An Invitation to Sin Read Free Page B

schoolroom miss!”
    Anna could have strangled Martha. Just as the conversation was becoming interesting!
    The earl’s ladybird? That meant lover. So the earl’s lover had committed suicide in number 10? Embarrassing, certainly, but enough to send a peer of the realm into exile?
    Hardly.
    And why had Maria reported it as murder?
    These thoughts tumbled around in Anna’s head as she gathered an armful of books at Hatchards. She did not find a copy of Forbidden Affections so asked a clerk for assistance. He consulted the large book which served as their catalogue. “I’m afraid we no longer have a copy, miss.”
    “What? Why on earth not?”
    At her sharp tone he looked rather harried. “It is eight years old, miss. Possibly one of the volumes was lost or damaged … May I recommend this one?”
    Anna listened politely as he recommended a number of the latest romantic novels, and even took one to allay suspicion. She knew it was irrational to think that Martha and Arthur, who were standing by chatting, would read anything into her desire for a copy of Forbidden Affections, but she felt compelled to disguise her feelings.
    She wanted no one to discover her secret until she had solved the mysteries of Carne Terrace. And she wanted to solve them on her own.
    She would have liked to go to another library to continue her search for the novel, but how could she with Arthur already burdened with at least two days’ reading? Seething at the stupidity of a library that didn’t have multiple copies of every one of Mrs. Jamison’s novels, Anna returned home.
    Releasing Martha and Arthur to their other duties, she sat down to read. The books she had selected were interesting, but she could not concentrate on any of them. Her mind was full of Lord Carne, his dead lover, and the Gothic chamber of Dulcinea. In fact, Anna knew she was merely passing time until that night when she could explore again.
    By mid-afternoon she could restrain her curiosity no longer and wandered into the kitchen where the cook, Mrs. Jones, and two maids were preparing dinner.
    “Hungry, miss?” asked the wiry woman pleasantly enough. “There’s maids-of-honor there that could do with testing.”
    Anna grinned at the cook and sat at the table to nibble an almond tart. “They’re delicious,” she said honestly. “Alas, I don’t think my stay here will increase my chances of becoming thin and interesting.”
    “Let’s not have any of that nonsense, miss. Some healthy padding serves a woman well. And there’s many a gentleman likes an armful.” Mrs. Jones pushed another cake over to Anna.
    Anna did not actually want another one, but she took it with a smile. “I certainly hope so, since I am to have your cooking. I’m sure they should charge extra for this house if you come with it.”
    The cook preened. “Been here nigh on ten years, miss, and there’s been no complaints. Maggie, stop beating those eggs now and put the water on.”
    A rather slack-faced maid put aside a big bowl of eggs and went to haul a copper pot onto the stove.
    Anna decided on a direct approach to one part of the puzzle. “Were you here when my bedroom was made?”
    The woman rolled her eyes. “That Chamber of Horrors? Aye. It was a fancy of the mistress of the time, Lady De-labury …” The woman broke off what she was about to say. “Maggie, the big pan!”
    With a clatter, one pan was put down and another picked up.
    “She must have been very fond of novels,” Anna prompted.
    The cook looked at her in surprise and with a touch of suspicion. “How did you know that, miss?”
    “Oh, there are rooms like that in many novels.” Anna dropped her voice and made it sound mysterious. “Usually in the less-frequented parts of moldering castles, hung with cobwebs and infested by rats …”
    Both the cook and the two maids were staring at her.
    “Well, there’s no rats in this house!” declared Mrs. Jones. “It makes a bit of sense, though,” she added more