Read Online Where Love Takes You by Rosemary Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Rosemary Smith
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which we walked down, opening each door as we went along to peep into rooms which mirrored the neglect downstairs. As we walked, rain splattered the many windows where curtains hung full of dust and smelling of must. Threadbare carpet matching the one on the staircase lay beneath our feet. We hardly spoke except for Jonathon to explain which part of the house we were in and at one point he urged me to look from the window.
“Can you see where you are, Miss Trent?” he asked of me.
“Indeed I can,” I replied as I looked down over the lake we had walked past on that glorious summers day. Today it looked forlorn and a slight mist hung over the water where the rain continued to fall.
“It is a far different outlook to when we walked together that day,” I observed as I turned to Jonathon.
“You are so right, but one day soon the sun will shine again and remind us of that perfect day which now seems so long ago.”
He spoke as if to himself and then, taking my arm, we walked back along the deserted corridor and down the stairway. Instead of leading me to the main doorway, we passed through a door and I found myself in the room where Lina and I had taken tea with Georgina, but today, Jonathon’s sister was nowhere in sight, although a fire burned weakly in the hearth, emitting a little warmth. By now I was chilled to the bone and as if reading my thoughts, Jonathon urged me to be seated by the fire. I removed my bonnet while he rang the bell and, when the maid arrived, ordered us a hot drink and cake.
“Would that I could revert this house to what it was in my childhood,” Jonathon said unexpectedly, as I held the hot cup in my hands to warm my numb fingers.
He continued, “The whole house was alive with warmth and gaiety then, fires blazing in the hall and every room. I used to run from room to room and along the corridors stealing into the warm kitchen for a slice of freshly baked bread and creamy butter.”
As he spoke, my companion seemed almost in a trance and unaware that I was there, but the memories of long ago must have seemed very painful to him.
As we rode back to Middlepark in the pony and trap, Jonathon kept turning to me and smiling.
“Have you enjoyed your trip to our stately home?” he asked with pride in his voice and I felt compassion for him, or was it something else I felt which I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I looked at him while his face was averted from me and marvelled at his strong determined jaw line and his strong hands on the reins. As I looked he turned to me and said, “I shall live for our next meeting, Miss Trent.”
These words burned in my head as I entered the house. I was met by Lina, who was excitable, and today it irked me for I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. As I entered the drawing room with Lina, I could see Richard and Verity sat together sipping what appeared to be champagne.
“Look at what we’ve bought,” said Lina with an enthusiasm I didn’t feel. Scattered on the floor I could see various packages in disarray.
“See ,” said Lina, “father has bought me gloves and a pair for you as well.”
I looked down at the white silk gloves in her hands which would fit to the elbow and realised it was the first pair I’d ever owned. I suddenly felt ungracious.
“They are exquisite, Mr Roseby, thank you so much,” I said truthfully, looking at him and Verity.
“Verity chose them,” he revealed, “but I am pleased you like them so much. They will look very fetching, I am sure, with your new gown.”
“Try them on, please Charlotte,” Lina urged me and I did with much laughter as they were hard to pull up my arm and suddenly I felt light hearted again as both Lina and Verity helped me.
“And tomorrow,” Lina said with gusto, “our dresses will arrive.”
As she spoke, I looked over Lina’s shoulder at Richard who raised his glass to me and silently watched us. I realised that I had not seen him for a few days and that I had missed
“Can you see where you are, Miss Trent?” he asked of me.
“Indeed I can,” I replied as I looked down over the lake we had walked past on that glorious summers day. Today it looked forlorn and a slight mist hung over the water where the rain continued to fall.
“It is a far different outlook to when we walked together that day,” I observed as I turned to Jonathon.
“You are so right, but one day soon the sun will shine again and remind us of that perfect day which now seems so long ago.”
He spoke as if to himself and then, taking my arm, we walked back along the deserted corridor and down the stairway. Instead of leading me to the main doorway, we passed through a door and I found myself in the room where Lina and I had taken tea with Georgina, but today, Jonathon’s sister was nowhere in sight, although a fire burned weakly in the hearth, emitting a little warmth. By now I was chilled to the bone and as if reading my thoughts, Jonathon urged me to be seated by the fire. I removed my bonnet while he rang the bell and, when the maid arrived, ordered us a hot drink and cake.
“Would that I could revert this house to what it was in my childhood,” Jonathon said unexpectedly, as I held the hot cup in my hands to warm my numb fingers.
He continued, “The whole house was alive with warmth and gaiety then, fires blazing in the hall and every room. I used to run from room to room and along the corridors stealing into the warm kitchen for a slice of freshly baked bread and creamy butter.”
As he spoke, my companion seemed almost in a trance and unaware that I was there, but the memories of long ago must have seemed very painful to him.
As we rode back to Middlepark in the pony and trap, Jonathon kept turning to me and smiling.
“Have you enjoyed your trip to our stately home?” he asked with pride in his voice and I felt compassion for him, or was it something else I felt which I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I looked at him while his face was averted from me and marvelled at his strong determined jaw line and his strong hands on the reins. As I looked he turned to me and said, “I shall live for our next meeting, Miss Trent.”
These words burned in my head as I entered the house. I was met by Lina, who was excitable, and today it irked me for I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. As I entered the drawing room with Lina, I could see Richard and Verity sat together sipping what appeared to be champagne.
“Look at what we’ve bought,” said Lina with an enthusiasm I didn’t feel. Scattered on the floor I could see various packages in disarray.
“See ,” said Lina, “father has bought me gloves and a pair for you as well.”
I looked down at the white silk gloves in her hands which would fit to the elbow and realised it was the first pair I’d ever owned. I suddenly felt ungracious.
“They are exquisite, Mr Roseby, thank you so much,” I said truthfully, looking at him and Verity.
“Verity chose them,” he revealed, “but I am pleased you like them so much. They will look very fetching, I am sure, with your new gown.”
“Try them on, please Charlotte,” Lina urged me and I did with much laughter as they were hard to pull up my arm and suddenly I felt light hearted again as both Lina and Verity helped me.
“And tomorrow,” Lina said with gusto, “our dresses will arrive.”
As she spoke, I looked over Lina’s shoulder at Richard who raised his glass to me and silently watched us. I realised that I had not seen him for a few days and that I had missed
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