Summer's Distant Heart - Laura Landon Page 0,15

a carriage pull up and saw her reaction.

“Is he here?” Hunter asked.

She shook her head. “It’s Mrs. Rodgers. She’s here with the girl to interview for the position of wet nurse for George.”

“Did you want to meet with her in here?”

“No. I’ll take her to the nursery. I want to see how she interacts with George.”

Hunter watched her leave. Her shoulders looked as if they carried the weight of the world. He regretted the harsh words they’d shared earlier in the week, yet he had no choice but to hold her at arm’s length considering the way his body reacted to her.

It was exasperating. He couldn’t contemplate anything coming of a friendship between them. He wouldn’t risk falling in love with the woman. Not after he’d seen the bitterness and hatred that ate away at his father after he lost the woman he loved.

Even if he didn’t have that to look back upon, the woman standing at the window was the last person with whom he could entertain thoughts any deeper than friendship. England’s affinity laws forbade it. A man could never marry his brother’s widow.

Well, he could, but anybody who objected could bring suit and void the marriage. He had no wish to enter into such a tenuous predicament.

Hunter swiped his hand across his face. How the hell could his mind entertain such thoughts? Since he’d met Janice Montclaire his errant mind traveled to places where he didn’t wish it to go. Places that were totally foreign to him. If it hadn’t been for that heart-stopping reaction he’d had to her, he wouldn’t be giving her a second thought.

In fact, she created a reaction that caused him to become even more hostile than he usually was. But to his surprise, where she should have cowered in his presence, she stood with complete ease. Even the men in his regiment hadn’t shown the courage she did when his temper showed itself.

There was no denying that she was quite a remarkable woman. But, he couldn’t allow himself to be affected by her. Instead, he had to figure out what there was about Janice Montclaire that caused him to be drawn to her.

Yet each time he thought he had hit on the answer, she changed. Like a chameleon, she could blend seamlessly into whatever new scenario presented itself. As if she kept herself one step ahead of him. Had planned her moves or her words in advance. As if she was hiding something, a secret that kept her at arm’s length from him.

Yes, something was askew. Perhaps it resulted from having had to keep her marriage to Evan secret. But somehow, it seemed more than that. It was almost as if the lady had been lying to him. He’d swear that once or twice something she had said did not quite ring true.

He tried to remember every word Evan had told him about his wife. He’d said how beautiful she was, and Lady Atherton was indeed beautiful. Then too, Evan had professed how fair and delicate she was.

Hunter considered Lady Atherton’s regal bearing that he had so often admired. Little Georgie’s mother was anything but fair and delicate.

Although she could be called delicate in the sense of feminine grace, she certainly was not fair. Her coloring was certainly closer to Hunter’s warm coffee undertones than Evan’s almost translucent fairness that Hunter had expected her to have. The same fairness as the babe’s. But she looked nothing like what he expected.

He would indeed watch her. What if his father had already discovered the babe and planted an imposter here to care for it?

Hunter raked his fingers through his hair. No. That couldn’t be. She knew too much about Janice’s family to be an imposter. And the dowager viscountess was too comfortable around her.

All he knew for sure was that he would have to be on his guard. If his suspicions proved false, all would be well. But if not, someone was sure to slip up.

. . . .

Lia greeted the young girl Mrs. Rodgers brought with her, then led the way to the nursery. When they reached the room, the girl went right to the cradle where little George was playing with his toes.

“I’d like to introduce you to my son, George Hunter Montclaire. Look here, Georgie. This is Frannie McTavish. It’s possible she might be your new nurse.” Lia reached down to tickle the child. “If you don’t frighten her off,” she said with a smile.

“Oh, he’d never frighten me off,” the