Part 20 (2/2)
Of course, there had been ru mors at first that Hannah was to have a sister or brother, but nothing ever came to fruition.
Only resentment seemed to take root and grow in her stepmother's bel y.
Now that she had attended the special cla.s.ses offered at Pettibone School for Young Ladies, she understood a bit more about her father's needs and actions. But that didn't lessen the tension that built in the household whenever he left on his London trips.
Knowing that her mother would have approved of Lord Hairy Ashton cheered her a bit. Perhaps it wasn't Hannah's lamentable appearance that upset her stepmother so.
Perhaps it was the knowledge that in spite of al her stepmother's hostilities, a bit of her mother quietly resided within Hannah. It was a surprising and comforting realization that she needed to dwel upon . . . alone . . . in the stables. She smiled again at Patsy and stood a little straighter. ”That means more to me than you know. Thank you.”
After the first night nestled on a p.r.i.c.kly mattress of hay with Lord Hairy Ashton, Hannah's back ached but her ankle proved less troublesome. Thanks to Patsy and the other household servants, she and Lord Ashton were both wel - fed and clean. Thatcher arranged for a clean stal and a rickety table with a lamp so she could read and write in her journal at night. Patsy sent out clean clothes and toiletries.
She envied the grooms Thatcher made sleep outside in the clean air. As much as her nose adjusted to the unique scents of the stable, she would have liked to have done the same. However, a lady could not sleep in the open, she reminded herself, just as a lady should not have to sleep in the stable.
Lord Hairy Ashton stayed closer than her own shadow but his company was welcome. She certainly didn't miss the sneering visage of her stepmother, but by afternoon, she did feel sad about missing the dance. She could live without al the fuss and frivolity that surrounded such an event. She found no pleasure in squeezing into a corset and a dress designed to show skin that even the sun had not touched. She'd never mastered the complicated steps of the country dances and wouldn't miss the anxiety that accompanied an invitation to dance, and the anxiety that fol owed no invitation at al . But it had been several months since she had last seen many of her friends, and she had looked forward to this smal reunion.
That is until Thatcher sought her out. He s.n.a.t.c.hed the cap off his head.
”Miss Hannah, Patsy told us what happened with your dog and al , and it just don't seem right. I'l be needing to drive your stepmum to the old Beale place tonight, but if you're amenable, I'l return and take you next.”
”That's very considerate, Thatcher. I'd love to go, but I can't arrive looking like this and my stepmother left strict orders-”
”I have an old hip bath in the back and if you don't mind that I've used it a time or two myself, I can have Silas fil it with hot water for you.”
”That's kind, but-”
”Patsy moved your fancy dress to the root cel ar without your stepmum's knowledge. She asked that I give this to you.” He pushed a picnic basket into her hands. Hannah peeked inside to see it stuffed with petticoats, stockings, and gloves.
”Patsy said she has a niece who's wanting to be a lady's maid someday. If the girl can try her hand with your . . .” He pointed in the direction of her head. ”She'd be most appreciative.”
Hannah flushed, moved by the efforts of the servants. ”Of course she can, but this is real y too much. What about Lord Hairy-”
”Once the horses are gone, the dog can bark his head with no nevermind. We can tie him out here so he'l stay out of mischief. Even old d.i.c.ken said he'd come by and keep the black beast company.”
”d.i.c.ken?”
”He says it's clear that the beast was not casting the evil eye on him. He's as hale and hearty as a pig groomed to market. So he thought he might like to sit down and have a talk with the devil himself.”
Hannah laughed at the thought of d.i.c.ken and Lord Hairy Ashton conferring. ”But why are you al doing this? You know my stepmother wil not be pleased to see me at the dance.”
”It ain't right the way she treats you. Ain't right at al . She wouldn't do it if your father were here but he'l be home soon enough. Besides, she won't know that we helped you.”
Hannah smiled. ”Won't she suspect I had some a.s.sistance if she sees me at the dance?”
Thatcher sniffed. ”What if she does? She can't run the place by herself and no one in the region wil work for her.
It's your father we're beholden to.” He smiled, a gleam of mischief twinkling in his eye. ”Your father and mother, may she rest in peace.”
The possibility took root in Hannah's mind. ”It's been so long since I've seen my friends. If I managed to avoid my stepmother, there'd be no possibility of repercussions on your account.”
Thatcher s.h.i.+fted his weight and frowned, almost as if he was disappointed about avoiding repercussions. She smiled. He was a tough old bird and had been in charge of the stables long before the current Mrs. Waverly.
