Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

T he next day when the tree arrived Chastity forced herself not to think about her predicament with Mrs. Pettigrew. The woman still hadn't spoken to her, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she did.

"That's it, right in front of the windows," Mrs. Pettigrew instructed the men who'd brought the tree. As soon as it was placed to her satisfaction, Chastity's employer clapped her hands and sighed in satisfaction. "Secure it and you can be on your way, gentlemen." She turned to Chastity. "Dear, Mr. Simpson will be here soon to help decorate. I wonder if he'll bring his esteemed parents?"

Chastity gave her a little shrug. "I have no idea. But they enjoyed themselves last night so…" she shrugged again. She picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Mrs. Pettigrew eyed her. "Did you and Dalton enjoy hanging the mistletoe last night?"

Chastity almost spewed tea everywhere. She coughed and sputtered, hitting her chest with her hand.

"There, there, ma petite ," Mrs. Pettigrew soothed as she patted her back. "His kiss wasn't that bad, was it?"

Chastity sucked in a ragged breath. "Wh-what did you… cough … say?"

Mrs. Pettigrew smiled. "His kiss? It wasn't all bad…"

Chastity gaped at her. "You… saw?"

"I suspected."

Chastity closed her eyes. She'd walked right into it. "I apologize, I didn't know he would…"

"But you hoped?" Mrs. Pettigrew cut in.

Chastity looked at her, horrified. "I'm terribly sorry. And I understand what happens next."

"And what would that be?" Rebecca Harrington asked as she sashayed into the drawing room. "Oh, what a wonderful tree!" She spun to Mrs. Pettigrew. "I'm sorry for barging in like this, but no one came to the door."

Chastity and Mrs. Pettigrew both looked beyond her to Mr. Tugs, who was now standing in the foyer. He looked at the three and shrugged.

"Impatient, aren't you?" Mrs. Pettigrew told Rebecca. "To what do we owe the pleasure, Miss Harrington?"

"Oh my," she began sweetly. "I only came to apologize for whisking Miss Eastwick away like that. It was terribly irresponsible of me. Can you forgive me, Mrs. Pettigrew?"

Chastity watched her employer out of the corner of one eye. Mrs. Pettigrew was looking down her nose at Rebecca like a queen would a lowly servant. Much like she was probably going to be looking at her in a minute. She glanced at Mrs. Pettigrew. "Perhaps I should pack my things."

Rebecca smiled. "Leaving town so soon?"

Chastity's jaw tightened. She was through with his charade. It could only end in disaster. There was no use staying at this point. How could she possibly continue to work here when she….

"I asked you a question," Rebecca said. "Are you leaving?"

Chastity found she was halfway across the grand foyer when she turned to them. "I understand the consequences of my actions, ma'am. I am prepared to pay them."

"Hmmm," was all Mrs. Pettigrew offered. She turned to Rebecca. "Apology accepted. Now please leave."

Rebecca gaped at her, then quickly schooled her features. "But Mrs. Pettigrew, now that I've apologized, I was wondering…" her eyes flicked to the Christmas tree and back. "…if I could help you with your tree!"

Mrs. Pettigrew hadn't taken her eyes off Chastity, and she began to fidget under the rich widow's scrutiny. " Ma chérie , you will help decorate."

"Thank you," Rebecca said happily.

"I was not talking to you," Mrs. Pettigrew stated. She gave her attention back to Chastity. "That is an order."

Chastity swallowed hard. "Yes ma'am." She returned to the drawing room where she'd been checking Mrs. Pettigrew's collection of German tree ornaments. They were exquisite but also delicate.

Rebecca watched her like a hawk, and rather than take the hint and leave, joined Chastity and made a fuss over how pretty everything was.

Chastity wanted to throttle her. Not literally of course, but the woman was beginning to get on her nerves. The audacity!

Mrs. Pettigrew crossed the room as there came a knock on the door.

Chastity made a face and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. She knew who it was this time. Sure enough, when Mr. Tugs answered the door, Dalton entered the grand foyer. He gave his hat, coat and gloves to Mr. Tugs, then entered the drawing room with a smile. "Chastity, Mrs. Pettigrew… Rebecca?"

Rebecca lifted one of the ornaments up and examined it. "Why hello, Dalty. What are you doing here?"

He gave her a stern look. "I'd like to ask you the same question. But to answer yours, I was invited."

Rebecca pursed her lips and made a humming sound, as if bored.

Dalton looked at Mrs. Pettigrew then Chastity. "She let herself in," Chastity said in explanation.

Dalton stood to his full height. "I see. And is she letting herself out?"

Mrs. Pettigrew eyed Rebecca, then Chastity. "Miss Harrington has done what she came for. There is no reason for her to stay."

Rebecca's jaw dropped. "But… I can help. Tell her, Dalty."

Dalton smiled. "Mmm, no." He crossed the room, took Rebecca by the arm, and escorted her toward the front door.

Chastity stood, wide-eyed, and gasped.

"Don't be so surprised, ma chérie ," Mrs. Pettigrew said. "Miss Harrington needs a lesson on manners."

She couldn't argue with that. "Mrs. Pettigrew?" Chastity heard Dalton speak to Rebecca but couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Yes, ma petite ?"

