Page 46 (2/2)

Phoebe stared at her for a few moments “Who are you?”

The girl fisted a hand on one of her slim hips and lifted her chin “I’m Caroline, the steward of Glencairn Castle”

Phoebe’s curiosity soared “A female steward? How positively modern”

The girl arched an elegant brow “Aye, that it is, and I aood at my job, except for when it corunt of exasperation “And who are you?”

“Lady Phoebe” She dipped into a sie had a probles while it is fixed”

Inquisitiveness shone from Miss Caroline’s eyes “You’ve stretched thees on the horizon”

Phoebe glanced over her shoulder toward the east “It seems I have outdistanced hlands had encouraged her to stroll for over an hour Phoebe ruefully admitted she had been desperate to escape the diatribe her ement to a certain earl was imminent, and Phoebe’s protest at the alliance wasn’t to be tolerated

The lol of the dog had her shifting to keep hiht How curious that its stare had not left her He reminded her of Lord Benjamin’s—Francis’s cat, who had disappeared the day they had laid her brother to rest in the fa suffered because hisfierce as she stared at the dog “What i

s his name?”

“Dog,” the girl said

Phoebe frowned “How cruel its irl “Does he not care for this animal?”

There was a slight hesitation where raw emotions flashed in her eyes before her expression sed with studied indifference “I never cared to know it”

Another unexpected ache clutched at Phoebe’s heart “Why…why is his ?”

The indifferent facade crumbled, and pain, raw and powerful, cracked Caroline’s countenance “Because he is stupid!” She dug into the pocket of her coat and withdrew a folded piece of paper The girl hurried over to her and pressed it into Phoebe’s hand “I’ve been searching for a fool to give this to!”

A fool? How astonishingly rude!

Then to Phoebe’s alarirlat the folded paper and then back at the retreating figure, Phoebe was torn between annoyance and unwilling amusement She returned her attention to the animal still crouched in the bushes “Do you know that very rude creature?”

The dog growled in response, and Phoebe sighed “Co,” she called firmly

“Perhaps we should leave it alone as the lady advises, milady,” Sarah said a bit fretfully “She is familiar with its contrariness, and it is also evident she does not care for the beast”

“I suspect if we leave, this dog will stay here and starve itself”

Sarah sighed “The duchess will not be pleased if she comes upon you I fear I will be harshly scolded with you”

“Then I suppose we shall be scolded together, but do not fret much, Sarah I shall take the brunt of Mama’s displeasure” Phoebe then spent several , and when the brisk commands yielded no success, she lowered her tone and tried cajoling The dog did not lanced down at the letter in her hand, not understanding why she even clutched at the paper