Read Online The Duke's Christmas Greetings (Regency Christmas Summons Book 3) by Ava Stone, Rose Gordon, Lily George - Free Book Online Page B
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how Mama found out. None of it could be undone, which only made Patience cry harder. Hope touched a hand to her back. “Don’t cry, dearest. Everything will be all right.”
But nothing would ever be right again, not if Mama wouldn’t let Patience see Matt. How could it?
“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Grace dropped onto the bed as well and smoothed her hand over Patience’s arm. “If something happened, you must tell me. I’ll kill him if he hurt you. I’ll—”
“He didn’t hurt me!” she almost yelled. What a ridiculous thing to suggest. Matt would never hurt anyone. He was he the kindest, gentlest man ever. He’d even taken in Ashes, for heaven’s sake!
“All right,” Grace replied evenly, which was deucedly annoying at the moment. How could she be so even when Patience’s world was falling apart? “Patience, what happened then? You must tell us.”
She didn’t want to tell anyone, but Hope and Grace were her sisters. And the three of them were as close as any three sisters could be. So she sucked in a breath and then a few more until she was calm enough to tell them, even while tears still streamed down her cheeks. “I’m in love with him.”
“You fancy him,” Grace corrected dismissively. “You haven’t known him long enough to love him.”
“That means nothing.” Hope scowled at their sister. “I knew I loved Henry the moment I met him, and—”
Heavens! Patience wasn’t as foolish as all that was she?
“I hardly think Patience wants you to compare her doctor to Lord Kilworth ,” Grace grumbled. “Isn’t there some sort of decent example you could use?”
Lord Kilworth had been the worst sort of scoundrel, even though Hope still hadn’t realized it. And now that the man was dead, she likely never would. But—
“You are most unfeeling,” Hope snapped. “You might not have liked Henry, but I loved him. And if Patience says she loves her doctor, then she must. Have you ever known her to behave foolishly? The very fortunate fall in love quickly and stay that way all their lives. Why must it take forever to know what’s in your heart?”
Grace didn’t look chastened in the least as she heaved a sigh. “And what of your doctor, dearest?” She turned her attention to Patience. “Does he love you too?”
Well, he hadn’t said that in so many words. She thought he did, though. He’d said his heart pounded for her and he’d said he meant to talk to the duke, hadn’t he? What would be the point in talking to Danby if it wasn’t to ask something of him, like permission to court her or ask for her hand? Of course that was before Mama had been so ugly to him, before Mama had decreed that Matt would never take a step in her direction. “I think he does,” she said very softly, fighting back a fresh round of tears.
“I’d hope you’d know for certain,” Grace muttered under her breath, but Patience heard her anyway.
“One day,” Hope began, with a rather imperious tone, “Grace Post, you will find yourself in love. And you will be fortunate if Patience and I even listen to you without saying I told you so.”
“I am listening,” Grace protested.
“With a judgmental ear,” Hope returned. “She’s miserable enough. She doesn’t need your condescension.” And then her most passionate sister shook her head. “Even Braden and Quent fell fairly quickly, Grace.”
“Quent spent an entire year looking for a girl he already knew, like an idiot.”
Quent! That was it!
“That hardly—” Hope began.
“Quent!” Patience rolled over and sat up. “Quent is in Danby.” Perhaps he could do something. He’d always done whatever was needed when she was younger. Always much more helpful than Braden or Mama.
“What is he doing here?” Hope asked.
Patience shrugged. “I’m not certain. Prestwood mentioned him and then I spotted his coach when Matt and I were at the inn and—”
“Prestwood?” Hope echoed.
“What in the world were you doing at an
But nothing would ever be right again, not if Mama wouldn’t let Patience see Matt. How could it?
“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Grace dropped onto the bed as well and smoothed her hand over Patience’s arm. “If something happened, you must tell me. I’ll kill him if he hurt you. I’ll—”
“He didn’t hurt me!” she almost yelled. What a ridiculous thing to suggest. Matt would never hurt anyone. He was he the kindest, gentlest man ever. He’d even taken in Ashes, for heaven’s sake!
“All right,” Grace replied evenly, which was deucedly annoying at the moment. How could she be so even when Patience’s world was falling apart? “Patience, what happened then? You must tell us.”
She didn’t want to tell anyone, but Hope and Grace were her sisters. And the three of them were as close as any three sisters could be. So she sucked in a breath and then a few more until she was calm enough to tell them, even while tears still streamed down her cheeks. “I’m in love with him.”
“You fancy him,” Grace corrected dismissively. “You haven’t known him long enough to love him.”
“That means nothing.” Hope scowled at their sister. “I knew I loved Henry the moment I met him, and—”
Heavens! Patience wasn’t as foolish as all that was she?
“I hardly think Patience wants you to compare her doctor to Lord Kilworth ,” Grace grumbled. “Isn’t there some sort of decent example you could use?”
Lord Kilworth had been the worst sort of scoundrel, even though Hope still hadn’t realized it. And now that the man was dead, she likely never would. But—
“You are most unfeeling,” Hope snapped. “You might not have liked Henry, but I loved him. And if Patience says she loves her doctor, then she must. Have you ever known her to behave foolishly? The very fortunate fall in love quickly and stay that way all their lives. Why must it take forever to know what’s in your heart?”
Grace didn’t look chastened in the least as she heaved a sigh. “And what of your doctor, dearest?” She turned her attention to Patience. “Does he love you too?”
Well, he hadn’t said that in so many words. She thought he did, though. He’d said his heart pounded for her and he’d said he meant to talk to the duke, hadn’t he? What would be the point in talking to Danby if it wasn’t to ask something of him, like permission to court her or ask for her hand? Of course that was before Mama had been so ugly to him, before Mama had decreed that Matt would never take a step in her direction. “I think he does,” she said very softly, fighting back a fresh round of tears.
“I’d hope you’d know for certain,” Grace muttered under her breath, but Patience heard her anyway.
“One day,” Hope began, with a rather imperious tone, “Grace Post, you will find yourself in love. And you will be fortunate if Patience and I even listen to you without saying I told you so.”
“I am listening,” Grace protested.
“With a judgmental ear,” Hope returned. “She’s miserable enough. She doesn’t need your condescension.” And then her most passionate sister shook her head. “Even Braden and Quent fell fairly quickly, Grace.”
“Quent spent an entire year looking for a girl he already knew, like an idiot.”
Quent! That was it!
“That hardly—” Hope began.
“Quent!” Patience rolled over and sat up. “Quent is in Danby.” Perhaps he could do something. He’d always done whatever was needed when she was younger. Always much more helpful than Braden or Mama.
“What is he doing here?” Hope asked.
Patience shrugged. “I’m not certain. Prestwood mentioned him and then I spotted his coach when Matt and I were at the inn and—”
“Prestwood?” Hope echoed.
“What in the world were you doing at an
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