Read Online English Trifle by Josi S. Kilpack - Free Book Online Page A

well up until now.
    Breanna looked up at her mother and met her eyes directly. “You’re the one who says we always have choices.”
    Sadie hated it when her children used her own words against her. “This might be a little different,” Sadie said. “Can he turn it down?” She finally picked up a cookie, but tried to do the ladylike thing and just nibbled the edges.
    “Why not?” Breanna asked. She waved a hand toward the double doors. “You met Austin—or Lord Melcalfe,” she added with derision. “That’s the kind of man Liam needs to be. Liam can barely talk to the staff let alone hire, fire, direct, or chastise them. For all his saying he was raised for this, he’s not ready for this kind of responsibility and if he truly cares about the earldom he would want it to go to someone who could preserve its heritage—its English heritage.” Breanna sighed. “Liam has lived in the U.S. for almost sixteen years and his memories of England revolve around boarding school and summer vacations spent with a governess. He doesn’t have what it takes to manage the holdings of the earldom. As much as I love the man, even I can see that. He’s a zoologist, and a good one at that. He doesn’t belong here any more than I do, but I can see it and he can’t.”
    “You love him?” Sadie asked, lifting her eyebrows and putting the cookie down on the tray. Her thoughts had been adequately hijacked. She’d assumed as much, but hadn’t heard Breanna say it outright.
    Breanna paused and seemed to sink into the chair a little bit. Her eyes filled with tears, causing Sadie to hurry across the room and sit on the arm of the chair. Breanna turned her head into Sadie’s shoulder. “Oh, why couldn’t he have just been a zoologist in Portland?” she asked in a quiet voice. “And have annoying parents who traveled the country in a Winnebago with a yappy little dog? I’d have even settled for half a dozen siblings who made holidays a nightmare so that we always fought about having to visit them.” She sniffed and Sadie stroked her head as she cried. “Why did he have to be the son of an earl? Of all the rotten luck.”
    Sadie wasn’t sure there were any answers to Breanna’s questions, so she said nothing—something she didn’t do very often. For nearly two minutes they stayed that way, then Breanna pulled away, wiping at her eyes that were only slightly red. It was as much of a breakdown as she’d allow herself. Breanna stood up and took a deep breath, working hard to get over her emotions.
    “I’m sorry,” Sadie said as Breanna walked to the windows behind the desk. Breanna folded her arms and looked out over the manicured gardens that could have been hers. She was beautiful, framed against the window, her strong cheekbones and full lips lit by the cloud-filtered amber light of evening. Sadie watched her from the arm of the chair. “I’m really sorry for both of you.”
    “Thanks, Mom,” Breanna said with a grateful smile, glancing over her shoulder before looking back at the English sunset. “I’m so glad you came with me. I’d have been lost without you this week.”
    “I didn’t do much.” Sadie shrugged her shoulders, though she always liked a sincere compliment.
    “You were my buffer,” Breanna said, turning to face her. “And you let me enjoy this trip and keep my head on straight. Had it just been Liam and me—well, I might not have been able to be quite so objective and that would have made everything worse. It’s better that this is over now rather than later when we’ve both let our expectations grow.”
    Sadie knew she wouldn’t want Breanna to be anything less than honest with Liam, but that thought caused her to wonder about something. “Have you told Liam you love him?” she asked.
    Breanna paused, then shook her head. “We’ve both said . . . things, but not that exact word.” She looked at her mother strongly, staring down her nose slightly. “And you do not have my permission