6. Dressing for Dinner

CHAPTER 6

DRESSING FOR DINNER

A half hour later

Ivy watched Anne Salisbury gingerly insert another pin into the coiffure she had created, the woman’s reflection in the dressing table mirror a study of concentration and concern.

“You’re doing fine. You’ll be a lady’s maid in no time at all,” Ivy said by way of encouragement. “In fact, I may have to take you back to London with me.”

The housemaid’s eyes widened in what appeared to be surprise. “Oh, I would like that very much, my lady,” she replied.

The comment had Ivy smirking. “I know it’s none of my business, but I am aware that you and Mr. Walker have formed an... attachment,” she stammered. She heard Salisbury’s sharp inhalation of breath and regarded the maid’s reflection in the dressing table mirror, noting her momentary fright. “And I don’t object in the least.”

The maid’s look of fear changed to wonder. “You don’t?”

“Of course not. In fact, I believe I have you to thank for my being here today,” she explained. “We really shouldn’t have been traveling with the snow falling as it was,” she added.

“Oh,” Anne sighed. “It was a relief to learn you two had arrived, my lady.”

Ivy’s eyes widened. “Have you spoken with him?”

Anne’s face displayed a blush. “I have not, my lady,” she said, shaking her head. “Perhaps we’ll have time later this evening to... to talk.”

Grinning, Ivy turned on the tufted seat to regard the maid directly. “Oh, I do hope you two have time to do more than that,” she teased. “That all goes well for the two of you,” she added. “In fact...” She paused, her own face coloring with heat. “May I ask which rooms you see to in the house?”

About to insert another hairpin into the coiffure she was creating atop Ivy’s head, Anne hesitated. “The first floor, my lady. The parlor, the drawing room, two apartments, and the library. And the corridor, of course.”

Ivy turned back to face the dressing table mirror. “Well, since there are no guests in residence, I certainly wouldn’t object if one of those apartments were... occupied for a time,” she murmured. “Surreptitiously, of course. I shouldn’t want any of the other servants to... to discover you and think they might be entitled to their use.”

Anne’s eyes rounded in surprise. “My lady?”

Once again turning on her seat, Ivy angled her head to one side. “It’s nearly Christmas, and I think this house could use a bit of... romance,” she whispered. “Goodness knows, it’s been a a long time since there was any of that here at Ritchfield Park. If Walker and you are thinking of marriage, then I only wish to do my part to help.”

Dipping her head, Anne allowed a tentative grin. “I thank you for your consideration, my lady. I cannot speak for Mr. Walker, but I am sure he, too, will be very appreciative of your offer. ”

“Well, as I said, do keep it quiet.” She glanced at the clock. “Oh, it’s already a quarter of the hour,” she murmured. “Have you much more to do?”

Anne held up another pin. “Only a few more curls and I’ll be done, my lady. I apologize if I am slow, but it’s because I worry I will stab your head,” she added, capturing her lower lip with a tooth as she inserted the pin into Ivy’s flame red hair.

“Oh, I’ll survive,” Ivy said dryly, wishing her lady’s maid in London had showed such concern for the skin on her head. Watkins was an efficient servant, but patience was not one of her virtues. Ivy was sure she sported scars on her scalp from the ferocity with which Watkins had inserted hairpins over the years.

She wouldn’t regret her decision to pension the lady’s maid, which reminded her she really needed to discuss the particulars with her husband over dinner that evening. She’d had the perfect moment in which to do it only the hour before, when Ritchfield had asked if she had left her lady’s maid behind.

Why had she hesitated? He probably didn’t care one whit who she employed as her lady’s maid, but Watkins had been with the family since before he took Ivy to wife. She had been his mother’s lady’s maid, and then, before his sister had married, she had been her lady’s maid. It didn’t seem right to pension the woman without his permission. Without his blessing.

Remembering Ritchfield’s unshaven face, she wondered if he had decided to pension his valet as well. Was that why the older servant hadn’t come with him from York?

If he still employed Ferguson, the one he brought with him to London for the Season, then he was old enough to retire. Probably had been for a decade.

“I’m wondering how his lordship is doing without his valet,” Ivy said, hoping the housemaid would share any information she might have been privy to during the servant’s breakfast that morning.

Anne glanced up to see Ivy regarding her reflection in the dressing table mirror. “I believe Graves is seeing to his lordship, my lady. He was quite surprised when Lord Ritchfield arrived yesterday,” she remarked. “Apparently it’s been quite some time since his lordship has been in residence here.”

“Oh?” Ivy remarked. “So… Ritchfield didn’t send word ahead he would be coming for Christmas?”

“No, my lady. From something Graves said, the earl’s visit was not planned at all. In fact, he fears something happened in York,” she said, keeping her voice low.

Ivy stiffened. None of their children lived in the city, so she didn’t think it had anything to do with them. His mother and father had both died long ago, succumbing to the influenza epidemic of 1782, so they couldn’t be the reason.

Had something happened in one of the coal mines? She knew Robert trusted the foremen—both lead foremen had been under his employ for years. If there had been an accident in one of the mines, surely she would have heard about it in the news.

She struggled to come up with another reason why Robert would flee York when the weather was so bad.

“What exactly did he say?” Ivy asked, turning to regard the housemaid directly.

Anne blinked a few times. She seemed reluctant to speak until Ivy’s eyes widened with her impatience. “The ghosts of the past have driven me from York,” she recited as if from memory.

Ivy jerked back on the small tufted seat. “Ghosts?” she repeated, not expecting such an answer.

Anne lifted a shoulder. “That’s what Graves said his lordship said, my lady,” she affirmed. “Is the house in York haunted, perhaps?”

About to reply in the negative, Ivy considered the query a moment. She hadn’t been to Gladstone Hall in a very long time. Almost a decade. Perhaps some ghosts had settled in during her absence. “I never encountered any whilst I lived at Gladstone Hall,” she murmured. “But then, that’s been years ago.” And only when I wasn’t in London for the Season , she didn’t add.

The sudden knock at the door had them both reacting in shock until Ivy nervously tittered. The talk of ghosts obviously had them on edge. “Come,” she called out. She turned her gaze back towards the mirror and watched her husband appear, framed in the opening door, as a reflection in the dressing table mirror.

She had to stifle the urge to inhale sharply before she allowed a look of awe. He had dressed for dinner, his formal clothes all black but for the white satin waistcoat embroidered with red leaves and berries. Even his shirt, cravat, and stockings were black, so the contrast with the waistcoat was stark.

For a moment, his expression seemed as severe as his clothing. Far too serious for one about to head down to dinner in a country house. Apparently the sight of her awe, reflected in the looking glass, caused him to soften his expression.

“You look surprised,” he commented. “And rather lovely this evening.”

Ivy couldn’t believe how her body reacted. A frisson skittered down her spine and through her belly, which had her inhaling softly when the pleasure was at its peak. “Why, thank you,” she said, coming to her feet. She slid them into the black slippers Anne had set out for her.

The housemaid immediately stepped back and dipped a curtsy before disappearing into the dressing room .

While Robert seemed surprised by Anne Salisbury’s sudden departure, Ivy was not.

She knew there was a reunion in the maid’s future, and she already knew how much the man involved was looking forward to it.