“Oh, no, Sir.” She looked at him aghast. “It is a book. I could not burn a book.”
He snatched her arm, pulling her close. “You must. It is an evil thing.” Her heart had gone to her throat as he pulled her close. “It has brought nothing but death and destruction in its wake. It ends now. It ends with my death. I will be the last of Bain who is cursed. I told you this task would be most difficult. Difficult to resist the temptation.”
Everyone said that His Lordship was crazed after the death of his first wife and the death of the second just made him that much madder. Now, Ruby was seeing the reality of the situation. She wished she had been done with the dusting and never met the Earl at all. She wished that she was far away in the warm kitchen.
“Please sir,” she begged.
“Promise me. Swear you will see it done.” He shook her like a rag doll.
“It is so beautiful. I could not take such a lovely thing. I am sure it must go to your son… or…” she wondered, what if he never had a son? “Or to your brother,” she finished.
“No. It must never go to them. Neither of them must know of it. I will not wish this curse on either of them. Do you hear me? I will make the arrangements, but when the time comes, promise me, you will not even open the packaging. You will simply burn it. Throw it into the fire. Burn it in its brown paper. Swear it.” He shook her by the arm. “Swear.”
“I swear,” she said frightened by the intensity of his passion. “I will see it burned.”
“Good. Good.” He said, somewhat calmed by her capitulation. He patted her arm, and chills ran up her spine although the fire was still burning brightly. She wondered why he did not just throw the thing in the fire himself if he was so determined to be rid of it.
“Missus McTavish will wonder if I have finished dusting the library,” she said hoping to gain his leave to go.
“Missus McTavish is in my employ,” he roared, his eyes wild. “I have need of you!”
He reached for her and fear came upon her in a rush. She bolted for the door. It slammed shut in front of her nose and she nearly ran into the polished walnut surface. She stupidly thought she had just polished it. It seemed so shiny. She should not fingerprint it. She put her hands against it and pushed, but it would not open. This was not madness. This was something more.
“Sit,” he said his voice more normal now. “I need you to send a letter.”
“Right away, Milord,” she answered trying to ignore the fact that a moment ago he had yelled at her, and somehow the door had slammed shut at his whim without his touching it. Her stomach felt as if she had swallowed something foul and her hands were shaking. She was not sure she could write, but she sat anyway. She did not need to write.
He scratched a letter on a parchment and then attached it to the package. “There,” he said in a pained voice. “Post this to my solicitor immediately. Take it, and get out.”
Ruby did not argue. She rushed for the door.
She had not gone far into the corridor, when Missus McTavish met her. “Where have you been?” The housekeeper accused.
“In the library,” Ruby answered breathlessly.
Missus McTavish’s eyes narrowed.
“With Mister Putnam?”
“No, Mam. With His Lordship. I mean, he had me wrap this package for his solicitor. I am to take it and the letter to post.”
“Well, get on with you then. Do as you are told.”
As Ruby left to send the package to the solicitor, she vowed to pray not only for the Lady, but for the Earl as well.
Chapter Four
A month passed and then another. Ruby found herself called more and more to the Countess, first because the Countess was unwell and wanted Ruby to fetch a book from the library for her to read and then because the Countess wanted to give her a book that she found interesting.
Ruby was happy that the Lady was feeling better, and that she felt well enough to sit up and read in bed, but the Earl was considerably worse. The Lady’s pregnancy was now progressing normally. Ruby truly hoped that all went well. She cared for Lady Bain and she continued to pray for the Earl, who seemed vastly in need of her prayers.
“Do you feel recovered, Milady?” Ruby asked as she delivered a new stack of books from the library.
“I do feel much improved,” she said. “Just put the books there, on the night stand where I can reach them. I feel so much better now that it is gone,” the Countess continued.
Ruby frowned, but said nothing. Perhaps she had heard wrong. Was the Countess speaking of the book? The Lady had never mentioned it before.
“But I’m afraid that I shall never be completely well,” the Lady continued. “I shall never attend Balls as I once did.” The Lady picked up one of the books and leafed idly through it, while Ruby straightened the room. She went about folding items which had been tossed aside.
“I am sure you will; if you wish it,” Ruby said. She turned to face the Lady. “And what of your child?” Ruby blushed with the thought. “One day, you will attend Balls with your own son or daughter.”
The Lady shook her head sadly.
“I do not believe so,” she said, and then with what seemed like an abrupt change of topic, the Countess said, “What I mean to say to you Miss Barnet is, I am letting Mrs Milford go. I was wondering if you would like to be my lady’s maid in her stead.”
Ruby stared transfixed, still holding the scarf in her hands. Of course, she would love the elevation in status, but Mrs Milford had been lady’s maid to the Countess since her marriage to the Earl, and perhaps before. It did not seem possible that a countess would choose someone of such low standing to become her lady’s maid. Ruby quietly finished folding the scarf she had been holding.
“What is to become of Mrs Milford?” Ruby asked at last.
“I have recommended her to Lady Wren. She will be more able to use Mrs Milford’s skills, and I would rather have you.”
