Read Online Shadows of Doubt by Elizabeth Johns - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Johns
Ads: Link
herself, “I shall never look at life the same way again.” How she longed for his comforting presence, his strength. Somehow, everything had felt right when he was near, that it would all turn out right. She brushed back an errant tear and tried to not allow the desolation she felt overcome her.
She wished she had painted the picture larger, for the miniature hardly did him justice. She shook her head. A larger picture would only make everything worse. She chided herself. She had no right to have painted him without his permission, but she was not ready to confess such to him. Perhaps when he returned she would give it to him as a gift. Or perhaps not.
***
She hurriedly packed up her things and headed back to her home. The tea-tray had already been set out and her mother looked up at her with sadness in her eyes.
“What's the matter, Mama?”
“I will let Cousin Henrietta tell you herself.”
Gwendolyn looked at the Dowager with concern.
“I am sorry to tell you that I will be leaving for a while.”
“Oh, no! Is something amiss?”
“My youngest granddaughter, Andrew's sister, Elinor, is having a difficult confinement. Their sister, Sarah, is also having some difficulties. Sir Charles and I are leaving in the morning to offer our assistance.”
“I am sorry to hear it. Will they be all right?”
“I think so.” She took a sip of her tea. “Gwendolyn, I want you to keep me abreast of all the happenings here in Bath.” She looked at Gwen meaningfully. “There will still be someone at the house who will post your letters for you to me, or elsewhere.” She winked at her. “I must be off now to finish packing.” She walked over and gave Gwen’s mother a kiss on the cheek and a reassuring squeeze of the hand. “I shall return soon, Cousin.”
Her mother nodded, but tears were streaming down her face. She was shaking and had that look of terror in her eyes again. Gwen was not feeling confident about the Dowager leaving herself. Genuine fear washed over her. She was now left to deal with things on her own. Would she be able to manage?
“Gwen?”
“Yes, Mama?”
“I need to write a letter. Would you please bring me a quill and…”
“Yes, I will bring the things to you.” She set up the quill, ink and paper. “Shall I write it for you?”
“No, I would like to do this myself.”
Her mother had not written in years, but she would not argue if she wished to try.
“Very well.”
Chapter Six
Andrew was miserable. He suffered seasickness, and he suffered sickness of the heart. He had not wanted to leave Miss Lambert. He’d had that gnawing feeling inside that something was wrong. He had never felt this level of attraction to anyone before—and he had been around long enough to know his own feelings. But he could not read hers. She never seemed to think he was being serious. But he had been in earnest, and she had ignored his amorous overtures. He’d not planned to blurt out for her to join him. He knew it was impossible with her mother’s condition.
The triplets had been beautiful and amusing, but they had never been more than a passing fancy for him. It might have turned into something more had the stars aligned in the right way, but they had not. He would describe it more akin to a shooting star—a flash of brilliance that burnt out in the blink of an eye. With Miss Lambert, he felt strongly enough that he would fight for her and make her see that she belonged with him when the time was right, whenever that might be.
Now he had weeks with nowhere to go but to his lonely cabin, with his lonely thoughts of a stunning redhead. He wished he could have remained to alleviate some of her burdens, but he had already given his word. Hopefully her mother would survive until he returned, for the thought of her on her own...he shuddered. No, the world was not kind to beautiful, destitute, females. And one whose family had fallen from grace at that. She had few choices open to her. He
She wished she had painted the picture larger, for the miniature hardly did him justice. She shook her head. A larger picture would only make everything worse. She chided herself. She had no right to have painted him without his permission, but she was not ready to confess such to him. Perhaps when he returned she would give it to him as a gift. Or perhaps not.
***
She hurriedly packed up her things and headed back to her home. The tea-tray had already been set out and her mother looked up at her with sadness in her eyes.
“What's the matter, Mama?”
“I will let Cousin Henrietta tell you herself.”
Gwendolyn looked at the Dowager with concern.
“I am sorry to tell you that I will be leaving for a while.”
“Oh, no! Is something amiss?”
“My youngest granddaughter, Andrew's sister, Elinor, is having a difficult confinement. Their sister, Sarah, is also having some difficulties. Sir Charles and I are leaving in the morning to offer our assistance.”
“I am sorry to hear it. Will they be all right?”
“I think so.” She took a sip of her tea. “Gwendolyn, I want you to keep me abreast of all the happenings here in Bath.” She looked at Gwen meaningfully. “There will still be someone at the house who will post your letters for you to me, or elsewhere.” She winked at her. “I must be off now to finish packing.” She walked over and gave Gwen’s mother a kiss on the cheek and a reassuring squeeze of the hand. “I shall return soon, Cousin.”
Her mother nodded, but tears were streaming down her face. She was shaking and had that look of terror in her eyes again. Gwen was not feeling confident about the Dowager leaving herself. Genuine fear washed over her. She was now left to deal with things on her own. Would she be able to manage?
“Gwen?”
“Yes, Mama?”
“I need to write a letter. Would you please bring me a quill and…”
“Yes, I will bring the things to you.” She set up the quill, ink and paper. “Shall I write it for you?”
“No, I would like to do this myself.”
Her mother had not written in years, but she would not argue if she wished to try.
“Very well.”
Chapter Six
Andrew was miserable. He suffered seasickness, and he suffered sickness of the heart. He had not wanted to leave Miss Lambert. He’d had that gnawing feeling inside that something was wrong. He had never felt this level of attraction to anyone before—and he had been around long enough to know his own feelings. But he could not read hers. She never seemed to think he was being serious. But he had been in earnest, and she had ignored his amorous overtures. He’d not planned to blurt out for her to join him. He knew it was impossible with her mother’s condition.
The triplets had been beautiful and amusing, but they had never been more than a passing fancy for him. It might have turned into something more had the stars aligned in the right way, but they had not. He would describe it more akin to a shooting star—a flash of brilliance that burnt out in the blink of an eye. With Miss Lambert, he felt strongly enough that he would fight for her and make her see that she belonged with him when the time was right, whenever that might be.
Now he had weeks with nowhere to go but to his lonely cabin, with his lonely thoughts of a stunning redhead. He wished he could have remained to alleviate some of her burdens, but he had already given his word. Hopefully her mother would survive until he returned, for the thought of her on her own...he shuddered. No, the world was not kind to beautiful, destitute, females. And one whose family had fallen from grace at that. She had few choices open to her. He
Similar Books
