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M ary Kate was embarrassed that Lady Calliope had witnessed her abject misery. While she and her ladyship had formed a wonderful working relationship, the viscountess had offered more…friendship. Would Mary Kate’s neglecting her duties earlier force them to let her go?

Worry had her wondering if she should have confided in her ladyship a few weeks ago.

Would it change the outcome? Mayhap she had misremembered how Flaherty had sounded when he railed at her.

He had to have been in excruciating pain at the time.

But what if she had recalled the exchange exactly as it had occurred?

Lifting her chin, she resolved to accept the outcome.

Either she would be able to continue working for Lord and Lady Chattsworth, or they would have no choice but to let her go.

If that be the Lord’s will, then Mary Kate vowed to accept their decision to let her go with equanimity and grace.

Surely they would not turn her away without a recommendation.

Would they?

She poured the now-tepid water from the pitcher into the bowl, dipped the sliver of rose-scented soap in the water, and washed.

The water normally soothed her, but not today.

She dried her face and hands and smoothed her gown—the few wrinkles could not be helped.

Hopefully, her tear-ravaged face would not add weight to their decision, if it was to let her go.

A glance in the looking glass over the washstand had her accepting the fact that it would take hours for the swelling around her eyes to go down.

The red rimming her eyes and coloring the end of her nose would not disappear for at least a few more hours.

Mary Kate knew she needed to speak with her ladyship before any more time passed.

She had to have been in her room for at least an hour.

A whole hour away from her duties, right when little William would be eating his midday meal and then be put down for his nap.

Lady Calliope usually needed Mary Kate’s assistance during the early afternoons more than she had a month ago.

The poor viscountess had been so tired of late, leaving Mary Kate to wonder if her mistress could be expecting again—not that she would ever ask such a personal question.

The only reason she had been brave enough to put that delicate question to her ladyship the first time was that the poor woman had been unable to rise in the mornings without losing the contents of her stomach.

Yet the rest of the day, she appeared hale and hearty.

Mary Kate had suspected that Lady Calliope had been carrying the viscount’s heir, yet when she mentioned the possibility to her ladyship, Lady Calliope’s shock had been palpable.

Mary Kate remembered her expression of wonder as she confessed that the thought had never occurred to her.

Her ladyship’s tears of joy had warmed Mary Kate’s heart.

Resolved to put the question to Lady Calliope, and not let the matter fester inside of her any longer, Mary Kate opened her door.

No one was about on the third floor at this hour, so there was no need to avoid anyone.

She made her way down the servants’ staircase to the nursery, where she knew she would find her mistress.

As she drew nearer to the door, she heard the little boy asking for her. Guilt slashed through her.

She knocked on the door, and entered when bidden. “Lady Calliope, please accept my apology. I have never neglected my duties before, and will do my utmost never to do so again.”

The viscountess looked up from where she sat rocking her son. “What if another man dares to do or say something that breaks your heart again?”

Mary Kate shook her head. “What makes you think—” It would be ridiculous to continue to pretend Flaherty had not broken her heart. Looking directly at the viscountess, she rasped, “I shall never allow myself to fall in love again.”

Calliope’s lips lifted into a small smile. “Speaking from experience, I know how difficult that would be to do so. Tell me, Mary Kate, have you truly fallen out of love with Flaherty?”

“How could I when—” Mary Kate felt her face heat at the knee-jerk response that had burst from her lips. Shock had her mouth gaping open for a moment, before she collected herself enough to snap it closed.

The viscountess’s smile widened. “Do you not remember how brokenhearted I was when you and I arrived here? William had left me at Wyndmere Hall, after pledging his life to me before the vicar and witnesses. My hopes and dreams curled up, withered, and died when he turned and walked away from me.”

“I have not forgotten. Your sorrow hurt my heart.”

Calliope traced the tip of her finger along the curve of her son’s cheek as he rested it against her breast. “That was the first time William broke my heart—the second time was when I overheard the staff mention that he was in London tending to the duke’s affairs.

William had not seen fit to confide his whereabouts to me.

That he could not escape my presence fast enough after we were wed was evident, but the fact that he was within a days’ ride and had not let me know hurt.

” She paused to press a gentle kiss to her son’s forehead.

“I never thought I would be able to forgive him, but my heart had other ideas. Especially after we talked and realized that the duke sensed we would be at cross purposes. William needed to marry an heiress to save Chattsworth Manor, and I hoped to marry for love.”

Mary Kate forced herself to speak past the tightness in her throat. “And it came to light that the duke ordered his lordship to London to take care of the duke’s affairs there, while the duke packed you up and sent you here to Chattsworth…with me.”

“Guarded by two of his trusted guards, Michael O’Malley and Seamus Flaherty.”

Mary Kate sighed. “The duke had no idea what state his lordship’s home was in.”

Calliope agreed. “Nor did His Grace realize the extent of the turmoil surrounding my father-in-law’s disappearance at the time. Thank goodness the truth came to light and William’s father returned safely.”

“It was a day of celebration,” Mary Kate agreed. “Are you encouraging me to be patient and give Flaherty a chance to explain why he would say such awful things to me?”

The viscountess nodded. “It is never wise to jump to conclusions, especially when one doesn’t know the full extent of the circumstances regarding any one situation. More often than not, we are judging by past experiences that have colored our way of thinking.”

“You have given me a lot to think about, your ladyship.”

“Then you’ll speak to Flaherty when he returns tomorrow?”

Mary Kate frowned. “How can you be so sure that he will return? He has ignored me for weeks!”

