she bumped the table, it must have dislodged it. She hesitated,
weighing the object in her hands. It obviously meant something
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to Master Drummond. Otherwise it would not have been beside his bed. He kept only his most valued treasures closest to him, which was why the room was practically barren.
But the condition of the spyglass showed that the master
hadn’t thought about it for quite a while. It could have been
hidden there for years without his knowledge.
For Anne, it could very well be the final piece she needed
in order to afford a new life somewhere else. With a quick
look behind her, she slid it into the pocket of her dress, her
fingers slick with perspiration as she told herself he wouldn’t
miss it.
Wiping her hands on her apron, she stood, prepared to
resume her work. Instead she froze when she noticed the large
portrait hanging above the fireplace. It was of the lady of the
house, Teach’s mother, Mrs. Catherine Drummond. Anne had
dusted it countless times before, admiring the burgundy dress
and serene face, but she’d never felt those eyes staring back at her, accusing, as they appeared to be now.
Anne had heard stories from the gardener about Catherine
Drummond. He was the only servant left who had known her,
and he’d said that Mrs. Drummond had always gone out of
her way to help someone in need, showing kindness even when
there’d been no benefit for herself.
If Mrs. Drummond could see Anne now, what would she
say? Would she encourage Anne, and give her money to help
her escape?
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Fingering the spyglass in her pocket, Anne pulled it out once more.
Or would Mrs. Drummond—
“What are you doing?”
Startled, Anne whirled, automatically hiding her hands
behind her back. Mary stood in the doorway, glaring at her.
“I’m working. Which is what you should be doing,” Anne
said, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest.
Mary’s eyes narrowed. “What are you hiding?”
Anne cursed the guilty flush that rose in her cheeks. “Nothing.”
Mary raised an eyebrow at her. “Nothing? I don’t believe
you. Show me what you have behind your back.”
“It’s nothing. I was simply cleaning. You startled me.”
“I cleaned this room yesterday,” Mary said, looking unconvinced.
“I didn’t know. No one told me it had been done.” Anne
glanced nervously toward the door, unsure how long the girl
had been standing there.
Mary folded her arms over her ample chest. “What would
Margery say if she knew you were polishing things when they
didn’t need it? There’s enough work to go around without doing
everything twice, don’t you think?”
“What would Master Drummond say if he knew you were
dallying with the groom?” Anne shot back, feeling more than a
little defensive. “That is where Sara just found you, wasn’t it?”
Mary’s face flushed a deep red. “No, I was in the pantry.”
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“Alone? Or was Tom with you?”
“That’s none of your business, now, is it?”
“No, but it is Master Drummond’s business.”
There was fear in Mary’s eyes. “You have no proof.”
Anne could not bring herself to feel any pity for the girl.
“Mr. Edward said he caught you with Tom. I believe that’s
proof enough.”
“Did he tell you that? Well, you better watch yourself,”
Mary sneered. “I don’t think Master Drummond would take
too kindly to you spending so much time with his son.”
“Mr. Edward was ill, and both Margery and Master
Drummond know it. I was simply doing my job.”
“What makes you think I wasn’t doing my job?”
“Because I’ve never heard of a maid working side by side
with a groom before. And I’m quite sure Master Drummond
hasn’t either,” Anne said.
With a toss of her head, Mary stomped off, muttering
under her breath.
Exhaling, Anne slipped the spyglass once more into her
pocket, her knees shaking. She would have to watch herself
where Mary was concerned. The girl was trouble.
Until now Anne had done her best to choose less obvious
objects, of lesser value, and she’d always made sure she was quite alone before she took anything.
The incident just now had been close.
Too close.
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But Anne wasn’t willing to give up the spyglass. Not if she wanted to reach her goal.
Drummond was notorious for his stinginess, and Anne was
actually surprised that more people hadn’t stolen from him. Or
perhaps others had taken from him, but they’d been too smart
to get caught.
With less than three weeks left to plan her escape on the
Deliverance, Anne would have to be extra careful. If anyone was to be caught, it would definitely not be her.
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C H A P T E R 1 3
Teach
Teach had just slipped into a fresh shirt and breeches when an
incessant pounding sounded at the front door. Closing his eyes,
he was tempted to climb back into bed. His tongue was still