"Am I fired?"

Rebecca stopped talking and looked right at her. Had she heard?

"No," Mrs. Pettigrew said. "But I will dock your pay if you wish punishment."

Chastity blinked a few times. "Excuse me?"

"You seem bent on suffering, ma chérie . Is that what you wish to do?"

Chastity closed the distance between them. "No one knows I'm a maid."

Mrs. Pettigrew arched an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong with that? You work for me, that's all anyone need know."

Chastity chanced a look at Rebecca and Dalton. The former was staring back at her, a wicked gleam in her eyes, as Dalton was opening the front door. Great, she did hear something.

"Do you wish to remain in my employ?" Mrs. Pettigrew asked in a soft voice. "You do like it here, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do."

"Then stay. Work. Create a beautiful life, ma petite ."

Chastity returned her attention to her. Mrs. Pettigrew wore a warm smiled, her crystal blue eyes sparkling. "But my misconduct…"

"Has been forgiven," her employer finished.

Chastity could only stare as she listened to the front door close with more force than it needed to. She turned to Dalton who was walking back into the room.

Mrs. Pettigrew motioned to the tree. "Is it not wonderful?"

He looked up at it and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Indeed it is. It's a magnificent tree, Adelia."

"I'm glad you think so. You and Miss Eastwick are going to decorate it."

"By ourselves?" Chastity said in alarm.

"No, I can't let you two have all the fun." She headed for the grand foyer. "The rest of the staff is going to help. I'll fetch them while you get started." She disappeared from the room.

Chastity let the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Well, this has been an eventful morning." She looked Dalton in the eyes. "Dare I ask what you told Rebecca?"

"A gentleman does not reveal everything to a lady," he stated as if reading from a book. "There are some things best kept to himself."

She sighed. "I hope you weren't too hard on her. She came to apologize for yesterday."

"She came seeking an audience with Adelia and hoped to get an invitation to either her Christmas ball or the skating party."

Chastity closed her eyes again. From what she knew of Rebecca, the woman would try to stir up some sort of trouble between now and the ball. Which, now that she thought of it, was only a few days away. Would she be serving at the event? She assumed so, then her secret would be out.

"Why so sad?" Dalton asked as he joined her. His concern turned into a playful smile. "Do we need to stand under some mistletoe?"

"No!"

His eyebrows shot up. "Chastity, is something wrong?"

She shook her head as her mind screamed, fraud! And she was. Yes, Mrs. Pettigrew said she could stay on, but how could she when she would have to face Dalton day in and day out? There was a mutual attraction between them she couldn't afford and could only imagine his disappointment should he find out her true position in Mrs. Pettigrew's household.

"Chastity," he said, voice gentle. "How can I help?"

She looked into his eyes, saw the concern there, and her traitorous heart melted. "You can't." She returned her attention to the ornaments and continued to sort through them as delicately as she could.

He watched her a moment, then caught sight of Abigail as she carried in strings of cranberries. "Let me help you," Dalton offered and headed for her.

Chastity watched him and Abigail a moment before Dalton said he'd fetch the ladder so they could get started. What was she going to do? If she wasn't going to be serving at Mrs. Pettigrew's Christmas ball, no matter how small it was, should she go at all? It just didn't seem right.

They spent the afternoon decorating the tree. They strung popcorn together, more cranberries, and carefully placed Mrs. Pettigrew's collection of ornaments on the tree. Lastly, they placed the candles that Mrs. Pettigrew said they would light for the ball.

Everyone stood back and admired the Christmas tree. Dalton stood next to Chastity. Mr. Tugs was on her other side. Next to him was Abigail and Mrs. Pettigrew's stable master, Mr. Prosser. Mrs. Fraser munched a cookie as Mrs. Pettigrew sighed in satisfaction. "We did a good job, don't you think?"

Everyone nodded their agreement. "Indeed, madame, we did," Mr. Tugs said. He started for the grand foyer. "Now if you don't mind, I have a few things to take care of outdoors." He shuffled off, and Mrs. Fraser wasn't far behind him.

Abigail bobbed a curtsy and also left to perform her duties. That left Mr. Prosser who took one last look at the tree, winked at Mrs. Pettigrew, then left the drawing room.

"Is something going on?" Dalton asked. "I get the distinct feeling I'm being left out of some sort of secret."

"There are no secrets here, mon cher ," Mrs. Pettigrew said. "But if you'd like to disclose one, I wouldn't mind."

He laughed. "You're not prone to gossip, but I'm sure you wish to know what I said to Rebecca?"

"I wouldn't mind." She went to her favorite sofa and sat.

Dalton took the chair across from her. "I told her to stop pestering you. That if you deemed her worthy to attend one of your balls or parties, then you would invite her. Her behavior is getting out of hand, and I've half a mind to speak to her parents about it."

"No. Don't," Mrs. Pettigrew said.

"Why not?" Chastity asked.

Mrs. Pettigrew let go a weary sigh. "Because that's exactly what Rebecca wants. To get Dalton alone with her parents. Who knows what will come out of Mrs. Harrington's mouth?"

"Indeed," Dalton said. "Thank you for pointing that out. Now, is there anything else Chastity and I can do to help prepare things for your Christmas ball?"