The Dangers of Doing Good (Arrangements, Book 4) Page 9

  “Hear, hear,” Geoff murmured.

  Duncan felt a surge of warmth and nodded. “Her name is Annie Ramsey,” he said in a low voice, “and I found her in Yorkshire.”

  “Found her?” Derek asked in bewilderment. “How is that?”

  “Exactly as I said. I was riding Balthazar, went to a creek to water him, and there she was.” He thought back to that day, the stirring moment that he first saw her, the sudden need to right all her wrongs…

  “So how did she come to be here?” Geoff inquired, breaking through his reverie. “Finding her is one thing, but bringing her back to London…” He frowned and tilted his head in concern. “Did something happen, Duncan?”

  “No!” Duncan said immediately, shaking his head viciously. “No, nothing of the sort. No. She was… in need. I saw an opportunity to be of some assistance. I have brought her back to be a companion to Tibby.”

  The room was so silent he would have thought them all dead.

  “Does your aunt need a companion?” Nathan asked carefully.

  Duncan sighed and winced a bit at his lack of foresight. “No, she doesn’t. But that does not mean she won’t enjoy one. Annie will suit her very well, I can assure you.”

  “So you brought this poor girl… who was in need… to London to be an unnecessary companion for your aunt because you… saw the opportunity?” Derek said, his voice slow and confused. There was a slight twinkle in his eye that Duncan did not care for at all.

  “That about sums it up, yes,” Duncan said, feeling his defenses rise. Really, what was so difficult to understand about that?

  “It all seems rather rash,” Geoff murmured. “A bit hasty, if you will. And not at all thought out. Did you even discuss with Lady Raeburn the possibility of a companion?”

  “Is this girl qualified to be a companion for her?” Colin asked on top of that. “You know how unconventional your aunt can be, and if this Annie creature is not fit for her, it will…”

  “Why are you all attacking my actions?” Duncan interrupted a bit loudly.

  “Why are you so defensive about it?” Nathan asked, looking far more interested than he had been previously. “What does this all mean to you?”

  “It was nothing!” Duncan insisted. “I saw the opportunity to help someone, to do a good deed, and I did it! Why should you…?”

  A movement out in the hallway caught his eye and his agitated mind seized upon it, his attention flying to it, and his words trailing off.

  Annie had come down the stairs, dressed in one of Mary’s old gowns that had been lightly altered to her size, but still hung loosely on her. It didn’t matter. She looked beautiful. The gown was a muted shade of green that would make her eyes stand out brilliantly against the pale porcelain of her face. He longed to see them, to be seized by their power again. Her golden hair had been simply braided and hung over one shoulder, but it glinted in the morning light.

  She had not seen him, wasn’t even looking for him. She moved carefully, cautiously, yet with a grace that could not be taught. She bit her lip, looked about, then walked out of his line of sight, hopefully towards breakfast.

  So she was an early riser. Like him.

  He would have to remember that.

  And suddenly, he wished his friends far, far away.

  “Yes,” Colin said slowly, his voice ringing with blatant amusement. “Yes, I see the good deed you have done. Very good, indeed.”

  Duncan very slowly turned to glower at Colin, who was grinning like a cat who had found a bowl of cream. He then became acutely aware of the number of eyes that were upon him. He glanced around him to see his other friends watching him with eerily identical expressions of fascination.

  “What?” he asked grumpily, fidgeting slightly in his seat.

  “Annie?” Nathan asked with a quirk of his head.

  Duncan exhaled sharply, knowing he had been painfully obvious. There would be no secrets anymore. “Yes, that was Annie. And there is something else you might as well know about her.”

  He confessed everything he knew about her, never once defending his actions. And much to their credit, they did not say anything. The amusement left their faces and their jaws all set. When he had finished, no one spoke for some time. It said much about each of them that their expressions were bordering between angry, disturbed, and determined.

  Derek suddenly cleared his throat. “The duke has some properties in Yorkshire. Would you like me to make inquiries about her family?”

  Duncan smiled faintly at his most powerful friend. “No, I think not. Annie has left that all behind, and I don’t want to pry without her consent.”

  “Brave girl,” Nathan murmured, shaking his head. “Courageous, indeed, to leave her former life behind.”

  “She must be terrified,” Geoff said. “Leaving everything she knows and coming to Town without knowing anybody. If you don’t mind, Duncan, I’ll send Mary over. I won’t tell her anything you don’t wish her to know, but…”

  “Tell her all,” Duncan insisted with a swift shake of his head. “Your wives are all welcome at any time. Perhaps not today, as Annie is more than likely already overwhelmed. And remember, she is my aunt’s companion. She isn’t… one of them.”

  “Are you quite sure of that?” Colin murmured, his eyes glancing out of the door, where Annie had once again reappeared and softly walked down the hall towards the back of the house, still unaware of their presence.

  Duncan swallowed the breath that had caught in his throat.

  No, he was not sure.

  He was no longer sure of anything at all.

  Chapter Seven

  The house was a maze.

  Annie had never been in a maze, of course, but she couldn’t imagine one more confusing than this. Everywhere she turned was another door or another hall, a part of the house she dared not venture into, and another sign that she didn’t belong here.

