Never Less Than A Lady | Herophine

Chapter Thirty Three

Hero

After their luncheon, Hero considered finding a cage or box for Duchess, but she seemed content to travel on Auden's lap. The cat had a pretty white face, her huge green eyes set off by a black cap and a comical black circle on her chin. She caused no trouble, though he guessed that the tomcat who ruled Roscombe manor would not be pleased to see her.

On the drive to Roscombe, Josephine drew Aiden into conversation. As he relaxed under her gentle questions, his answers got longer.

Theresa Marlowe seemed to have been an affectionate mother, and she'd given her son a solid basic education. She'd been barmaid in a posting house, and Aiden started helping around the kitchen and as a pot boy as soon as he was old enough. Serving travelers of many kinds had broadened his experience, and made him more worldly than if he'd spent his life at Hill Farm.

His ambition had been to become a coachman. Then his mother had died and he'd been handed over to Gault. He'd considered running away, but was intelligent enough to realize that he had no place to go. Especially not with a cat.

Aiden's eyes widened when they drove into Roscombe and pulled up by the manor house. He clutched Duchess, not speaking. The groom, Willett, took over the carriage and Hero, Josephine, Aiden, and Duchess went into the house.

"Aiden, you can put Duchess down now." Hero said. "She'll be safe here and she'll want to explore."

Aiden obeyed and his cat set off to look around. With unerring instinct, she headed toward the kitchen even though she'd been fed at the tavern two hours earlier.

Hero continued, "Lady Josephine will arrange a room for you. But the first order of business is to get you bathed."

Aiden looked appalled. "Don't need a bath! A basin and a bit of soap will do for me."

"A bath," Josephine said firmly. "Perhaps in the laundry room? There's a large tub and it's close to the kitchen where water can be heated."

Aiden started edging away, looking as if he was regretting leaving Hill Farm. "Don't need a bath!"

"You most certainly do." Seeing that the boy was on the verge of bolting, Hero caught his arm. The boy flinched and tried to yank himself free.

Guessing what Aiden was thinking, Hero said pleasantly, "No, I won't beat you to make you obey, but I have no qualms about using my superior strength to dump you into a laundry tub." Aiden stopped struggling to escape, but his breathing was shallow and he looked as if he still expected a blow.

Hero said to Josephine, "Have Gordon find some clothes that will fit and bring them to me in the laundry." Turning to Aiden, he said, "Cooperate with the bath, and you shall have tea and cakes after. In moderation."

The bribe worked. Aiden went down to the laundry tub like Joan of Arc being tied to the stake, but he didn't fight.

Hero's mouth tightened when Aiden stripped, revealing a thin body amply marked with bruises and scars. Hero should have used Gault's horsewhip on the man.

The bath was a lengthy process, with Hero threatening to scrub the boy with a kitchen brush if he didn't wash properly. Three tubs of warm water were required to remove all the buried grime. Hero stood guard to prevent him from bolting and suggested places that needed extra washing attention.

After Aiden dried himself, he donned the outfit Gordon had brought. The garments were loose on his thin frame, but not too bad a fit. When the valet cut Aiden's tangled hair, the boy quivered like a nervous pony, but again, he tolerated it.