her pale, careworn face.
Allison also smiled to see her mother smile, and went back to stirring the pot of soup. “It is most agreeable to be invited to Kirkwood Manor for Christmas. We have not left the cottage for an age. But a godsend, Mama?” She pushed some stray red curls back under her cap. They were always unruly. “I don't really see that.”
“Of course it is! This is obviously not just an invitation for Christmas, my dearest. Lady Kirkwood is getting on in years. Everyone knows her husband left her his fortune. She will be looking for an heir.” Josephine quickly scanned the letter again. “She wants to see us once more to be sure we are worthy to be her heirs.”
“ I thought her husband's nephew Sir Reginald Kirkwood was heir.” Allison shuddered to remember Sir Reginald and his horrid son.
“ Only to the Manor. But Lady Kirkwood brought her own money to the marriage, and inherited her husband's besides. Who better to benefit from that than her own nephew's children? I am not well enough to travel there, of course, but you and the twins must go. As soon as she meets you again, she will see how wonderful my girls are. And all our troubles will be at an end.”
Allison studied her mother thoughtfully. There was no way to know if Lady Kirkwood was indeed looking for an heir, or if she would even consider the Gordon girls as such. But a Christmas in the comfort of Kirkwood Manor would indeed be a treat, especially for the twins, who had scarcely traveled anywhere in all their twelve years.
Yet how could she leave her mother alone for the holiday? Josephine had only just recovered from a winter ague, which was harder to shake away than her usual illnesses. She added some chopped onions to the soup, and said, “I could not leave you, Mama.”
“ Of course you can! You must.” Josephine looked around the shabby kitchen, the only room of their drafty old cottage that was ever truly warm. “This is our only chance, Allison. Your father, though certainly charming, was no manager of money. You know that when he lost our funds in that silly shipping scheme, your dowry and those of the twins went, too.”
Allison nodded wearily. She knew that very well indeed.
“So you must go to see Lady Kirkwood,” Josephine continued. “She is the only one who could help us. And it will be such a treat for the twins.”
As if summoned by the mention of them, Kitty and Jane came bursting through the back door, cloaks flying, wild red hair escaping from their ribbons. Snow flurries and the Gordons' two old spaniels came with them, leaving a mess in their wake.
“Are we to have a treat?” Kitty cried.
“ A treat? Oh, what is it?” Jane threw her arms around Allison in an exuberant hug.
Allison hugged her back, breathing in the fresh scent of cold air and the rose soap they all used, which their mother made herself in her small stillroom. She loved her sisters more than anything in the world, and if it meant securing their futures, she would definitely go to Kirkwood Manor for Christmas.
Even if she was sure to see William Bradford there.
The last time, the only time, she had seen Lady Kirkwood's husband's sister's son was four years ago, at another house party at Kirkwood Manor. He had been seven years older than her own fifteen then, and had obviously regarded her as a child to be teased. But she had thought him so handsome and dashing. The most handsome young man she had ever seen.
Four years of isolation in their country cottage had not dimmed her memory of him. But he surely never thought of her at all.
What would she do if she did see him again? Surely he would never remember her...
**
William Bradford tapped Lady Kirkwood's letter against his palm as he watched his thirteen-year-old sister Gertrude out the window. She wandered about the garden like a little ghost, her blue cloak a dark spot against the snow. She looked quiet and withdrawn, as she had been ever since their father lost all their money
Allison also smiled to see her mother smile, and went back to stirring the pot of soup. “It is most agreeable to be invited to Kirkwood Manor for Christmas. We have not left the cottage for an age. But a godsend, Mama?” She pushed some stray red curls back under her cap. They were always unruly. “I don't really see that.”
“Of course it is! This is obviously not just an invitation for Christmas, my dearest. Lady Kirkwood is getting on in years. Everyone knows her husband left her his fortune. She will be looking for an heir.” Josephine quickly scanned the letter again. “She wants to see us once more to be sure we are worthy to be her heirs.”
“ I thought her husband's nephew Sir Reginald Kirkwood was heir.” Allison shuddered to remember Sir Reginald and his horrid son.
“ Only to the Manor. But Lady Kirkwood brought her own money to the marriage, and inherited her husband's besides. Who better to benefit from that than her own nephew's children? I am not well enough to travel there, of course, but you and the twins must go. As soon as she meets you again, she will see how wonderful my girls are. And all our troubles will be at an end.”
Allison studied her mother thoughtfully. There was no way to know if Lady Kirkwood was indeed looking for an heir, or if she would even consider the Gordon girls as such. But a Christmas in the comfort of Kirkwood Manor would indeed be a treat, especially for the twins, who had scarcely traveled anywhere in all their twelve years.
Yet how could she leave her mother alone for the holiday? Josephine had only just recovered from a winter ague, which was harder to shake away than her usual illnesses. She added some chopped onions to the soup, and said, “I could not leave you, Mama.”
“ Of course you can! You must.” Josephine looked around the shabby kitchen, the only room of their drafty old cottage that was ever truly warm. “This is our only chance, Allison. Your father, though certainly charming, was no manager of money. You know that when he lost our funds in that silly shipping scheme, your dowry and those of the twins went, too.”
Allison nodded wearily. She knew that very well indeed.
“So you must go to see Lady Kirkwood,” Josephine continued. “She is the only one who could help us. And it will be such a treat for the twins.”
As if summoned by the mention of them, Kitty and Jane came bursting through the back door, cloaks flying, wild red hair escaping from their ribbons. Snow flurries and the Gordons' two old spaniels came with them, leaving a mess in their wake.
“Are we to have a treat?” Kitty cried.
“ A treat? Oh, what is it?” Jane threw her arms around Allison in an exuberant hug.
Allison hugged her back, breathing in the fresh scent of cold air and the rose soap they all used, which their mother made herself in her small stillroom. She loved her sisters more than anything in the world, and if it meant securing their futures, she would definitely go to Kirkwood Manor for Christmas.
Even if she was sure to see William Bradford there.
The last time, the only time, she had seen Lady Kirkwood's husband's sister's son was four years ago, at another house party at Kirkwood Manor. He had been seven years older than her own fifteen then, and had obviously regarded her as a child to be teased. But she had thought him so handsome and dashing. The most handsome young man she had ever seen.
Four years of isolation in their country cottage had not dimmed her memory of him. But he surely never thought of her at all.
What would she do if she did see him again? Surely he would never remember her...
**
William Bradford tapped Lady Kirkwood's letter against his palm as he watched his thirteen-year-old sister Gertrude out the window. She wandered about the garden like a little ghost, her blue cloak a dark spot against the snow. She looked quiet and withdrawn, as she had been ever since their father lost all their money
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