  She had nibbled very briefly on bites of the incomparable breakfast spread that had been in the dining room, but she couldn’t bring herself to sit and dine. Not here. And not alone. It didn’t matter that she was clean and dressed in a finer gown than she had ever seen in her entire life. She knew exactly who she was and what she was worth.

  It was part of what made this morning so difficult.

  Where was she to go? What was she to do with her day? Were there places she ought not to go?

  And what of the servants? She would know how to converse with them, should she need to converse with anybody at all. But even they seemed to sneer at her, sniff in disapproval. She knew very well she had a thick Northern accent that many would dislike, but surely their families were of a similar descent and fortune.

  Agnes had been very kind to her last night, but Agnes was a bit older and had seen her bruises. She had been sworn to secrecy by Marianne, and Annie had no reason to doubt that the good woman would break her word.

  But she couldn’t find Agnes.

  She couldn’t find anyone.

  She sighed and pushed a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. She didn’t know what the protocol was for the morning, but she could not remain in that luxurious bed one moment longer. It felt wrong, like such a dream she knew she would soon wake from. Someone would recognize the mistake and cast her away.

  When would they remember who she was? She was no fine guest they had invited into their home. She was a poor little waif that Duncan had taken pity on and found a way to help. She worked for them. Though Tibby had said she would adopt her, Annie knew it was not so easy. She would soon prove that she had very little use at all, hardly fit for any sort of reference.

  Oh, she had no doubt they would find her a fine situation once they had educated her enough to fend for herself. They were, after all, quite decent people, even if they were exorbitantly wealthy. And Duncan would… He would…

  She shook her head and plucked at the fine dress. She ought to stop herself right there. She did not know Duncan Bray at all. She had no idea what he would do.


  Some far-fetched corner of her mind had the errant thought that perhaps they would let her keep a few of the gowns when they came to their senses and sent her away. They were so fine, yet not half so extravagant as the gowns Marianne and Tibby wore, and those were purely for around the house. What in heaven’s name did they wear when they went out in public? Or, more astonishing, to a ball?

  Annie knew she would never be able to afford the quality of gowns she currently wore on her own. It did not even matter that it didn’t fit. She and Agnes had spent a bit of time last night altering what they could while still keeping the integrity of the dress itself, and it was much better than it had been.

  But the fit of the gown was rather like the quality of it. Too much for her.

  She ought to find a servant, to ask if there were any spare bolts of their fabric she might buy with her eventual allowance. Their clothing was obviously made from a higher quality fabric than she would have worn before, and they were the servants here. She would feel much better wearing their sturdy and functional attire than this costume they had forced upon her.

  Forced.

  She shook her head and opened the door to yet another room that didn’t lead where she wished.

  She hadn’t been forced into anything. They were not forcing her to be here or to dress this way. She had not been forced to leave her home and her brother. They did not force her to sleep in that grand bed last night or to bathe in that enormous tub or to come to London at all. They had offered. She had accepted.

  She had chosen.

  What was she thinking? She was choosing a life so far above herself that it was laughable. Imagine her being a companion to a fine woman of influence and Society like Lady Raeburn! She hardly spoke at all unless directly addressed, and even then she was a soft spoken, shy girl and never said anything of consequence. She had always been this way, and years of fearing the world had not done her any favors in that category. She had grown used to not speaking, to living in silence and simplicity, and to being ignored. She was more content to sit and watch life than participate.

  This was one farce she no longer wished to participate in.

  And yet…

  She had felt bold upon leaving Frank and leaving home. Something inside of her had been excited at the prospect of the future. Some part of her still dreamed of something greater. She might not fit in here, but that didn’t mean she would not fit in anywhere. There were possibilities she had not explored yet, and perhaps through the misguided and undeserved efforts of Duncan and his relations, she would gain the experience and knowledge to entertain those possibilities and perhaps turn something into a reality.

  So she was using them.

  That hardly seemed right at all.

  But she could hardly be anything more.

  She sniffled back the slight sheen of tears that had formed and shook her head to clear it. She must remain a sensible creature amidst all this insanity. She could not lose herself and think her place higher than it was.

  Another door ended up being a closet, and she groaned. She would never find the library at this rate, and it was the one place she longed to go.

  “Annie?”

  She winced and closed her eyes. Of course, Duncan would come across her when she was aimlessly wandering his home.

  Her face flamed and she turned to face him. “Good morning.”

  He smiled and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Good morning yourself. Have you eaten?”

  “Yes.” It was true. She had. Just not very much. But there was no need for him to know that. She knew very well he would have forced her into the room to eat some more and she was simply not willing to be made to eat like a child. And the way her stomach was clenching, it would not have gone well anyway.

  He gave her a look that told her plainly that he did not believe her.

  She kept her expression composed and blank, which she imagined not many people could do in his presence. But she had been partially raised by Frank Ramsey, who seized upon the first sign of weakness he could see. She had learned long ago that a lack of expression was the safest way to live.

  Finally, Duncan sighed and his smile returned. “Very well. What are you doing up so early?”

