The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor, Scott, Regina [e novels to read online .TXT] 📗

what she was after,encouraging him. Once she’d been as big a dreamer as Rob—thinking about afuture where she and her beloved husband had a big house, filled with happychildren. She’d receive the finest ladies in the village, her good taste sowell regarded that she would be asked to advise on fashion and furnishings.She’d contribute to her congregation and her community.

Only the last had come true, and more from Rosemary’s doingthan hers. After Rob had left, everything had changed so fast—wife, mother,widow—that she’d never entirely found her footing again.

And she’d stopped dreaming.

Odd to realize that now. When was the last time she’dthought of the future without trepidation? Her sister had sought to step out onher own as a governess, and Hester had worried. The earl had shown an interestin Rosemary, and Hester had tried to set him straight. She couldn’t bear forher sister to be hurt the way she had been.

But it had all come right. Rosemary had made a marvelousgoverness. The earl had asked for her hand in marriage. They both seemed deliriouslyhappy.

Perhaps it was time to dust off her own dreams again.

Chapter Nine

“The carriage is ready, my lord,” Bascomannounced Tuesday late morning as he stood in the doorway of the withdrawingroom Rob’s mother had favored.

As Rob turned away from the view out over the Channel,Elizabeth frowned.

“The carriage?” she asked, setting aside her embroidery.“Are we visiting today?”

Rob reached for the black stock around his neck, thendropped his fingers before he could dislodge it. “I had a matter I wished todiscuss with Hester.”

Donner hadn’t had much advice about making connections withthe smugglers, but it had struck him that, as the teacher at the dame school,Hester probably spoke with the very people most likely to be involved. Whilethe aristocrats and gentry enjoyed the duty-free goods that appeared as if bymagic on their back stoops, the farmers, laborers, and merchants would be theones arranging for and carrying those goods about the area. One likely acted aslander, who organized the signal for the ships to come in and teams to ferrytheir plunder inland.

Elizabeth stood to intercept him as he started across theroom. “A matter? About what, precisely?”

He hadn’t been given leave to share Donner’s story from theday before, though he’d certainly thought about it more than once since.

“Rumors have come my way,” he hedged. “I thought she mightknow something of them.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I will not be shut out of suchan intriguing conversation. Bascom, ask Kinsey tofetch me my grey velvet hat and the grey redingote. I will accompany mybrother.”

Rob tried not to sigh.

Truly, he would not have been able to speak with Hesteralone in any event. Her mother and daughter would likely be in attendance aswell. But having Elizabeth along meant he’d have to be even more careful in howhe phrased his questions.

The morning had been challenging enough. Mercer had arrivedwith additional papers to sign. Rob had dutifully reviewed each and affixed hissignature.

“And were there any repercussions concerning the house afterthe village evacuated here in August?” he asked as he handed his steward thelast piece of parchment.

Mercer regarded Rob as if he had barked like a dog insteadof asking a perfectly reasonable question. “Mrs. Kirby, the leasing agent,informed me that Mrs. Catchpole dispatched a cleaning crew,” his stewardanswered. “Have you found something amiss?”

“Only that I wasn’t told of the incident,” Rob pointed out.

Mercer had the good sense to drop his gaze to the portfoliosticking out from under his slender arm. “You and Miss Peverell were stilldiscussing where you would finish your mourning period, my lord. I didn’t wishto intrude with news that could in no way influence that decision.”

“Kind of you,” Rob acknowledged. “In the future, however,I’d like to know everything about my holdings, no matter how trivial.”

Mercer nodded. “Then I will tell you that we have someconcerns about the stability of the rear wing. You and Miss Peverell had notplanned to use it, so I saw no reason to mention the matter. But,since you ask…”

The rear wing, one of the most recent additions to hissprawling lodge, stuck out from the southwest corner of the building at aforty-five-degree angle pointing toward the boating shed. It housed a ballroom,receiving rooms, and other function spaces as well as bedchambers for guests onthe upper floors.

“What sort of concerns?” Rob asked.

Mercer grimaced. “The foundation may not have been fixedproperly. I’ll consult an architect once you and Miss Peverell are safetyreturned to London. Will there be anything else, my lord?”

Surprising how his steward was less patient than Rob. “Yes.You were to hire a night watchman. I’ve heard nothing further.”

Mercer drew himself up. “I assure you that I have done asyou asked, my lord. Mr. Chalder, a respected local fellow, will come in fromdusk to dawn to watch over the property. You won’t even notice he’s around.”

“Excellent,” Rob said. “I’d like him to report to me everymorning before leaving.”

Mercer started. “That could be quite early, my lord.”

Rob smiled. “I’ve been rising remarkably early of late. Itwill be no trouble.”

Mercer’s smile was strained. “Very well, my lord, if youthink it necessary.”

“I’ll expect to see him first thing tomorrow,” Rob told him.

Mercer had hugged his portfolio closer and bowed himselfout.

After such an encounter, Rob was heartily glad he was goingto seek someone of a more congenial nature, like Hester. Her mother, inparticular, seemed delighted to receive him and Elizabeth, seeing them settledin the sitting room while a maid went to inform Hester and her daughter oftheir arrival.

Rebecca came hugging a wooden doll, the bonnet Hester hadpurchased on Saturday covering most of the toy’s painted flaxen curls. Robstood as Hester and her daughter dropped curtsies.

“Lord Peverell, Elizabeth,” Hester said in her quiet voice.“How nice to see you.”

“Hester,” he said, savoring her first name. “Miss Todd. And,unless I miss my guess, this is Esmeralda.”

Rebecca clutched the doll closer. “How did you know?”

“Your mother told me about your special friend,” Rob toldher.

Rebecca glanced down at the doll. “She is very pleased tomake your acquaintance.”

Rob bowed. “And I am pleased to make hers.”

One hand on her daughter’s shoulder, Hester guided her