Sally James Read Free Page A

dinner!’ Julian snapped. ‘Carter, why didn’t you remind me what day it was?’
    ‘I did, my lord, when you insisted on rising from your bed this morning, my lord,’ Carter replied smoothly and with a murmured apology to Susannah walked across to his master and, taking his arm, persuaded him to sit down again. ‘You said, my lord, that you needed to dress in order to prepare for them, when I asked you if I should send messages to put them off.’
    ‘Can’t put them off, you fool! Everard’s on his way to stay with his uncle, that fat fool Andrews. And Percy - Percy wants to meet him. Rarely goes to town, Percy, you know,’ he added, turning back to Susannah.
    ‘Do you mean that you have visitors for dinner?’ she demanded angrily. ‘With the house in this state, no servants here and you, drunk as a pig?’
    ‘I’ve been ill, and I told you the servants have gone to London. But they haven’t all gone. Can’t have. Swale is here. He never goes up to town. And some of the maids. Where are they, Carter?’
    ‘You cannot have remembered that I told you Maggie had the cold, having contracted it from you, my lord, when she was waiting on you. She is in her bed, unable to move, and Peg has, I fear, given way to hysterics, saying she cannot do everything herself.’
    ‘She don’t have to, stupid wench. Swale is here too.’
    ‘Mr Swale, I am afraid, has been overcome, my lord. He opined that it was all too much for him at his age and he retired to his pantry. When I looked in on him a few minutes ago he was lying on the floor, having imbibed, as best as I could judge, two bottles of your best port.’
    ‘What? Send the fellow here at once! How dare he!’
    ‘I very much fear Mr Swale is at the present time unable to obey such a command, my lord. I made him as comfortable as I could with a cushion and some blankets, but he is too heavy a man for me, unaided, to carry to his room.’
    Susannah, who had been listening to these revelations in amazement, found her initial disgust was giving way to an irresistible desire to laugh. She caught Carter’s eye and it was so full of sympathetic understanding that she choked, turning away to hide her amusement, while Julian berated his servants for a pack of stupid nincompoops.
    ‘Yes, my lord, of course. Will your lordship try to come upstairs now, and I can still send messages to put off Lord Chalford and Mr Tempest.’
    ‘No, I can’t, and you won’t,’ Julian said stubbornly. `I want them to come. Can’t turn round and say they can’t come to dinner after they’ve been invited, you fool!’
    ‘No, my lord, except that there is no one to cook the dinner, so even if they do come there would be nothing for them to eat.’
    `What the devil do you mean? No one to cook? Where’s Mrs Mansell?’
    ‘Cook, my lord, slipped and fell down the stairs. She has hurt her leg and declares she cannot walk. It is no more than a sprained ankle, my lord,’ he added soothingly and Susannah, catching sight of Julian’s aghast expression, could hold her laughter no more.
    ‘Poor woman!’ she gasped. ‘Is there anything I can do for her?’ she asked Carter, but he shook his head.
    ‘I assisted her back to her room and there is nothing she needs yet, Miss Susannah. I was attempting to persuade Peg to sit with her when his lordship called, which is why I took so long in answering, but Peg sought refuge in tears and would not move from her own room.’
    ‘But what are we to do?’ Julian said wildly. ‘There must be someone else!’
    ‘Who is sane, sober and healthy,’ Susannah suggested.
    ‘I fear there are but the gardeners and the stablemen,’ Carter answered. ‘Really, my lord, it would be best if you were to permit me to help you back to bed.’
    ‘Damn you and your everlasting bed! I’ve had enough of bed these past few days, and I won’t put off my guests! Lord Chalford’s never had much time for me until recently, but he’s been very friendly of late, and