Read Online Love Between the Lines by Kate Rothwell - Free Book Online

would not be glad to see her—”
    “ She knows the conditions,” Mr. Drury started again.
    Sir Gideon raised his voice only a little. “But I assured her that any father knowing his child was taking a journey overseas would wish to bid her good-bye.” Lizzy, despite her distress, couldn’t help noticing with some glee that Sir Gideon was as good at the intimidation and interruption game as her father. Few were.
    “ Overseas?” Mr. Drury finally met Lizzy’s eyes but only for a couple of seconds.
    Her mother ’s carrying voice came from the hall. “Lizzy is leaving? Is it that around-the-world trip she talked about?”
    Her beloved mother came into the room. In happier times, Papa had always said his two ladies might be doubles. Except Lizzy didn’t have her mother’s warm amber eyes or the gray now threading her mother’s hair—or her penchant for bright clothing.
    “ How do you do, Mrs. Drury?” Sir Gideon came forward and took her hand. He pressed a kiss to her gloved knuckles, not just the air above them. Show-off.
    Mama showed him her glorious smile. “Good afternoon, Sir Gideon. I was listening behind the door. What is this all about?”
    “ Eavesdropping, Mama?” Lizzy hid her smile.
    “ Mrs. Drury.” Papa’s voice, still quiet, managed to fill the room. “We have agreed that we must not allow sentiment to rule us. We cannot forget the situation with Edward Harrington.”
    Lizzy flinched as she always did when her father mentioned the banker. She couldn’t regret doing her job, but there was no arguing with her father. She looked over at Sir Gideon and kept her mouth shut rather than protest to her father. Just a few words with Mama, please .
    T hen, to her shock, her mother piped up.
    “ Yes. Another time, I promise I will listen, Mr. Drury. But I have not seen my girl, our girl, for too long, and apparently she is going on a voyage.” She moved to a bell and tugged on it. “Tomorrow, I will obey. Today, I find I cannot.”
    Lizzy had never heard her sp eak like this. Mrs. Drury was noisy, colorful, but unfailingly submissive to her husband. She would argue with anyone else—hansom drivers, merchants, or Lizzy—but not him. What had changed between her parents? Lizzy glanced at her father for a quick second and saw his face had reddened. She said, “Mama, it is all right. I don’t want to make trouble.”
    Mama waved a hand. “I have learned that we will survive turbulence. Won’t we, Mr. Drury?”
    But Papa had left the room. Less than a minute later, a door slammed at the back of the house.
    Lizzy wanted to urge her mother to go after him. This was going to be awful later for Mama—silence alternating with bellows or endless lectures. “I am sorry, Mama.”
    “ No, no need.” Her manner was brisk and forthright. Lizzy wondered what had happened between her parents that made her mother show such a rebellious streak. Her mother must have seen her confusion and said, “If you are willing to come see us, I should at least meet you halfway.”
    The maid appeared , and Mama ordered coffee and some poppy-seed cake. “Or would you rather have tea, Sir Gideon?”
    Her manner was entirely calm. Lizzy wondered what her father would do should she stay longer than five minutes. Bring in Peter? Whistle for the police? Would he also eject Sir Gideon?
    “ Coffee is perfect,” he said.
    “ Then take a seat and we’ll talk.” Mrs. Drury waved a hand at the semicircle of chairs.
    She leaned forward on the chair that seemed to want to swallow her up. “What is this about, Lizzy? You’re going on a journey?”
    “ I am thinking of going to England.”
    Her mother ’s eyes narrowed. “Papa is right; you’d work for Sir Gideon? Why on earth do you think this is a good idea?”
    Elizabeth ’s back straightened as she tried to think of an answer. As she considered the question, she tried not to slide into the depths of the chair. She too was dwarfed by the chair designed for a large