into the library,” Harriet said, from a doorway down the hall. “Hurry now.”
Vi started to scurry after her.
I reached out. “Vi, do be careful. They have a son not much older than us.”
She frowned, straightening her cap. “What’s that have to do with anything?”
I resisted the urge to sigh as we hurried after Harriet, who was waiting impatiently in the room. I shivered to think of what would have happened to Vi if I hadn’t taken her in. “I’ve heard tell they like to take advantage of their servants.”
She smiled, showing a slight gap between her front teeth. Something she despised, but I found quite endearing. “Oh Ginny, not everyone is so bad, you know.”
I bit back my response. Too trusting indeed. She always gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. It would ruin her one day. Mark my words.
“As for the lords of the house,” Harriet drawled out, indicating she’d heard my warning to Vi. I should have been embarrassed, but I refused. “Lady Landcaster is very strict about her son and his friends. They aren’t allowed to touch the servants…however,” she lowered her voice and shook her head, “you know how men are.”
I slid Violet a pointed glance, but she was too caught on Harriet’s every word to notice. There was a distinct possibility I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut and would be fired. What would happen to Violet if I was let go? I dreaded to think of her here alone.
“Come now,” Harriet urged.
We entered the library and the scent of coal, leather and parchment hit me all at once. My worries vanished. I swore my heart stopped. Books…everywhere. So many it would take a person a decade to read them all. Did all lords and ladies have so many books, or were the Landcaster’s special in that regard? A large desk stood near the far wall, while a settee and chairs were near the fireplace decorated with more fir boughs. So very cozy. Oh, how my fingers itched to pull out a book; how I wanted to curl into a chair by the fireplace, and read.
“Even the handsome servants are not to be dallied with.”
“What if they chase after us?” I dared to ask as I inched my way closer to the shelves. “What do we do then?”
“Avoid them. Scurry away. Be a mouse!” She laughed, as if it was all a silly game. “You…Ginny, was it? You’ll start here in the library. We replace the fir branches with fresh ones every few days, but the footmen take care of that. Merely clean the hearth while I go set Violet up in the parlor.”
“Of course.”
I certainly wouldn’t argue, and tried to keep my excitement contained. They left the room and I was finally alone. If I were rich, I’d spend all my days in this room, reading…studying.
Unable to stop myself, I raced to the closest shelf and I reached for a book about the constellations. There had to be at least ten novels on stars alone. They were such a mystery to me, shimmering diamonds for all, rich or poor. They did not turn their noses up at those less fortunate, but sparkled just as brightly whether you were the queen or a maid. What was up there? What couldn’t we see? What did it all mean?
The book felt cool and heavy in my hands. I brought it close, closed my eyes and breathed in the leathery scent. Vi told me that in the country one could see so many stars you couldn’t even count them all. The air was clean, fresh…
“What’s that you have there?”
Startled, I dropped the book. It hit the ground with a thud that stirred dust particles into the air. Two young men sauntered into the room, their curious gazes on me. I had to resist the urge to cower back into the bookshelves.
In the slums, I would have straightened my shoulders, looked them dead in the eyes and cowed them with my gaze. Not here. If I lashed out at these young lords, if I dared to defend myself, they’d toss me into Newgate.
“Nothing, sir.” My face burnt. “I mean, my lord. I beg your pardon; I was merely dusting.”
While one man headed toward the fireplace and the settee, the taller of the two headed in my direction. He didn’t pause until he was so close, I could smell the spicy scent of his cologne. He knelt and scooped up the book. “It’s in German.”