anything about my parents’ life in England. I never knew my father was the son of an earl. It was as if life started for them when they landed in Boston. Both of them were staunch Americans.”
“They had reason to be. Apparently America was very good to them.”
“Yes, it was.”
“How did your father die, Evan? I was fond of Tommy and I would like to know what happened to him.”
A scene flashed through Evan’s mind, himself standing in front of a roaring fire in the house on Chestnut Street, and Frank Hickey coming into the parlor to speak to him.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, lad, but your mother ran out on Lacy’s Pond to catch a dog the Webster children had let get loose, and she fell through the ice. Your Pa tried to save her and he went under too. We can’t even get to the place where it happened; the ice is too thin.”
For a brief moment pain knifed through him. His parents had been in their forties and in excellent health. The news had been devastating for him and Frances. He had been eighteen and Frances two years older and all of a sudden they were orphans and the owners of a large business.
He said in an expressionless voice, “Both my parents fell through the ice on one of our ponds and were drowned.”
“Oh dear.” Flora reached out to put a hand on his arm. “I am so sorry. That must have been very painful for you, Evan.”
“Yes.”
She patted his arm and sat back.
He said, “So you think I should pay a visit to my Aunt Barbara?”
“Yes. As I said, she is bringing out her own daughter this season, so she is perfectly placed to bring Julia out as well.” Flora sighed. “However, you will have your work cut out in order to convince your aunt to do that for Julia.”
He raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
“Lady Barbara does not like Julia. Nor does Julia like her aunt. That is the biggest problem. Another one is that the Lewis’ will not wish to pay for Julia’s expenses. They are well off, but the cost of presenting Elizabeth will be high. They will have to rent a house for the season, which is expensive.” Flora leaned forward. “I think this will be your most potent bargaining point, Evan. Offer to let Lady Barbara use the Picadilly mansion in London to present both Elizabeth and Julia. She’ll jump at the chance.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been told I have a London townhouse. Is it enormous and filled with priceless art, which I can’t sell?”
Flora smiled at him. “You’re a good man, Evan. The girls are very lucky that you are their father’s heir.”
Chapter Nine
The following morning Evan left Stoverton to pay a visit to his father’s sister. He drove an old curricle from Stoverton hitched to two of the old carriage horses. Toby’s nephew Sammy went along as his groom.
The roads in England were markedly better than the roads in America, and Evan accomplished the two-hour drive with little difficulty. He turned in through iron gates and drove up the winding drive. When the house came into view the midday sun was reflecting off its lovely old mellow stone and high windows. To complete the picture, the house was surrounded by a wide sweep of perfectly tended lawn.
Evan left Sammy holding the reins, advanced up the walkway to the front door, and rapped the knocker.
It was a disorienting feeling, this business of meeting a whole new family he had not known existed. Evan was beginning to feel as if his parents’ life had been an iceberg, with a great portion of it kept hidden from their children.
A butler garbed in formal attire answered the door. Evan introduced himself and the butler took his hat and coat and escorted him to a formal drawing room. “Her ladyship will be with you shortly, my lord,” the servant said.
Evan inquired about his groom and horse and was told they would be taken care of. The butler departed, leaving Evan alone in the coldly formal room. He looked around automatically for the
“They had reason to be. Apparently America was very good to them.”
“Yes, it was.”
“How did your father die, Evan? I was fond of Tommy and I would like to know what happened to him.”
A scene flashed through Evan’s mind, himself standing in front of a roaring fire in the house on Chestnut Street, and Frank Hickey coming into the parlor to speak to him.
“I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, lad, but your mother ran out on Lacy’s Pond to catch a dog the Webster children had let get loose, and she fell through the ice. Your Pa tried to save her and he went under too. We can’t even get to the place where it happened; the ice is too thin.”
For a brief moment pain knifed through him. His parents had been in their forties and in excellent health. The news had been devastating for him and Frances. He had been eighteen and Frances two years older and all of a sudden they were orphans and the owners of a large business.
He said in an expressionless voice, “Both my parents fell through the ice on one of our ponds and were drowned.”
“Oh dear.” Flora reached out to put a hand on his arm. “I am so sorry. That must have been very painful for you, Evan.”
“Yes.”
She patted his arm and sat back.
He said, “So you think I should pay a visit to my Aunt Barbara?”
“Yes. As I said, she is bringing out her own daughter this season, so she is perfectly placed to bring Julia out as well.” Flora sighed. “However, you will have your work cut out in order to convince your aunt to do that for Julia.”
He raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
“Lady Barbara does not like Julia. Nor does Julia like her aunt. That is the biggest problem. Another one is that the Lewis’ will not wish to pay for Julia’s expenses. They are well off, but the cost of presenting Elizabeth will be high. They will have to rent a house for the season, which is expensive.” Flora leaned forward. “I think this will be your most potent bargaining point, Evan. Offer to let Lady Barbara use the Picadilly mansion in London to present both Elizabeth and Julia. She’ll jump at the chance.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been told I have a London townhouse. Is it enormous and filled with priceless art, which I can’t sell?”
Flora smiled at him. “You’re a good man, Evan. The girls are very lucky that you are their father’s heir.”
Chapter Nine
The following morning Evan left Stoverton to pay a visit to his father’s sister. He drove an old curricle from Stoverton hitched to two of the old carriage horses. Toby’s nephew Sammy went along as his groom.
The roads in England were markedly better than the roads in America, and Evan accomplished the two-hour drive with little difficulty. He turned in through iron gates and drove up the winding drive. When the house came into view the midday sun was reflecting off its lovely old mellow stone and high windows. To complete the picture, the house was surrounded by a wide sweep of perfectly tended lawn.
Evan left Sammy holding the reins, advanced up the walkway to the front door, and rapped the knocker.
It was a disorienting feeling, this business of meeting a whole new family he had not known existed. Evan was beginning to feel as if his parents’ life had been an iceberg, with a great portion of it kept hidden from their children.
A butler garbed in formal attire answered the door. Evan introduced himself and the butler took his hat and coat and escorted him to a formal drawing room. “Her ladyship will be with you shortly, my lord,” the servant said.
Evan inquired about his groom and horse and was told they would be taken care of. The butler departed, leaving Evan alone in the coldly formal room. He looked around automatically for the
Similar Books