That gesture alone finalized her decision. This was the servants' act of defiance. To refuse their help would seem an insult. She could easily avoid the dance floor. She was seldom asked to dance in the past, and with the numbers attending this, the social event of the season, she could easily get lost in the crowd.
”In that case, I'm honored to use your a.s.sistance to attend the dance this evening.”
Her stepmother was too busy with her own preparations to inquire as to Hannah's activities. Hannah imagined her stepmother's shock if she had known that as her own maid was artful y styling her hair in her bedroom, out in the stable, another one was decorating Hannah's brown tresses with two rescued and cleaned ostrich plumes.
Patsy had chosen a lovely peach crepe de chine princess gown to smuggle into the root cel ar. Hannah recognized it immediately as one of her mother's gowns refas.h.i.+oned to fit more modern times. The excess material that would have laid atop a hoop, had been turned into flounces that would trail behind her with the support of a horsehair bustle. It wasn't the latest Paris creation, nor would the fas.h.i.+on impress the stodgy matrons of the highest strata of society, but wearing the gown made her feel as if her mother surrounded her once again. That gave her the confidence to fol ow through on this crazy scheme.
She'd just have to remember to shake off any bits of hay and straw that might cling to her flounces before she entered the dance.
Guilt nibbled at her when she spied Lord Hairy Ashton with a rope loosely tied around his neck. As she stepped into the empty carriage, Ashton strained against the rope secured to a fence post, al the while barking for her attention. She waved to him from the carriage seat. He wouldn't be able to fol ow her this time, but she'd be gone for only a few hours and would return to the stable once the dance had concluded.
She arrived at the Beale residence later than the norm causing the doorman to frown even as he granted admittance. The first floor was so ful of people she was surprised she had sufficient air to breathe. The voices, the music, the rhythmic pounding of dancing feet on the parquet floor in the bal room bounced and swirled around her in a cacophony. Now if only she had someone to stand beside her as she entered the crowded bal room so she wouldn't feel awkward and alone.
She hesitated about entering the throng when her stepmother's voice at the top of the grand stairway spurred her to action. From the sound of the conversation, Hannah hadn't been discovered yet, but that would change if she didn't quickly move. She slipped into the bal room and navigated her way toward the back wal where open terrace doors could provide a quick exit if needed.
Patsy and Thatcher were confident that their actions would not result in any discipline, but Hannah was less certain. She would take extraordinary measures to avoid being seen by her stepmother. She snapped open her fan and used that as a partial s.h.i.+eld to escape discovery.
A cl.u.s.ter of women and girls huddled near the orchestra.
Undoubtedly, the viscount stood at the center of al that attention. Although surprised he wasn't leading one of the guests on the dance floor, she was grateful for the distraction the gathering caused. Surely, her stepmother would gravitate toward the sainted viscount and miss Hannah's attendance al together. Stil , she'd have to eventual y make her presence known to him to thank him for the invitation. It was only proper.
As she slipped near the back wal her school chums spotted her. Charlotte and Alice found her first, but others joined as their animated conversation increased. Hannah was careful to keep her back to the center of the room and her profile hopeful y hidden by her artful y employed fan.
”Are you trying to avoid someone? The viscount, perhaps?”
Alice observed in a low tone only Hannah could hear. ”He's not a bad sort, you know. Nice looking but a little too quiet, if you ask me.”
”I'm trying to avoid my stepmother,” Hannah confided.
”She thought my appearance here would embarra.s.s her and thus decreed I couldn't attend.”
Hannah made a quick survey of the room, noting that her stepmother was involved in a conversation on the fringe of the viscount crowd. She s.h.i.+fted a bit so that a giant potted fern would provide partial s.h.i.+elding, then glanced at Alice's frown. Of course, Alice had always been envious of anyone with a mother or stepmother. She didn't understand that sometimes having no mother was preferable to having a spiteful, irritating stepmother.
”I couldn't very wel stay away and miss conversing with my Pettibone sisters,” Hannah said. ”It's been so long since we've al been together.”
Alice hugged her before stepping back to further s.h.i.+eld Hannah from prying eyes. They both joined in the conversation regarding speculation on who would soon be engaged and who would not. Hannah was so engrossed in catching up that she failed to notice the streak of black that raced through the open terrace doors dragging a length of rope in his wake.
The screams and shouts of others caused her to turn moments before Lord Hairy Ashton discovered her location and eagerly bounded across the bal room floor directly toward her.
”Ashton!” she shouted, waggling a finger to encourage him to sit.
It was no use. The dog enthusiastical y stood on his hind legs and deposited his heavy forepaws on her shoulders.
She crumbled beneath the dog's benevolent a.s.sault and found herself on the floor with her skits trussed around her.
<script>