Reeve’s voice was taut; Maggie peered around one of his arms, glad that she couldn’t see his face. “No need,” he said succinctly. “Kala is here, after all.”

Loretta was wearing a floaty blue dress trimmed at bodice and hem with the softest of feathers. Her hair, gleaming like ebony in the firelight, hung freely to her waist, giving her the look of a beautiful witch. Involuntarily, Maggie shivered.

“Kala!” hooted the woman scorned, her hands on her hips now, her gaze searing Maggie as she argued with Reeve. “That Aboriginal woman? Good Lord, Reeve, you can’t be serious! She could never be a proper chaperon and you know it!”

“Are you going to go willingly,” Reeve asked in a dangerously charitable tone, “or do I have to carry you?”

A flush climbed from Loretta’s magnificent bosom to her hairline. “You really are unreasonable.”

Maggie couldn’t be sure, of course, but some sixth sense told her that while Reeve was smiling at Loretta, the smile was cold and even cruel. “Yes,” he answered.

Loretta subsided, her lower lip thrust out in a subtle pout, her arms folded across her chest. She’d lost, temporarily, and she knew it.

Maggie was gloating a little, inwardly at least, and so she was startled when Reeve suddenly rounded on her, his index finger waggling an inch from the tip of her nose. “You try leaving here while I’m gone, Yank,” he warned ominously, “and I’ll take you across my knee. Is that clear?”

Maggie swallowed. It was clear, if totally unreasonable and unfair, and she had no choice but to nod.

“Good,” Reeve said brusquely, and he strode over to Loretta, caught her by one arm, and propelled her up the stairs.

Huddled in the woolen throw, Maggie made an exasperated sound in her throat and sank to her knees on the stone hearth, staring into the leaping flames of the fire. She heard the rattle of dishes on a tray and looked up to see that Kala had brought her another pot of tea, along with several sugar cakes.

Resigned, Maggie toddled over to the low table in front of the settee, the blanket still wrapped around her, and poured herself a cup of tea. She was just sinking her teeth into one of the sugar cakes when Reeve and Loretta came down the stairs again.

Apparently Reeve did not plan to leave Loretta alone with Maggie while he hitched up his carriage, for he went toward the rear of the house, dragging the warmly cloaked and rigid woman along with him.

Disconsolately, Maggie consumed the rest of her sugar cake and then choked down some tea. Thus fortified, she went up the stairs, meaning to crawl back into that bed where she’d napped earlier to try to forget what a mare’s nest she’d gotten herself into.