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she replied as the burning in her cheeks subsided.

  He nodded thoughtfully. “It would be expected. You are in a new place, surrounded by new people, and your bed is not your own. It will take some adjustment, but I do hope you will find yourself comfortable before long.”

  She dared not tell him that her bed at home had been a hard pallet of straw, and she would no more be comfortable in this finery than he would have been in her home. But the earnestness of his gaze, the hopeful look in his eyes, and that charming smile took her heart and twisted it so she could only smile shyly in return.

  The warmth that grew in his smile made her knees quiver and her breath catch.

  No one had ever looked at her like that.

  Steady, Annie, her mind scolded. He is not for you.

  She swallowed and barely resisted the urge to nod in agreement with herself.

  “Can I help you find something?” Duncan asked, his gaze searching.

  Now she was embarrassed. What if he did not want her to go into the library? What if she was expected to wait upon Tibby hand and foot? She would do it, whatever her expectations were, but she simply did not know… Perhaps she ought to return to her room and wait to be told what she needed to do.

  “Annie?”

  Duncan broke into her internal debate and Annie flushed again. At this rate, she would permanently stain her cheeks a bright pink before she ever said anything of value to him.

  He smiled at her again, as if he could hear her thoughts. “You can go wherever you want, sweet. Anywhere at all. But you will get there much faster if I help you find your way.”

  Her ears tingled at his endearment and she could not help but smile a little. “I was… That is, I thought I might sit in the library for a time.”

  “The library?” he asked, looking surprised.

  “Yes.” She cleared her throat, desperate to explain without being misunderstood. “I could read as a child, and I thought I ought to see how bad I had got before… before it was expected…”

  “Before Tibby asked you to read aloud,” Duncan finished, his brow clearing as understanding dawned.

  Her eyes suddenly felt dry. She blinked rapidly and it took more effort than it had ever taken before. Her failings were becoming more and more apparent by the moment, and she couldn’t bear it.

  “I would love to show the library to you,” Duncan murmured softly, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s one of my favorite rooms.”

  She looked up at him as her heart pounded against her chest painfully. And suddenly, she lost what little pride she possessed and asked, “Will you help me, Duncan? If I… if I can’t…?”

  “Of course,” he said immediately, the pressure of his hand increasing slightly. “I would be delighted.”

  “Thank you.” Her breath caught and she could not tell if it was the fervency of his voice or the delight in his eyes that caused it.

  Whichever it was, she was helplessly vulnerable to it.

  “Well, well, what have we here?”

  Annie’s instincts took over at the unexpected sound of an unfamiliar male voice and she skittered backwards out of his grasp, her eyes flying open wide, a startled whimper escaping her.

  “Easy,” Duncan murmured softly so only she could hear. “Easy, now. They are only my friends.”

  “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t,” she babbled as her breath came in panicked bursts, her body quivering.

  The men were drawing nearer, a tall, slender one leading the pack, but they were still far enough that she was slightly obscured and they couldn’t hear her.

  She shook her head frantically. “Don’t make me, don’t make me…”

  “Annie.” Duncan’s voice was firm, but still so gentle she felt her breat
hing begin to calm. “They are my friends. They will not harm you. Do you trust me?”

  Did she? Did she truly?

  She met his eyes and her knees quaked. She grabbed onto his open arms for balance. “Yes,” she gasped, her voice as shaky as her body.

  He nodded, a spark of something flaring in his eyes. “Then trust me.”

  She looked behind him and saw that the men had stopped and waited just far enough off that she still had privacy. “What do I do?” she eventually whispered to Duncan.

  “About?”

  She bit her lip, and inhaled shakily, the last of her tremors vanishing. “Do I bow, do I curtsey, do I…?” She shook her head. “What do I do?”

  He smiled and stepped back just enough that he only held her hands. “You could always just say good morning.”

  As if that was so easy.

  She swallowed and nodded, then steeled herself as Duncan stepped to the side, releasing her hands.

  She nearly swallowed her tongue. The men before her were four of the handsomest men she had ever seen. What was this, a collection of beautiful people gathering to admire each other? It was as if God had taken every possible attractive feature He could create and divided them amongst the group. It was simply unfair that so much attractiveness should be so condensed among five wealthy and powerful men. Really, they ought to do something to reduce their combined power. How was a single, able-minded woman to think a concise thought?

  “Good morning,” she managed limply.

  “Good morning,” the darkest one replied, smiling crookedly.

  “Miss Annie Ramsey, I presume?” the tall, thin one said, his pale eyes twinkling with unspoken humor.

  She only nodded, unsure what manners ought to be employed here.

  The man smiled pleasantly, then turned to Duncan with a wave of his hand. “Well, Duncan, don’t just stand there like an overgrown suit of armor. Introduce us!” He rolled his eyes and looked back to Annie. “I am so dreadfully sorry, Miss Ramsey, how mortifying. But Duncan needs reminding of politeness from time to time, he tends to forget such things. And really, one cannot introduce one’s self if this is to be done properly. I should not even be speaking to you yet, but I have always been a bit hazy about the particular boundaries of Society.”