Summer's Distant Heart - Laura Landon Page 0,4
just said but her mind refused to absorb what that might mean. “Lord Evan Atherton is dead? How do you know?”
“My sister has sent me several papers with the accounts of his death from a fever.”
“When did he die?”
“According to the articles, he passed away more than two months ago.
Lia rose from the rocker and placed Georgie in his cradle. He stirred, but didn’t wake. Lia returned to her chair and reached for her aunt’s hands. “What are we going to do? Do you think his grandfather will come looking for him?”
“Wouldn’t you if you knew you had a grandchild you’d never seen?”
“Oh, Aunt Mildred. He mustn’t find the babe. You know that was the only promise Janice asked of us—to keep the babe hidden from the Marquess of Trentridge. She was sure he would do the babe harm if he knew of the child’s existence.”
“I know,” her aunt said worrying her bottom lip.
“Perhaps no one will ever know about George. We can only hope Janice hid her tracks well enough that nothing leads to your door.”
“It was very clever of her to reach me by such a circuitous route, though I think it weakened her in the last days of her pregnancy. Still, anyone trying to find her is probably wandering around Scotland at this very moment. If they even know about the babe, that is. We can only hope. But we mustn’t let our guard down. It all depends on what Lord Atherton told his father before he died. Perhaps he told him nothing. Then, no one will know.”
“But we must have a plan in case the marquess does know,” Lia said. “We have to be prepared in case we are discovered.”
“Do you have an idea?”
“Yes, although I’m not sure how adequate it is,” Lia said, praying that her plan would work. If it didn’t, she could lose the babe, and that was something she refused to consider. She’d sworn she would raise the babe as her own. She’d promised her sister on her deathbed that no one would take the babe away from her. Especially someone from the Marquess of Trentridge’s family.
And she vowed she would keep her promise.
. . . .
Scarcely a week later, Lia sat in the library with a book in her hands. There was nothing she enjoyed more than a good novel—especially one of the romance novels that were becoming so popular. She was ever so fortunate that there was a book store in the village not far from Collinson Manor. Mr. Hodges, the store owner, had a surprising cache of the latest gothic novels.
“Have you begun reading again, Lia?” her aunt asked as she entered the library.
A maid followed with a tea tray and set it down near Lia, who set aside her pen and poured each of them a cup of tea. “Just writing a note of thanks, Auntie Mildred. Hodges’ Book Shoppe has sent me an absolutely tantalizing note to inform me they’ve received a new selection and I have pleaded with them to send the lot to me forthwith!”
Her aunt smiled. “I have no doubt that you are his best customer.”
“Do you think I’m spending too much of your money on books, Aunt?”
“No, no, my dear. That is what I asked you to do. My library is in need of refreshing, and you’re the perfect person to satisfy that need. I have no idea what books to choose.”
Her aunt took a sip of her tea. “Now, if I were in need of new horse flesh to fill my stables, I would have no problem filling that order. I’m quite knowledgeable in equestrian affairs. My late husband had a keen eye for horses and he taught me what to look. But I daresay, books are beyond my understanding.”
“Then I will continue to visit Hodges’ and add to your woefully lacking selection of literary fiction.”
Her Aunt Mildred smiled. “You do that, my love.” The Viscountess took another sip of tea, then set down her cup and saucer. “Is the babe asleep?”
“Yes. Mrs. Rodgers fed little George, then put him down for a nap. I daresay he’ll sleep for an hour or more.”
Aunt Mildred began to reply but stopped when her ancient butler rapped at the open door.
“Yes, Hobson. What is it?”
“You have a guest, my lady.”
“Who is it, Hobson?”
“The Earl of Atherton, my lady. I told him you were not receiving, but he insisted he needed to see you.”
Lia’s heart lodged in her throat and she looked at her aunt, whose