“Why?” Ruby wondered aloud.
The Countess laughed, the sound like the clear ringing of bells.
“Begging your pardon, Milady, but I am no lady’s maid.”
“I like you Ruby, but more than that, the Earl trusts you. Trust is important; do you not think so?”
“I do,” Ruby agreed. “But you must know; I can fold and press clothes, Milady but I do not know the first thing about doing your hair. I can plait it, but that is about all.”
“As I said, I care nothing for Balls. I only need someone to help me dress for the day. I would like you to brush and braid my hair, and mostly, I need someone I trust. Both the Earl and I need someone we can trust.”
She laid a hand on her distended abdomen and Ruby shivered.
“You can trust me,” Ruby said.
“So, you will do this for me?” the Countess asked softly.
“Consent to be your lady’s maid? Of course I will,” Ruby answered.
“Good.” The Countess smiled wanly “But I meant, will you will burn the book?”
Ruby froze. It was the first time that the Countess had ever mentioned the book aloud. Ruby had not even been sure that the Countess knew of it. “I gave my word to His Lordship,” Ruby said softly. “Of course I will burn it.”
“It does not bother you?”
“Bother me?” Ruby asked.
“Does the thought of burning it not bother you? When I think of it…” Her hand went to her belly again. “I could as easily toss my child into the fire as that book,” she said. She shook her head. “You do not worry about being able to actually fulfil the deed?”
“Not in the least,” Ruby said confidently, but she felt a shiver go through her at the thought.
“It is an evil thing,” the Countess said in a low tone. “I know this, and I want it gone. I feel better now that it is gone from the house, but I do not think I could burn it.” Her voice got very soft, almost a whisper. “It calls to me,” she said. “I imagine I can hear it in the night.”
It calls to me too, Ruby thought, bu
t she said with conviction, “I will burn it, Milady. You have my word.”
Chapter Five
The following week, Putnam caught Ruby in the corridor. She had a handful of books.
“I must speak with you,” he said. “Meet me under the stair in ten minutes.”
“I cannot,” Ruby said. “I have to take these books back to the library and then take tea to the Countess.
Putnam caught her by the hand and pulled her into the library.
“We will only be a moment,” he said.
He took the books from her hands and put them on the edge of a shelf, and pulled her into his arms, hugging her. He felt warm and wonderful against her body, but this could not be.
“Putnam,” she began, but he put a finger by her mouth to shush her.
“I have news,” he said. “Wonderful news.”
“What is it?” she asked.
Ruby glanced around the library. It no longer had the appeal it had once had. She found herself choosing books more quickly than she had in the past, just so that she would not have to stay in the room.
“I have an inheritance,” Putnam said. “The letter came today. I did not even know my mother’s cousin, and now she has died and left me a sum of money. It is enough to buy a small cottage.”
Ruby frowned at him.
“You didn’t know her?” she asked.
“No, but that is not important. What is important is that we have enough money now. I thought we could buy the cottage that is just down the road near the village. It is perfect. We would be near our friends.”
His voice trailed off, a buzzing in her ears. It all seemed very strange to Ruby. She glanced at the desk and remembered how it felt to hold the book close. Ruby remembered wishing as she held the book in her hands; wishing she might be able to marry Putnam sooner that they had planned. Now, the thought filled her with misgivings.
She still loved him of course, but the thought that there was some magic behind the cottage left her shivering with fear. She remembered the Earl’s strange attitude and how he had her package up the book for sending to the solicitor. She wished she could see the book now. She wanted to hold it. She remembered the Earl saying it called to him. Was this what he had meant?
When Putnam showed her the letter, she stared at it unseeing. It seemed such a strange occurrence.
“How could you get an inheritance from a relative you did not even know you had?” she asked.
“I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth,” he said.
“So you are going to take it?” she asked.
“Of course I am going to take it,” Putnam said. “We are going to take it. Don’t you understand? It is all the money we need. We can marry.”
“Is the inheritance so much?”
“It is enough,” Putnam said. “Do not worry your head about money. It is not fitting for a young woman as beautiful as you.”
“I am not a lady,” she said. “I will not put on airs.”
“You are my delight,” he said. “You only need be yourself. It is like a dream come true. It is everything we ever hoped for.”
“Yes,” she said with a shiver, only things were not only to be hoped for, they were to be worked towards… together. “I only hope that this dream does not become a nightmare,” she said.
Putnam caught her hand and kissed it.
“Nothing that brings me closer to you can be a bad thing,” he said. “You make me happy,” he said. “I am happy when I am in your company and I am excited by our conversations and our plans. When I am not with you, I find myself bored and distracted. I think myself a better man when I am with you. What I am saying, Miss Barnet, is I would like to ask for your hand in marriage, if your father would allow it, now that I am a man of some wealth, and soon to be a man of property.” He puffed his chest out and she laughed. It felt good to laugh. It had been a long time since Ruby had laughed. Perhaps it was before she dusted in the library and held that dreaded book in her hands.
