Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

water. At first, she would not let me see her naked, but I finally coaxed her into taking off the filthy rags I found her in. She has hideous scars, Abigail, from beatings in the orphanage.”
    Abigail drew back in horror. “You don’t say.”
    “ She’d not like the world to know that, of course.”
    “ Oh, of course, I’ll not breathe a word.”
    “ All along, or at least by the time I arrived, Hannish knew Charlotte fancied him, but he paid it no mind. He gave her no encouragement, but as you are well aware, some women easily imagine kindness means more than it does. My brother is a very caring man to all his employees, just as our father was.”
    “ Yes, kindness is often mistaken for...”
    “ Sassy needs so much more than most young women, it is easy for both of us to favor her just now. My brother and I are not alone in that respect, all of the servants adore her. Sarah especially makes certain Sassy is well cared for. Therefore, it is easy to see how Charlotte might have become jealous and conjured up such imaginings.”
    “ Scars from beatings? How dare Charlotte think to malign the poor little thing? I found Sassy delightful, though she said very little, and now we know why. What can I do to help, McKenna? Tell me and I shall do it.”
    “ I was hoping you might have a suggestion. Hannish and I discussed it at length this morning, and we cannae think of a way to protect her from such hurtful gossip. I had to tell Sassy what Charlotte said and she is horrified. The garden party is in three days and I fear…”
    “ You fear she will be stared at, if not openly accused. Of course you do.”
    “ I could ask Sassy to stay upstairs, I suppose.”
    “ That would make people think she has something to hide. Tell me, was she the one Mrs. MacGreagor hurt?”
    “ Oh Abigail, I have never been so distraught. Sassy neglected to call Olivia ‘My Lady,’ and Olivia repeatedly hit Sassy with her hairbrush. The damage was not severe, although her arms were bruised and a cut on her head did bleed for quite sometime. My brother was beside himself with shame for what his wife had done, and when Sassy felt a bit lightheaded, he carried her to her bed so she would not fall on the stairs.”
    “ My Claymore would have done the same…any good man would.”
    McKenna sipped her tea and let Abigail absorb it all. “I was there and saw everything. I remember Charlotte watching, but it was Sarah who showed us the way. We never go in the servant’s quarters.”
    “ Neither do we.”
    “ Sarah stayed with Sassy the whole night and nothing improper happened, nothing at all.”
    “ Of course not.”
    “ My dear Abigail, you will weep when you hear what Sassy asked my brother.”
    “ What?”
    “ She asked if he would permit her to hide from his wife.”
    Abigail hung her head. “No wonder he sent his wife away. My Claymore would have had her horse whipped.”
    “ I assure you, I thought to do that myself.”
    “ I do hope his wife does not come back.”
    “ So do I.” McKenna sipped a little more tea and then set her cup and saucer down on a side table. “Well, I must go home. Do telephone if you think of a way to manage our troubles. We are so very upset and we know not what to do.”
    “ I will let you know the instant I think of something.”
    McKenna was not yet out the front door when she heard Abigail on the telephone. “Vivian, you will never guess. I have had it from McKenna’s very own lips…” McKenna smiled and went home.

    Everything was set for the garden party, except the weather. Dark clouds threatened rain, so the tables were moved back inside. It was just as well, the garden was far from finished and their guests were eager to see inside the mansion anyway.
    The guest list included a select group of twenty people, including the Whitfields, Vivian Mabs, whose husband was a city councilman, Maude Goodwin and her banker husband, Wilma Miller and her husband, and the single ladies from McKenna’s sewing circle, Pearl and Loretta. The mayor and his wife came, the sheriff, two gold mine owners who were without wives and of course, Mr. Wells, whom Hannish had completely forgotten he invited.
    By then, Blanka and Donnell were tired. They hung a “do not enter” sign on their downstairs door and went to take a nap.
    The spread of food on the table included small, round roast beef pies, Jessie’s custards, Halen’s pear tarts, Jessie’s fried apples, and Halen’s cherry pies. The footmen