She only wished she had more facts to go on.
Finally she went downstairs to supper, finding, to her surprise, that her father had not come home yet. After waiting for him for some time, she and Deirdre sat down to eat, glancing now and again at the clock in the dining room, then at each other, their worry palpable.
He still had not arrived by the time they were through with their meal, and Megan helped Deirdre wash and dry the dishes as they talked, their vague concern growing.
It was with a great deal of relief that they heard the front door open a few minutes later, and then their father strolled in, whistling a tune.
Good evenin to you, Frank Mulcahey said, grinning and taking off his cap.
Where have you been? Megan asked. Weve been worried about you.
Worried? No need for that. Ive been out investigating.
Investigating? Megan cocked an eyebrow at her father as he drew closer, though she could not suppress a smile. Is that what you call it? She made a show of sniffing the air. Smells more like ale to me.
Aye, well, that was where I was investigating, he replied. Is there a bite of supper left for your poor old da? Im famished.
So youve been investigating a tavern? Megan asked teasingly as they sat down at the kitchen table and Deirdre took out the food from the oven, where she had been keeping it warm for their father.
Nay, but thats where I made me inquiries. Frank winked at his daughter, looking pleased with himself.
Megan straightened, intrigued. What do you mean? What inquiries?
Ive been thinking about how youre to get inside that great house to expose the villain. He shook his head. I went to see it, and its an imposing looking place.
Youre right about that, Megan agreed. I was telling Deirdre that I think my best chance is to get hired on there as a servant. Its such a grand house, they must need a lot of servants. I would think there are openings pretty often.
And I told her she wouldnt last a week, Deirdre put in, sitting down across from Megan and their father.
Megan grimaced. I could manage.
Thats if theyd even hire you in the first place. You dont look like a servant. Youre much too attractive for one thing, and you havent a servants demeanor, Deirdre went on.
I can put on an act, Megan said. Ill wear the drabbest dress I have.
Ah, but nothin can hide those sparkling eyes of yours, her father said, reaching out to pat her cheek fondly. Dont worry, lass, Ive a better idea for you.
What? Megan and Deirdre chorused.
Well, I went to all the taverns last night that were close to Broughton House, and again this afternoon, and it happens I hit gold this afternoon. Theres a footman from the place comes in for a wee nip every evening if he gets the chance to slip away. Names Paul, and our Pauls an informative lad.
Really? What did you find out? Megan leaned forward.
First of all, I found out that Lord Raine is in residence at Broughton House.
Lord Raine? Whos that?
Seems thats Himself.
I thought his name was Moreland, Megan said.
Aye, well, tis, except it seems he gets a title, see, because hes next in line to be the Duke of Broughton. While his das alive, hes another sort of lord. The Marquess of Raine. Dont ask me to explain it. It took me a bit even to figure out that our Paul was talkin about the very villain I was interested in. Anyway, hes at home, which is our good luckfor Ill tell you, girl, I was worried we might get here and find that he was off in Timbuktu or some such place.
Yes, it concerned me somewhat, too.
But according to the gossip, the mans not looking to go off on one of his adventures for a few months yet.
Thats good.
Even better is what else he told me. Seems theyre in terrible need of a tutor for two of the boys of the family.
A teacher? Megan looked at him, puzzled. Da! Are you saying I should go there as a tutor? You cant be serious!
Why not? Youve a much better chance of convincing them youre a teacher than a scrub maid.
You were always first in your class, Deirdre pointed out, adding, Well, I mean, your grades were. It was just because you kept getting in trouble with the nuns that kept you from taking honors.
Aye, and you went to the best convent school in New York, Frank added. You learned Latin and history and all those high muckety-muck writers youre always quoting, didnt ye? All you need is enough to get by for a few weeks. Tisnt as if yere actually going to be a teacher.
Yes, butI dont have any training, any experience. No qualifications, in short. They wont accept me.
Her father waved away her objections. Easy enough to make up, now, arent they, when all your references are thousands of miles away in America? Itd take weeks to get a reply from any name you put down. And they cant wait. They need someone now.
But even if I made up the grandest qualifications for myself, why would they hire an American? There must be plenty of Englishwomen who would take the joband who would have references right here in London.
Mulcahey grinned. Seems theyve already run through most of the lot. Got a certain reputation, these lads have.
Megan looked at him doubtfully. What are you saying? Theyre such hellions theyve frightened off all their other governesses?
Governesses, then tutors when they got too old for governesses.
Too old? How old are they?
Frank shrugged. Old enough that Paul was saying any other familyd send em off to Eton soon, but the Morelands are an odd lot. I think they must be twelve or thirteen.
Thirteen-year-old hellions? What am I supposed to do with them?
Ah, youll have no trouble. Youre no prissy English-woman. You grew up with boys. Just handle em like you did Sean and Robertgive em a good knock on the head when they get too rowdy.
Datheyre English aristocrats. You cant just go knocking their heads together when you feel like it.
Come, now, Megan. Id back you against a couple of spoiled adolescents any day. Youll do just fine.
They wouldnt hire a woman to teach their precious sons, Megan argued. Not when the boys are that old.
Im tellin you, theyre desperate. Besides, it appears that the Duchess is an odd one. A free thinker, according to Paul. Believes in womens suffrage. Equality of the sexes and all that.
Megan cast her father a disbelieving look. A Duchess? Da, I think this fellow was pulling your leg.
Well, only one way to find out, isnt there? Mulcahey smiled at his daughter challengingly.
Never one to ignore a dare when she saw it, Megan squared her shoulders.
True. Well, I had best get to bed, hadnt I, if Im going to be interviewing for a position as a tutor tomorrow?
2
Megan arrived at Broughton House early in the afternoon the following day. When she reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the front door, she hesitated for a moment, gazing up at the grand edifice. Her stomach was a knot of nerves. Soon she would meet the man whom she had hated for ten years. All her grief, all her regret had been channeled into fury, and the fact that the villain had gotten away had only served to increase that anger. Megan wasnt sure how she would be able to face Moreland without revealing how much she despised him. It was going to take every bit of skill she had.