Read Online A Lady's Vanishing Choices by Wareeze Woodson - Free Book Online Page B

measured to his forehead. “Not tall like me.” With his chest puffed out, he boasted, “I be thirteen and big.”
    “And how old is your sister?”
    Jem shrugged and hung his head. “Seventeen near four months ago. Alls I knows is Mum be worrit.”
    “Certainly, she would be concerned. I’ll see what I can do.” Royce nodded to the boy and turned toward his horse. “I’ll be in touch.”
    Deep in thought, he mounted and rode away. There was an undercurrent of tension in at Birdelwood Manor extending all the way to the stables. Bethany had attempted to speak to him, and he could kick his own backside now for the cut direct he had administered. He should have had more sense. Her allure had dictated his mood, but with his wounding attitude, he had deliberately frightened her away, along with any information he might have gleaned. He gritted his teeth. Well, hell.

Chapter 8
    Bethany made her way through the small village of Chadwick with her mind in turmoil. She’d finally gathered enough courage to confide in Lord Rivton about a possible crime when he delivered a stinging cut-direct. He actually chose that moment to look down his nose at her. Although he was the authority in the county, his haughty attitude had quelled any desire to even speak to him in passing, much less give him information.
    Fuming, she tossed her head and shifted Aunt Gertrude’s small attempt at benevolence beneath her arm. What a beast of a day. She’d best control her emotions before she reached the vicar’s cottage. She took several deep breaths, straightened her shoulders, and passed the graveyard next to the church building. The afternoon sun glinted off the edge of the bell in the tower, causing moisture to gather at the back of her eyes. That must be the reason for the threat of tears.
    She blinked several times and entered the picket fence closing off the dwelling. A pigeon resting on one of the fence posts fluttered into a nearby tree and deposited wet droppings onto the wrappings in her arms. Oh. Kiss a duck.
    Bethany laid the bundle down, plucking a low hanging bunch of leaves to wipe at the mess. How disgusting . Before she fully finished the task, she spotted the vicar’s daughter hurrying down the path towards her and stood to greet her friend.
    Linda’s green eyes sparked with joy, her golden curls bouncing as she ran. Bubbling with excited laughter, she came to a halt. “Wait until you hear. You remember I told you about my beau? He asked me to marry him,” she squealed. Whirling around, she giggled and caught one of Bethany’s hands. “You’ll meet him soon.”
    Bethany squeezed her hand in return. “I’m happy for you.”
    “He’s so tall, dark, and very handsome.”
    Bethany chuckled. “You certainly sound besotted.”
    “I am. I can hardly wait until the wedding.” Linda sighed and clasped her fingers together against her heart.
    “When is the happy occasion?”
    “Not until late in the fall.” Linda whirled around in a light dance step. “My heart says, hurry. His kisses make my knees melt.” She shot a slightly guilty glance toward her friend. “We are going to be married. You can’t expect to catch a man if you won’t offer anything.”
    Bethany grinned. “I suppose there is some merit to that. I just don’t know what it is.”
    She didn’t envy Linda exactly, but a bolt of wistfulness crowded out the joy of the moment. “How delightful it must be to fall in love and have that love returned with no concern for a dowry. No need to attract a wealthy suitor or apprehension about the suitability of the match either. You were able to simply follow your heart.”
    “I know you’re roasting me.” Linda brushed her fingers against her lips. “I couldn’t resist, truth be known. He’s so handsome and sweet.” She lowered her voice. “Goosebumps run all the way to my toes when he merely looks at me.”
    “ You know enough about him to be certain he is the one?” A slight doubt began to haunt