“Ah, but the poor man had been shot protecting Dermott’s wife and was healing, which is no small feat after suffering wound fever. He did not realize he was ignoring you. I have no doubt he thought it was your choice not to see him.”

“What a bumblebroth this situation has become,” Mary Kate murmured. “Do you think the explanation is as simple as that? Could it have been his fevered brain’s imaginings that had him speaking to me that way?”

“From what I know having been under the man’s protection, I would be inclined to believe just that. Grant him the opportunity to at least speak to you, Mary Kate. I believe he truly loves you.”

“Then why would he constantly bring up Garahan’s name in our conversations, asking me if I still harbored feelings for the man?”

“How many times have you brought up Garahan’s name yourself, whenever you wax poetic about how he saved you the day you were so rudely ousted from Lady Kittrick’s home?”

Mary Kate opened her mouth, then closed it. How could she answer that question without sounding hypocritical?

As if her ladyship understood, she rose from the rocking chair and walked over to the cradle, settling her son down for a nap. “Now then, I believe tea and something sweet is what we need to soothe frazzled nerves and feelings. Don’t you?”

At the suggestion, Mary Kate walked over to the corner and gave a tug on the bellpull. A few moments later, there was a knock on the door.

Rather than answer, and take a chance that she would wake William, Lady Calliope walked over to the door, opened it, made her request, and closed the door. “Now then, why don’t you have a seat and tell me what else is worrying you.”

Mary Kate walked over to the grouping of chairs on the other side of the room and sat. Waiting for Lady Calliope to do the same, she wondered what else to say.

“Why don’t I tell you what I have noticed?” Calliope suggested.

Feeling as if she had had every emotion wrung out of her, Mary Kate could only nod.

“You are quick to mention Garahan as the man to have rescued you—even in front of his wife—which I would ask you to stop doing. Especially given that we are both aware of the beatings Melinda received before Garahan rescued her . As far as I know, and unless you tell me differently right now, you were never in that type of situation. Haven’t you noticed how quiet Melinda is whenever you are around?

Do you not think she compares herself to you, trying to see you through her husband’s eyes? ”

Perplexed, Mary Kate asked, “Why would she do that?”

“Why would you continue to ignore the courageous way Flaherty and O’Malley saved us from injury when they pulled us to safety after the accident by never mentioning it? Why only speak of Garahan?”

Before Mary Kate could answer, Calliope continued, “If I did not know you as well as I do, I would think that you are trying to outshine Melinda—who, from all accounts and what I know of her situation, would never speak of what occurred that necessitated her being rescued, nor why James Garahan felt the overwhelming need to save her.”

Mary Kate’s eyes welled with tears yet again. “I would never intentionally wish to harm Melinda with my words or actions.”

Calliope reached for her maid’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

“I know that you would not. That is the only reason I hesitated to speak of it before now. Unfortunately, it has become quite obvious to everyone concerned— except for you —that you are oblivious to the pain you have caused, and dare I speculate tension between Garahan and his wife?”

The knock on the door interrupted what Mary Kate had been about to say.

Relieved by the interruption, she shot up from her chair and answered the door, letting the footman bearing the requested tea tray in.

She set out the tea as Lady Calliope directed and closed the door behind the footman.

Putting off continuing the difficult discussion, Mary Kate stopped to check on the little William.

Satisfied he hadn’t been disturbed from sleeping, she rejoined her mistress.

Continuing the unusual tradition of taking tea with the viscount’s housekeeper and the cook when they first arrived at Chattsworth, she and Calliope often enjoyed tea together.

In the beginning it had been a way to learn about the estate from those few servants who worked for the viscount.

Yet it had also helped the two of them to know one another better and to forge a friendship that included escapades that had nearly driven the viscount mad with worry.

Though his growing love for Calliope had had his lordship forgiving her for not following his instruction and remaining behind—especially when her ladyship had learned of the duel.

“Forgive me, Lady Calliope, I—”

“I am not the one you should beg forgiveness from,” Calliope reminded her.

Mary Kate’s stomach ached. She wondered just how many times she had brought up the subject of being rescued in front of Melinda. “She must hate me.”

“I do not believe she is capable of hating anyone,” Calliope murmured. “Though if she were, her cousin, who so horribly mistreated her, would be the person fully deserving of it.”

“Do you think Melinda would accept my apology? I know it must seem as if it is too little, too late.”

“I am quite certain that she will. Now then, drink up, and I shall tell you of my plan for you to smooth things over with Melinda and Flaherty.”

Mary Kate’s eyes widened at the mention of the man’s name. “I do not owe him an apology. He—”

“It never hurts to swallow one’s pride and apologize, even if one does not believe one has been in the wrong, but wronged.”

“But he—”

Calliope set her teacup on its saucer and placed it on the table between them.

“I do believe a bite of something sweet may be what you need to stop protesting and see that you must apologize to both Garahan’s wife and Flaherty.

Only then will you have opened yourself up to the healing that needs to take place before you will even listen to Flaherty’s explanation. ”

Mary Kate knew when to speak and when to listen. She nodded.

Satisfied, the viscountess passed her a plate with a generous slice of butter cake on it.

“Eat up, then we shall make our plans for when you will meet with Melinda, and what you will say to begin to mend fences with her. She is a lovely woman and has suffered so much at the hands of those who should have been protecting her.”

The viscountess’s words hit home. “You would know more than most how that would have affected her, having suffered yourself.”

Calliope’s gaze met hers. “Yes, I do. Now then, here’s what I think you should do…”