The Heiress of Winterwood - By Sarah Ladd Page 0,25

horses for a ride?” she asked.

“No.”

“Shall I read aloud to you?”

He laughed, his rich baritone filling the small space. He took the Bible from her and flipped through the pages. “Dear Amelia. Dear sweet, good Amelia. Read aloud if you think it will do some good, but I fear I am beyond help from that book or any other.”

“Nobody is good of their own accord,” she reasoned.

“Well then.” He looked at her with eyes still red from last night’s indulgences and all but dangled the Bible in front of her. “Perhaps you can reform me.”

Vexed by his condescension, she snatched the Bible, pushed herself away from the desk, and crossed the room to the window. “A walk, then?”

He gave his head an impatient shake and began to pace. Edward Littleton was a man in constant need of amusement, never content to be still. In Darbury for but a day, and already his restless eyes beamed impatience.

She glanced from the shelves of her mother’s books to her father’s faded chair. She loved Winterwood. It was her home, the seat of her memories. She feared that Edward appreciated the estate purely for the fortune that came with it.

But was she any better? Had she not deceived him only two days ago by proposing to another man? She bit her lower lip, aware of her wrongdoing. He, however, seemed blissfully unaware of his.

The mantel clock struck the hour. She looked out the window to the front drive. “Mr. Carrington will be here soon. That will be a nice diversion for you.”

Edward studied his fingernails. “I have been meaning to talk with you about Carrington. When your uncle and I returned yesterday, we paid him a visit. I have relieved him of his duties.”

“What do you mean, ‘relieved him of his duties’?”

“Just what I said. Now that I am to be master, I do not need his assistance with our affairs. I will handle Winterwood’s business on my own. I believe the man has already departed the estate cottage for his offices in Sheffield. He will send for his things later.”

She whirled around from the window. Had he intended not to tell her? Had he thought she wouldn’t notice? She forced steadiness to her voice. “Before he died, my father hand-selected Mr. Carrington to handle our affairs. He knows more about Winterwood’s workings than you could possibly imagine. He knows all the tenants by name. I don’t even know them all by name. How could you do something like that without discussing it with me first?”

“Calm down, Amelia.” He stretched his hands out in front of him, attempting to settle her as one would a nervous horse. “You’re getting upset for nothing. You are right that managing an estate like this is a complicated business, but I’m a competent man. There’s no need for you to worry about it.”

“You are missing my point,” Amelia retorted. “Mr. Carrington is a trusted family friend. How dare you just cast him aside without even—”

“Your uncle and I spoke at great length about it. He agreed it was the best course of action for everyone.”

For you, you mean. She bit back the words and focused on her argument. “My uncle is not Winterwood’s heir. I am. That fact alone gives me the right to—”

“Egad, Amelia. Why would you worry about such things? Do not allow yourself to become agitated over something so insignificant.”

“Insignificant? I—” She shut her mouth as a painful realization registered. Edward was patronizing her. Treating her like a child. She studied his dark eyes, hardly recognizing the man who was speaking to her now. Yes, he was still handsome and confident, passionate and energetic. But this other side of him, abrupt and self-serving, almost frightened her.

She could not guess his motives, for nothing about him lately was as it seemed. But suddenly she knew one thing for certain. If allowed, this man would destroy everything important to her.

For weeks she had teetered on the cusp of losing Lucy. Now the one person who understood her father’s vision and cared for Winterwood as she did, Mr. Carrington, had been cut from her life. Once bound by marriage, Winterwood Manor would legally be more Edward’s than hers, and she would have little choice but to do his bidding.

Did she have any choice now?

She glared at Edward and fought the nausea swirling in her stomach. Arguing with the man would not get her what she wanted. She had to be smart, to act wisely. She looked out the