Part 12 (1/2)
”Surely you are not suggesting that I walk in the mud and the rain, my good man?”
”Uh, 'course not. I'll go -”
”And leave us here unprotected and defenseless?”
Angelique was grateful that the dark interior hid her smile at the thought of the Countess believing herself defenseless with that sharp tongue. ”I will walk to Collinwood, my lady, and fetch help.”
”Are you sure you should?” She could see that the Countess still had doubts about her recovery.
”Quite sure, my lady.” The driver helped her out onto a gra.s.sy verge.
”There's a path just up the road,” he told her. ”It will take you right to Collinwood. No way you can miss it.”
”Thank you.”
”Hurry, Angelique,” the Countess called. ”Do not dawdle. If I stay out here in this damp much longer I will be quite ill.”
”I am on my way,” she called back, setting out. She never felt the rain on her cloak, so happy was she to at last be here. When she saw the house - it was just as Barnabas had described it - she ran to the front door and lifted the heavy bra.s.s knocker, rapping three times. Would he answer the door? Would he be surprised to see her? Would he be glad to see her?
The door opened, and there he was. He was glad to see her, but the look was just as quickly hidden. Angelique understood the need to be discreet. She could wait until he came to her room later. ”Barnabas.”
”Angelique. What - ?”
”You are surprised.”
”Astonished.” He recovered his composure. ”We weren't expecting the Countess for at least a week. Where is she? And - why are you walking?”
”Your roads, m'sieu. Pig sties, the Countess calls them. The carriage is in the mud. Stuck.”
”Where?”
”Too far for my lady to walk.”
”I must go immediately. Come in. You must be wet.” She entered the house and saw the older man in the drawing room. Stern faced, very proper, she decided. ”Father, this is Angelique - the Countess du Pres' maid. This is my father, Angelique.”
She curtseyed. ”M'sieu Collins.” She could tell from the look on his face that he already dismissed her as an ordinary servant.
”Your mistress wrote and told us she would be visiting New York until the day before the wedding,” Joshua Collins said.
”The city does not suit my lady.”
”Well, I wish we had known she had changed her plans. Barnabas, fetch one of29.
the stable boys - or Ben. I will see that the rooms are made ready.”
”Will you see that Angelique is shown to her room?”
She was not going to let him be rid of her company just yet. ”No. I will return with you.”
Barnabas looked down at her. ”It isn't necessary.”
”It may not be to you, sir, but it is to my mistress.”