wanted a boy, of
course, the cherished heir that Penelope seemed unable to provide
him, but it was not to be. Several miscarriages in a row had left
Penelope weak and despondent. Edgar was only too happy to escape
the sad atmosphere lingering at his estate for the loving arms of
his mistress.
Unfortunately, the baby boy had come much too
early. Melanie had gone into labor in the middle of the night when
Edgar was away on business in London. The cook had hurried to fetch
a midwife, but something had happened to the poor woman and she’d
never returned.
By the time Edgar found Melanie, she was pale
and near death, lying in a pool of her own blood. They spoke only a
few words to each other, words of comfort and of love, before
Melanie finally slipped into an eternal sleep. Somehow, she’d
managed to birth the little boy, cut the umbilical cord herself and
wrap the child in a piece of homespun. Still, the child had not
survived her efforts. The baby’s skin was a bluish purple by the
time Edgar found him. Grimly, Edgar had made arrangements to bury
Melanie and the unnamed little baby boy.
The child that Melanie had discovered on her
doorstep a few months before now had no place to go. Edgar found
little Katherine crying alone in her small room. Despite his own
pain and anguish, Edgar thought the little girl was bright and
pretty. He would do as Melanie requested. He would take little Kate
home and raise her as one of his own.
“Tell me!” Penelope shrieked near Edgar’s
ear.
Immediately, the past fell away and Edgar
snapped back to the present.
“I don’t care what we have to do. If you can
save us, Edgar, you must,” Penelope insisted.
Edgar slapped his palm on the armrest so hard
that Penelope leaped back a pace. “And sell my daughter to the
highest bidder? I most certainly will not!”
“Edgar, please.”
“Besides, the Earl of Devonshire doesn’t want
Dorothea,” Edgar informed her. “He wants Kate.”
“Kate?” Penelope gasped.
“That’s right,” Edgar miserably confirmed.
“Kate.”
Penelope blinked in shock. She couldn’t
imagine the earl passing over Dorothea to offer for Katherine.
Nevertheless, the earl might very well be their salvation. It
wouldn’t upset Penelope if she didn’t see Kate so frequently. After
all, the girl was not of her blood.
With their debts erased, the Overton estate
would be no longer be entailed. Perhaps a few acres might also be
sold off to better their lot. For the sake of her own daughters,
Penelope needed money. Lots of money. So, the bargain would be
made.
Chapter 7
Unfortunately, Richard Warwick took his time
responding to the Overtons’ summons and did not darken the
Overtons’ doorway until three days later. By that time, several
more creditors had come to call, sending Edgar into a fit of nerves
and finally a mental collapse. Penelope bought off one of the
creditors with her mother’s broach and two more with a silver
chafing dish and an antique silver candelabra. Needless to say,
Penelope was relieved when the earl finally came to call.
At last, it was a lovely day. The morning
rain had given way to brilliant sunshine, but a stiff north wind
promised that the afternoon would not remain so amenable.
Penelope received the earl in the Overton
library. Richard had assumed that Edgar would also be present and
the man’s absence puzzled him.
“Tea, my lord?” Penelope politely asked,
carefully arranging her skirts to best advantage.
“Yes, thank you,” Richard agreed.
“It is rather cold today, don’t you think?”
Penelope continued, making light conversation to fill the silence.
“You must be chilled to the bone. Sugar?”
“Thank you, no. Cream only, please,” Richard
directed impatiently.
Penelope nodded. Once again, Richard glanced
toward the doorway, but it remained empty. He heard no footsteps
approaching the room from the hallway either.
“Forgive me for being blunt, Lady Overton,
but I assumed that your husband would be
course, the cherished heir that Penelope seemed unable to provide
him, but it was not to be. Several miscarriages in a row had left
Penelope weak and despondent. Edgar was only too happy to escape
the sad atmosphere lingering at his estate for the loving arms of
his mistress.
Unfortunately, the baby boy had come much too
early. Melanie had gone into labor in the middle of the night when
Edgar was away on business in London. The cook had hurried to fetch
a midwife, but something had happened to the poor woman and she’d
never returned.
By the time Edgar found Melanie, she was pale
and near death, lying in a pool of her own blood. They spoke only a
few words to each other, words of comfort and of love, before
Melanie finally slipped into an eternal sleep. Somehow, she’d
managed to birth the little boy, cut the umbilical cord herself and
wrap the child in a piece of homespun. Still, the child had not
survived her efforts. The baby’s skin was a bluish purple by the
time Edgar found him. Grimly, Edgar had made arrangements to bury
Melanie and the unnamed little baby boy.
The child that Melanie had discovered on her
doorstep a few months before now had no place to go. Edgar found
little Katherine crying alone in her small room. Despite his own
pain and anguish, Edgar thought the little girl was bright and
pretty. He would do as Melanie requested. He would take little Kate
home and raise her as one of his own.
“Tell me!” Penelope shrieked near Edgar’s
ear.
Immediately, the past fell away and Edgar
snapped back to the present.
“I don’t care what we have to do. If you can
save us, Edgar, you must,” Penelope insisted.
Edgar slapped his palm on the armrest so hard
that Penelope leaped back a pace. “And sell my daughter to the
highest bidder? I most certainly will not!”
“Edgar, please.”
“Besides, the Earl of Devonshire doesn’t want
Dorothea,” Edgar informed her. “He wants Kate.”
“Kate?” Penelope gasped.
“That’s right,” Edgar miserably confirmed.
“Kate.”
Penelope blinked in shock. She couldn’t
imagine the earl passing over Dorothea to offer for Katherine.
Nevertheless, the earl might very well be their salvation. It
wouldn’t upset Penelope if she didn’t see Kate so frequently. After
all, the girl was not of her blood.
With their debts erased, the Overton estate
would be no longer be entailed. Perhaps a few acres might also be
sold off to better their lot. For the sake of her own daughters,
Penelope needed money. Lots of money. So, the bargain would be
made.
Chapter 7
Unfortunately, Richard Warwick took his time
responding to the Overtons’ summons and did not darken the
Overtons’ doorway until three days later. By that time, several
more creditors had come to call, sending Edgar into a fit of nerves
and finally a mental collapse. Penelope bought off one of the
creditors with her mother’s broach and two more with a silver
chafing dish and an antique silver candelabra. Needless to say,
Penelope was relieved when the earl finally came to call.
At last, it was a lovely day. The morning
rain had given way to brilliant sunshine, but a stiff north wind
promised that the afternoon would not remain so amenable.
Penelope received the earl in the Overton
library. Richard had assumed that Edgar would also be present and
the man’s absence puzzled him.
“Tea, my lord?” Penelope politely asked,
carefully arranging her skirts to best advantage.
“Yes, thank you,” Richard agreed.
“It is rather cold today, don’t you think?”
Penelope continued, making light conversation to fill the silence.
“You must be chilled to the bone. Sugar?”
“Thank you, no. Cream only, please,” Richard
directed impatiently.
Penelope nodded. Once again, Richard glanced
toward the doorway, but it remained empty. He heard no footsteps
approaching the room from the hallway either.
“Forgive me for being blunt, Lady Overton,
but I assumed that your husband would be
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