Shame then made her stumble backward as she turned and ran frantically upstairs. Clara needed a place to hide, but upon arriving at the top of the stairs, she looked wildly about her, not knowing where to go or which room was safe. They had not officially arrived yet. Lady Spencer was still outside chatting with some lady who had been passing in an open carriage on the street. Servants were running about, either outside seeing to the luggage or inside preparing to receive the guests. One of them had told her that Miss Purefoy was in that room—the library—so Clara had knocked. Hearing no answer, she had simply peeked in. She brought a hand to her mouth. It was only obvious what they had been doing. Too…too obvious. Crazy thoughts of pretending the whole thing hadn’t happened ran through her head. She would just go back outside with Lady Spencer, she thought, and wait to enter the house officially with her. Whirling to run back down the stairs, Clara didn’t make it a step, for Jane was facing her on the top stair.
