Read Online The Mistress of Hanover Square by Anne Herries - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anne Herries
Tags: Fiction
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Lisa?’
‘Very few people even knew that I had a daughter until today,’ Gerard said. ‘Besides, why should I stay away from my own daughter—who could that benefit? She does not have a fortune…’
‘No one could benefit from her death. It would in any case seem that I am the target after what happened this evening.’ Amelia looked at him steadily. ‘It is most unpleasant, Gerard…that someone should wish to kill me for money.’
‘It is wicked!’ Emily burst out, obviously upset. ‘I think he should be ashamed of himself! Oh, do not look at me so, Amelia. It must be Sir Michael behind this monstrous plot. Who else could it be?’
‘I do not know—yet I am loathe to think my brother would stoop so low.’
‘You think well of most people,’Gerard said as the carriage began to slow down. ‘Forgive me for allowing that evil man to get near enough to take a shot at you this night, Amelia. I promise it will not happen again.’
He jumped out as soon as the carriage drew to a halt, helped Amelia down and sheltered her with his body as he hurried her into the house. Once inside, he saw how pale she looked and took her into his arms for a moment, holding her close. Amelia wanted to cling to him and weep, but controlled her feelings. Gerard would not care for a clinging wife. She stood unmoving within his arms and he let her go as they heard the other guests, who had attended mass with them, arriving.
‘Perhaps you would prefer to go straight up?’
‘Yes, I should. I do not wish to discuss the matter further at the moment. Excuse me, I shall see you in the morning.’
Amelia went quickly up the stairs, followed immediately by Emily. She was conscious of an irritation of the nerves. When Emily tried to follow her into her bedroom, she turned to her with a hasty dismissal.
‘Please excuse me, Emily. I would prefer to be alone.’
‘Yes, of course.’
Emily looked a little hurt at her tone, but Amelia was in too much distress to notice. It was bad enough that someone should try to shoot her, but to know that they all thought it was her brother who was behind the plot to murder her was lowering. Amelia had suffered much at the hands of her brother and sister-in-law—but murder was too terrible to comprehend.
She took off her bonnet and shawl, feeling glad that she had put on a gown that fastened at the front and told her maid not to wait up for her. At the moment her mind was in such turmoil that she could not speak to anyone.
Amelia slept fitfully and was awake long before the maids brought breakfast to her room. However, she had recovered from her irritation of the nerves and asked that the breakfast be laid in the sitting room. Wearing a pretty new lace peignoir, she went through to the little parlour and found that Emily was already there.
‘Good morning, my love. May I wish you a Happy Christmas?’
‘Thank you—Happy Christmas to you, Amelia. I hope you will like my gift. It is not much, but was chosen with care.’
‘I am sure I shall.’ Amelia presented her with an exquisitely wrapped parcel and smiled as Emily gave a cry of pleasure on opening it. Inside was an evening purse made of delicate links of gold, which fastened with a crossover clasp set with diamonds. It was avery expensive gift and reflected Amelia’s true regard for her companion.
‘This is so beautiful…you are always so generous to me…’ Emily’s lashes were wet with tears. ‘To think that anyone could wish—’ She broke off and wiped her hand across her cheek. ‘I know you will not wish me to mention it, but I have not slept for thinking of what happened. Had the earl not been so alert you might not be here this morning…’
‘You must not let a silly incident upset you. It will not happen again,’ Amelia said and opened her parcel. Discovering a scarf she had admired some weeks before Christmas, she went to embrace her friend. ‘This is exactly what I wished for, Emily. How sweet of you to remember
‘Very few people even knew that I had a daughter until today,’ Gerard said. ‘Besides, why should I stay away from my own daughter—who could that benefit? She does not have a fortune…’
‘No one could benefit from her death. It would in any case seem that I am the target after what happened this evening.’ Amelia looked at him steadily. ‘It is most unpleasant, Gerard…that someone should wish to kill me for money.’
‘It is wicked!’ Emily burst out, obviously upset. ‘I think he should be ashamed of himself! Oh, do not look at me so, Amelia. It must be Sir Michael behind this monstrous plot. Who else could it be?’
‘I do not know—yet I am loathe to think my brother would stoop so low.’
‘You think well of most people,’Gerard said as the carriage began to slow down. ‘Forgive me for allowing that evil man to get near enough to take a shot at you this night, Amelia. I promise it will not happen again.’
He jumped out as soon as the carriage drew to a halt, helped Amelia down and sheltered her with his body as he hurried her into the house. Once inside, he saw how pale she looked and took her into his arms for a moment, holding her close. Amelia wanted to cling to him and weep, but controlled her feelings. Gerard would not care for a clinging wife. She stood unmoving within his arms and he let her go as they heard the other guests, who had attended mass with them, arriving.
‘Perhaps you would prefer to go straight up?’
‘Yes, I should. I do not wish to discuss the matter further at the moment. Excuse me, I shall see you in the morning.’
Amelia went quickly up the stairs, followed immediately by Emily. She was conscious of an irritation of the nerves. When Emily tried to follow her into her bedroom, she turned to her with a hasty dismissal.
‘Please excuse me, Emily. I would prefer to be alone.’
‘Yes, of course.’
Emily looked a little hurt at her tone, but Amelia was in too much distress to notice. It was bad enough that someone should try to shoot her, but to know that they all thought it was her brother who was behind the plot to murder her was lowering. Amelia had suffered much at the hands of her brother and sister-in-law—but murder was too terrible to comprehend.
She took off her bonnet and shawl, feeling glad that she had put on a gown that fastened at the front and told her maid not to wait up for her. At the moment her mind was in such turmoil that she could not speak to anyone.
Amelia slept fitfully and was awake long before the maids brought breakfast to her room. However, she had recovered from her irritation of the nerves and asked that the breakfast be laid in the sitting room. Wearing a pretty new lace peignoir, she went through to the little parlour and found that Emily was already there.
‘Good morning, my love. May I wish you a Happy Christmas?’
‘Thank you—Happy Christmas to you, Amelia. I hope you will like my gift. It is not much, but was chosen with care.’
‘I am sure I shall.’ Amelia presented her with an exquisitely wrapped parcel and smiled as Emily gave a cry of pleasure on opening it. Inside was an evening purse made of delicate links of gold, which fastened with a crossover clasp set with diamonds. It was avery expensive gift and reflected Amelia’s true regard for her companion.
‘This is so beautiful…you are always so generous to me…’ Emily’s lashes were wet with tears. ‘To think that anyone could wish—’ She broke off and wiped her hand across her cheek. ‘I know you will not wish me to mention it, but I have not slept for thinking of what happened. Had the earl not been so alert you might not be here this morning…’
‘You must not let a silly incident upset you. It will not happen again,’ Amelia said and opened her parcel. Discovering a scarf she had admired some weeks before Christmas, she went to embrace her friend. ‘This is exactly what I wished for, Emily. How sweet of you to remember
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