Summer's Distant Heart - Laura Landon Page 0,25

finding out until she was sure of your intentions.”

“What is it she couldn’t risk me finding out?”

“I have two sisters: Amelia, who is upstairs, and Janice. My sister Jannie was married to your brother. She died shortly after giving birth to young George, so Lia has pretended to be the child’s mother.”

“Why?”

“Why? Good god, man. Because she was afraid you would take George away from her. She thought if you knew that she wasn’t George’s mother her chances of keeping the babe would be nil.”

“She thought I would take the babe away from her?” Hunter asked, unable to believe she trusted him so little.

“You or your father. She didn’t think there was a chance that she could keep the babe when your father discovered there was a Trentridge heir.”

Hunter tried to digest the information that was thrown at him, but before he and Miles could discuss matters further, the doctor came from seeing Lia.

“How is she?” Hunter asked rising to his feet.

The doctor shook his head and Hunter’s heart clenched in his chest. “What is it? What’s wrong with her?”

“An inflammation of the lungs, it seems, though not tuberculosis. That coupled with exhaustion has laid the good lady quite low, I’m afraid.”

His assessment made all kinds of sense to Hunter. She’d spent days caring for her sister, then managed the travails of her death. She’d cared for the newborn babe, and had gone night after night with little or no sleep. Plus, the worry of losing the babe. No wonder she was ill.

“With rest and the proper care, she’ll be good as new.”

“Thank you,” Hunter said handing the doctor a few coins. When the doctor was gone, Hunter turned to Miles who stood silently beside him. He put a compassionate hand on the worried fellow’s shoulder.

“I need to see her,” Lia’s brother said.

“Go on up. I’ll check in on her later.”

Hunter watched as Miles left the room. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from him. He’d never been so concerned in his life. He recalled the sight of her slumped over in the coach and his heart skipped a beat. Try as he might he could not erase her paleness from his memory.

He rose with his glass in his hand and walked to the multi-paned doors that opened onto the terrace. It was frustrating to think she’d felt compelled to go to such lengths to play the impostor, just to keep his nephew safe. Carrying out her preposterous plan had taken a bitter toll on her health. Hadn’t she known that eventually she’d be found out?

He took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. In the days of their brief acquaintance, Hunter had come to know Lady Atherton’s nature reasonably well. Her commitment to the babe and the courage she’d shown in facing the challenges of keeping him safe had impressed Hunter greatly. But now that her plan was fully exposed, he had to wonder. Was she truly on board with his effort to hide the babe at Rainwood? Or was she merely biding her time until she found an opportunity to disappear once again?

The very thought stole the breath from him as Hunter realized he must not let her out of his sight. Or he’d lose her.

. . . .

Lia woke two days later with a throbbing head and a body that ached all over. Her aunt told her she’d lost consciousness and had slept forty-eight hours without waking. By the time she was able to open her eyes, the sun was well up in the sky and Lia had lost all track of time.

She lay still, taking in the strange room. It was prettily appointed with chintz fabrics on the window seat pillows that livened up the robin’s egg blue wallpaper. The furnishings were cleverly arranged and the bed, oh, the bed was so comfortable she thought she might never leave it.

Her maid brought in a tray, then dressed her hair and helped her into her robe. She felt much better when Frannie brought little George in to see her.

“Oh, George,” she said taking the babe into her arms. “How I’ve missed you.”

“I think he missed you, too, mistress. He was wakeful half the night.”

“Did you miss me, my sweet?”

Lia had been fussing over the babe for a short while when Frannie interrupted.

“Would you mind if I saw to my needs, my lady? I won’t be long.”

“Of course, Frannie. Take as long as you like. George and I will be fine here.”

“Thank