“You can leave that to me, my Lord,” Nanny replied. “I knows my place. At the same time I’ll not have Miss Ivana gettin’ into trouble such as your Lordship thinks might happen.”
A look of understanding passed between them before the Earl said,
“I am now going to ask Mr. Wilson to take you to the house and, as I have already promised you, Miss Ashley, no one but Viscount Palmerston shall know that you are not the daughter of the late lamented Captain Ashley, who died fighting for his King and country.”
He paused for a moment before he went on,
“Mr. Wilson will take you and Mrs. – ”
The Earl stopped.
“Bell!” Nanny supplied quickly.
Ivana knew that she was using the name of their maid because it was the first one that had come into her head.
“ – and Mrs. Bell,” the Earl finished, “to
