
not blame the man. He certainly wouldn’t want Ava trying to distance herself
from him. And he was fairly surprised Maude was doing so, since it seemed she
was as interested in Stemple as the valet was in her. “Maude,” he asked
gently, “would you feel unsafe with Stemple sleeping down the hall?”

“Of course not! He would never harm me, nor any
woman. And, truth be told, I would feel safer having him near me. You never
know when a bloke will try to break into the house.”

“Then what is your concern?”

“Well, it’s not quite proper, is it? I wouldn’t
want you or the ladies to get the wrong impression of me, sleeping on the same
floor as an unmarried man.”

“Maude, I can assure you that the only impression
any of us have of you is that you are an excellent cook and already a valued
member of our staff. But the choice is up to you.”

In the end, Maude said she would like to remain in
the cook’s suite and that Stemple should take the butler’s quarters. She
blushed so much when she said so that Colin was reassured that Stemple had
already won the lady’s heart.

At least that was going well. What wasn’t so
hopeful was his perusal of the larder. Colin gave Stemple and Maude the last
of the coins he’d acquired from Clayton to replenish their supplies in the
village. He knew the two servants would do their best, but as Colin climbed
the stairs to the family wing, he was overcome with worry.

Circumstances were so much worse than he’d thought.
Thank God Rose had rented out the manor house. But what would have happened to
his sisters had his return been delayed even more? The girls had been living
alone with no servants, with little food and precious little heat. He hated to
leave them again, but he would have to set off for London early in the new
year. And this time he had to find a rich bride. There was no other choice.

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t know how he
found himself at Ava’s door until he got there. His fear for his family was
almost overpowering. And while she could do little to help, he knew he’d feel
better just seeing her one last time that night. Besides, he hadn’t even
checked to see if she needed anything, had he? No one had. He would be a
negligent host by not checking on her, even though he knew he was her employer
and not her host. Nevertheless, he wanted to be polite.

He knocked on her door.

A moment later, it was opened by Ava, wrapped in a
practical dressing gown. Her hair was already braided for the night. How he
wanted to undo the plait and run his hands through…