Read Online A Reason to Rebel by Wendy Soliman - Free Book Online

that away any more than they can steal your memories.”
    “You are so right, my dear. You are such a perspicacious young lady. That is such a rarity nowadays.” She sighed and patted Estelle’s hand. “I only hope Alex’s wife will appreciate the unique tranquillity of this little oasis as much as I do.”
    “I was not aware that Lord Crawley was engaged to be married.”
    “He is not but I daresay he will think about it soon enough. With his father gone he is very aware of the duties that have fallen to him. Between you and me, my dear, I have great hopes of Miss Jenkins. She is the daughter of our closest neighbour, Lord Jacobs, and she and Alex are childhood friends. They have not seen one another for some years, what with one thing and another. But Emma was at my house party last week, the one that dear Mrs. Cleethorpe attended so fleetingly, and they appeared to be quite comfortable with one another. Alex and Emma, that is, not Mrs. Cleethorpe, although Alex is quite comfortable with her too.”
    Estelle smiled at Lady Crawley’s convoluted manner of discourse. It was a characteristic which had confused her at first, but she was fast becoming accustomed to and now found rather diverting. “Do you expect Lord Crawley to make Miss Jenkins an offer, ma’am?”
    “Well, I am not altogether sure. It would be so splendid if he lost his heart to her but I would not try to persuade him just because I am partial to dear Emma. To be sure, she is not quite as handsome as some young ladies of our acquaintance, but there are more important considerations when it comes to matrimony than physical appearance, do you not agree? Her family,” continued Lady Crawley, not pausing for an answer, “for one thing. It is well established and quite as respectable as our own, which is a factor greatly in her favour. One cannot place too much emphasis on such concerns. And she is well acquainted with Crawley Hall already and confesses to a great love for it.”
    “I am persuaded that any young lady of sensitivity could not fail to appreciate the unique qualities of Crawley Hall.”
    “Very likely not.” Lady Crawley examined her face closely. “You feel it too, my dear, I can tell just by looking at you. And by how much better you already seem thanks to the tranquillity of the place.” She smiled conspiratorially. “Alex thinks I cannot manage alone and that is why he will not leave me. He is such a considerate boy. But that is not it at all.” She looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “I am sure you will respect my confidence, Miss Tilling, when I confess to knowing how keenly he feels the loss of his father. He tries to hide it from me, of course, but I know him too well to be deceived. And so I exaggerate my need for him in order to give him a sense of purpose.”
    Estelle allowed her surprise to show. “I would not have thought you capable of such stratagems, ma’am.”
    Lady Crawley smiled. “When you become a mother for yourself, Miss Tilling, you will understand that it is sometimes necessary to indulge in the tiniest falsehood for the sake of one’s children.”
     
    –—
     
    From his library window Alex watched his mother and Miss Tilling walking arm-in-arm at a snail’s pace through the orchard. He wondered with amusement who was supposed to be supporting whom. He was relieved to see Miss Tilling out of her chamber at last. It was difficult to tell from this distance, but she appeared to have a spring restored to her step and, if he was not much mistaken, the sound drifting through the open window was that of her muted laughter.
    Who was she? Where had she come from? Alex told himself repeatedly that it was of no consequence and attempted to redirect his attention to the papers he was studying. But his steward’s recommendation for a series of drainage ditches in the lower acres was as dull as the ditchwater they would be intended to channel and stood little chance of diverting his thoughts from