“My father will be pleased,” Ruby said thoughtfully. “He never wanted me to go into service. He thought that I should marry.”
Putnam frowned at her.
“I do not want to speak of your father; I want to speak of you and me.” He caught her hands and turned her to look at him. He kissed her hands. They were rough from her time in the scullery, but he did not seem to mind. “What is it, Miss Barnet? What is wrong?”
“It just seems very strange that this money should come now, with His Lordship so sick.”
“What does he have to do with us?”
“I… I’m not sure. I just... I think we should wait.”
“Why?” Putnam was incredulous.
Ruby pulled her hands loose from his. She turned away trying to think of how to explain to Putnam. She had promised silence about the book, but surly there was some way to make him understand.
She could not think of it, but this money felt so very wrong. There was something off about the way this inheritance had come just now with the Earl on his sick bed.
She had to be here. Morbid as it sounded, she had to be here when Lord Bain died. She could not leave. Not now. She had her promise to think of.
“I can’t just now, Putnam. Please understand. I only think we should wait.”
“Wait!” He snapped. “You said we must wait when I wanted to run away with you. You said we must wait. We did not have enough money. Now, I have money and you still want to wait!”
“Just for a little while,” she prevaricated. “It is not forever…”
“No.” Putman said, his jaw hardening. “You either love me or you do not.”
“I do.”
“Then marry me. Marry me, Miss Barnet.”
“I cannot,” she whispered.
“It’s the position, isn’t it?” he said. “You find yourself a lady’s maid now. Too good for a second footman, is that it?”
“No. No. That isn’t true.”
“Then what?”
“I can’t tell you. Putnam. I want to. I can’t. I promised.”
“What promise?” Putnam asked, but Ruby only shook her head. “I cannot tell you,” she said.
“A marriage based on secrets and falsehoods is no marriage at all,” Putnam said turning away from her.
“It is only this one secret,” Ruby said, following him. “It is a secret I promised he Earl I would hold. In all other matters, I will not hold back anything or play you false, but this must be secret must be kept. I swore I would take it to my grave. Please understand, Putnam. I promised. I cannot break my promise. If I broke it, then what would my word be worth?”
“You made a promise to me too. You promised we would wed. You promised that as soon as we might obtain the money we would become husband and wife, and now you are reneging on your promise to me. Is the promise to the Earl so much more important than your promise to me?”
“No, Putnam. It is not like that at all.”
She felt her eyes filling with tears.
“Then explain it to me.”
“I cannot. I just need you to trust me.”
“I trust that if you loved me, you would marry me. You have had excuses for too long, Miss Barnet. First it was the money. Now it is this promise.” Putnam waved a hand angrily about his head and then turned to her, a hard look in his eye. “Say yay or nay, Miss Barnet, and keep to the promise you made to me.”
Ruby stood shaking her head. Tears were running down her cheeks.
“I cannot,” she whispered.
He stood and looked at her for a long moment and then turned on his heel and left her there in the library with her thoughts and her tears. She stood for a moment feeling her insides churning like butter.
“Putnam!” she called.
He turned.
“Are you really going to take it? Leave the manor?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
He waited as if he expected her to say something more. When she did not, he turned and left her there.
“I love you,” she whispered to the empty air.
Chapter Six
One day moved into the next, and Ruby had hoped that the pain of Putnam leaving the manor would lessen, but time did not seem to be the balm others thought it would be. She missed him terribly and wished he had understood.
Her position was easy though, since the Lady rarely left her room. She helped her dress, combed her hair and read books with her. The midwife had cautioned the Lady that even though she was feeling better now, her pregnancy was precarious, so the Countess spent much of her time in bed, reading, and she shared her novels with Ruby. It seemed that each day as the Lady grew closer to her time, she grew stronger, and the Earl grew more ill. Physicians came and went, each shaking their heads in confusion. The Earl spent more and more time in his own rooms and did not even come down for meals. His valet said that he needed a cane to walk now, as if he were an old man. Ruby had not seen him at all for weeks, and did not wish to, but she attended the Lady of the house. She had grown close to the Countess.
“I have had no sleep at all the last few nights,” the Countess said. She placed her hands on the small of her back and stretched. “It cannot be long now, surely. I feel as though I may burst.”
“What does the midwife say?” Ruby asked.
“Soon. Always soon.” the Countess scowled. “I hope that the Earl lives to see his new son or daughter. He has been so ill. Say that you will pray for him.”
“I do,” Ruby assured her, but she wondered what affect her prayers may have on a man like the Earl. Surely what was on his soul was between him and God. The Earl still frightened Ruby somewhat. “Would you like me to read to you, Countess?” Ruby asked at last. They were over half-way through the final volume of Celestina, and Ruby wanted to know how it ended. Happily ever after, she hoped. Both she and the Countess needed something uplifting for their spirits.
Love in the Moonlight: A Regency Romance All Hallows' Eve Collection: 7 Delightful Regency Romance All Hallows' Eve Stories (Regency Collections Book 6) Page 24