The Footman and I - Valerie Bowman Page 0,42

he pulled out the chair for her and she resumed her seat as if the last few moments had never even happened.

He took his own seat again as well.

“Well, then, now, where were we?” she asked with a giggle, unable to stop staring at him. By God, the man was so handsome it nearly hurt to look at him. She’d no idea why he found her appealing. She certainly wasn’t the female equivalent in looks.

Lucas cleared his throat. He’d replaced his wig, but it did look a bit worse for the wear. She leaned over to help him adjust it back into place. “Thank you,” he said. “I’ve found this a chore to get used to.”

“What?” she asked, frowning.

“Oh, er, uh. It’s a new wig. I’m accustomed to my old one.” He cleared his throat. “By the by, what about the law’s owner? Do you know who he is?”

She narrowed her eyes until she could barely see out of them and spoke through clenched teeth. “Oh, yes, I know the name well. I detest the man and if I ever lay eyes on that bastard Lord Kendall, I intend to tell him precisely what I think of his revolting Employment Bill.”

Chapter Fourteen

Frances was hurrying back up to her room after her rendezvous with Lucas in the library. She supposed what they were doing each day qualified as a rendezvous and God help her, she had no intention of stopping their interludes. With a clear head she could see she wasn’t being entirely disloyal to Albina. Albina hadn’t even met Lucas, after all, according to him. She merely fancied him from afar. Of course, the right thing to do would be to tell Albina that she was already smitten with the man herself, but that was out of the question. How in the world would she explain to her maid that she’d been meeting a footman in the library and kissing him each day? She doubted Albina would tell Mama, but there was no guarantee, and besides, it wasn’t a story Frances wanted spread about. Albina had been known to gossip upon occasion. No. This particular secret was one Frances intended to keep to herself. It was wrong, and it was illicit, and it was the most fun she’d had in an age. She only wished Abigail was here to share it with. Abigail could keep a secret.

Frances pressed a hand to her throat as she made her way up the winding staircase to her bedchamber. Heavens, when she got to her room, she would have to check the looking glass for love bites. She’d heard other young ladies at parties speak of such things, but she’d never been privy to such salaciousness. Now, she was doing her best to pull her curls over her neck to hide what might well be a mark from a lover. She shuddered, remembering the feel of Lucas’s mouth on hers, his lips on her neck, his tongue on her breast of all scandalous things. Ooh, she couldn’t wait for him to do it again. She bent her head and stared at the ground to hide her smile.

Lucas was more than just handsome. In addition to their lovemaking, she’d also been stimulated by their discussion. It was the first real conversation she’d had with an adult male where she truly felt as if they were equals. All the other gentlemen she’d spoken with about politics wanted to dismiss her views as quickly as possible, have a servant fetch her more tea, and talk about something boring like the last play at the theater or the lovely artwork on the wall next to them.

For a time, she’d been concerned that Lucas might actually be in favor of the Employment Bill. He seemed to defend it quite vigorously. She’d heard that the law’s creator, Lord Kendall, was friendly with Lord Clayton. Perhaps Lucas knew the earl from having served him when he came to visit. Regardless, she’d decided that Lucas couldn’t possibly be in favor of a bill that did absolutely nothing to help his own class. She guessed that he enjoyed the discussion as much as she did and wanted to provide her with the means to make her arguments. It had been quite chivalrous of him when she stopped to consider it.

She’d made it to the second floor’s landing and was nearly halfway down the hall to her bedchamber door when another door opened, and Sir Reginald emerged. Frances froze, hoping he might not see