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"But - " the maid said with a frown

"Hush There is the carriage," Lisa murmured as they reached the corner and she spotted the black carriage with the dark drapes at the s "Come "

Leaving the e

"Lady Madison?" The driver asked,to open the door even as he asked the question

Lisa se

"Say, I was, only told to expect just the one lady today," the driver said, blocking the hen Bet made to follow her in

"She is withfrom the bench seat she'd just settled on "It isn't proper for a lady to travel without her maid "

The h, andto like it "

Lisa frowned at the claily at her maid as she climbed in to claim the bench seat opposite her, "I'm sure she wouldn't expect me to come completely alone "

The man merely shook his head and closed the door

Lisa and Bet exchanged an uncertain glance at that reaction and then the coach rocked as the driver reclaian to move, they could do little but settle back in their seats However, Lisa was suddenly a tad nervous, worried that Mrs Morgan would be annoyed with her for bringing Bet along on this visit Though, she couldn't iine why

While Lisa had often left Bet to shop in the village while she'd visited Mrs Morgan at the inn during the five days the woe to be repaired, she had taken her with her a tinored, in the country was different than as allowed in London Surely her friend wouldn't expect her to coinal intention, now that Bet had ree her first plan of going alone had been rather foolish and thoughtless That sort of thing could ruin a girl's reputation, and really, the family had narrowly escaped several scandals now as it was

The ride to Mrs Morgan's took a surprisingly long ti in the back of the carriage with an obviously worried Bet It didn't help that the drapes were closed and they had nothing to look at to pass the time But they didn't dare pull thenized and the news of this excursion so it's way back to her sister and brother-in-law

Lisa griift she'd brought for Mrs Morgan It was a sht enjoy Nothing as risque as the volu their visits in the country inn Those had beenwell, frankly, they had been rather shockingand titillating all at the same time Lisa had found herself fascinated by the tale of the prostitute Fanny and her adventures The descriptions of what had occurred had quite taken her breath away and left her i what it would be like if Robert were to do sos to her that Fanny's lover had done to her

Lisa scowled unhappily at the thought of Robert Their nearest neighbor at Madison and Lord of Langley He was also a dear family friend as well And Lisa had been in love with theand sChristiana and Richard so happy, and Daniel and Suzette so happy had alvanized her to make Robert realize she was not a child and was perfect for hi she could think of the last two years to achieve that end, but the idiot man appeared to be blind and stupid and still persisted in treating her like an annoying, if adorable, little sister And frankly, she was quite sick of it Lisa had determined that she wouldn't love him anymore and intended to find soht's ball Or at least try Surely there would be someone there she would find attractive and could distract her from her interest in Robert?

Perhaps Lord Findlay, she thought, recalling the one man she had danced hen she'd coo She and Suzette had come in search of their father who hadn't yet returned home from a business trip They had attended a ball with their sister, Christiana, the night they had arrived It had been in the hopes of finding Suzette a husband To achieve that end, Suzette had danced nearly every dance with nearly every single male in attendance With all but one, actually, Charles Findlay He had not asked Suzette to dance, instead he had asked Lisa

Lisa smiled at the memory of the man Tall, with aquiline features and ice blond hair, Findlay had been very attractive Unfortunately, Lisa had been so busy trying to watch Robert at the ball that she'd hardly paid any attention to the ure he cut But perhaps he would be there again tonight and again ask her to dance If so, she would pay more attention She would force herself to if she had to, Lisa thought grimly

She ht even let him take her out on the terrace for air and allow him to kiss her so that she could see if he could stir any of those wars Fanny had written about in her book If he didwell, then, Robert could go hang for all she cared She was no longer interested in showering her love and adoration on someone who didn't appreciate it

The slowing of the carriage drew Lisa's attention then She glanced to Bet The other girl was suddenly sitting a little straighter on her bench, her expression ed a reassuring sirl, despite her own uncertainty that the maid's presence would be welcomed by their host, and moved quickly to disembark when the driver opened the door

She glanced around nervously as she waited for Bet to join her Lisa was anxious over the possibility of being spotted and recognized, but needn't have worried The carriage wasn't stopped in front of a house with a long walk, but had pulled up mere feet fro

"In ye get," the driver ordered gruffly, sla to the house before them "Mrs

Morgan won't be pleased does so "

Lisa bit her lip, but led Bet to the door and then quickly knocked

"Just go in," the rimly "You're expected "

Lisa hesitated, but then sighed and reached for the knob, relieved when the door suddenly opened before her Some of that relief was replaced with surprise when she was suddenly caught by the ared inside

"Get in here, girl Mrs Morgan wouldn't want you seen," a large, older woman in the uniform of a cook said breathlessly as she drew her into the hot, dim kitchen She started to close the door then, but paused as Bet scurried inside "Well, what have we here?"

"Myto think perhaps this visit hadn't been a good idea after all

The cook eyed Bet up and down, but then see, "Well ye'd best both go on through I sent Gilly up to fetch Mrs Morgan She'll be down in a minute no doubt Yer to wait in theerparlor " Turning back, she eyed the pair of theestured across the steaht "

Lisa hesitated, a frown catching at her lips, but caught it back when she saw that Bet too was frowning This wasn't at all the way visits for tea generally went in her experience, but then Mrs Morgan wasn't a ood servants when you couldn't pay as well as members of the nobility did, and all of this was probably a very kind atte in trouble for co their previous encounters and ht be frowned on by her family

Forcing a serene expression to her face, Lisa caught Bet's arestured to

"This ain't right," Bet hissed the , dimly lit hall"Ladies don't have to be snuck in the back door of the horeeted by a surly, fat old woman in dirty clothes either And - "

"Hush," Lisa warned, but otherwise could hardly argue the point This was highly unusualand really, the cook had been surly and her clothes were filthy Unsanitary, Lisa thought, and decided she would avoid eating any pastries or such thatin Bet's expression, she whispered, "I' h the back door "

"If she was a decent worowled sharply

Lisa frowned at the truth behind those words and felt a niggle of concern, but then sighed and said, "Well, we are here now One tea and we shall leave, I promise But we can hardly - "

"Ah, there you are Gilly said you'd arrived I had intended to be in the kitchen to greet you, but got held up "

Lisa paused in the hall and glanced to the curving stairway and the dark-haired wo it Soht of Mrs Morgan as she recalled the lovely visits they'd enjoyed in the country Lisa smiled widely as the older woman reached the bottom of the steps and moved up the hall toward them

"I orried you wouldn't be able to get away," Mrs Morgan said with a s, she raised an eyebrow "You brought a friend "

"You rey in her voice "It see Ladies don't travel alone or - "

"Yes, of course " Mrs Morgan's s, the two of you then We shall have tea and a nice long chat It's been ages since we last met, my dear "

"Yes, it has," Lisa agreed with a smile All would be well