now he bemoaned his loss. Cashé wondered what it would be like to have a man such as Marcus Wellston to love as her own and to have him return that love. She imagined that Yardley would love as passionately as he hated.
With a deep sigh, he set the book on a nearby table and stood to take his leave. Without looking back, Yardley strode from the room.
Cashé edged from her hiding place. She looked toward the door through which he had exited–actually considered following him, but instead she reached for the book he had left behind. Clasping it to her chest, Cashé rushed to her chambers. She would read the poem and cherish the moment.
*
The next morning, the duke rode to Matlock to procure a special license. By the same time next week, the marriage would occur. Thornhill’s friends and Velvet’s family would celebrate together. They would remain at Linton Park until the ceremony. Loyal to her Uncle Samuel, Cashé had sent a letter reporting the transactions. She had informed her family of the upcoming nuptials, and she had broken her vow to be strong by begging Aldridge to allow her to return home. She had promised she would do whatever he wished of her; she had made her promises, but Cashé realized her uncle rarely relented when he had made a decision.
“Miss Cashé.” Sonali Fowler passed Cashé in the upper hallway. The child belatedly made a proper bow. “Will Gwendolyn come to Linton Park?”
Cashé bent to speak to the child. “No, Darling. Gwendolyn remains in Scotland.” Sonali and Uncle’s daughter Gwen had become fast friends when the families had dwelt together.
Sonali frowned. “I had hoped...” The child glanced quickly toward the maid assigned to tending to her until the girl’s governess Mrs. Carruthers arrived. “There is not much to do in the nursery. They have not had a girl in the children’s room since Lady Georgina was a child.”
Cashé smiled at Sonali’s manipulations. “Would you care to take a walk a bit later, Darling?”
“Would you, Miss Cashé?” The child’s smile grew.
“I have a few errands, but I will come to the nursery soon.”
The girl giggled, dropped a curtsy, said her “thank yous” and skipped away.
Marcus did not look forward to spending another week away from his own properties. Neither could he sit through more discussions on the wedding. The women were all atwitter with dress fittings and flowers. Kerrington, still recovering from his broken ribs, judiciously agreed to escort the women wherever they needed to go. Lowery and Kimbolt had decided to deliver a personal invitation to the wedding to Carter’s brother, Lawrence Lowery. Lord Hellsman had distracted Averette while the Realm had staged Velvet’s rescue. The Lowery estate was a two-hour ride north of Linton Park; however, Marcus had declined to join them. Instead, he had agreed to take Worthing’s son out for the day. Therefore, he and Daniel Kerrington walked toward the largest tarn on the Linworth estate.
“Do you like to fish?” Marcus asked the boy as they approached the lake.
Daniel’s face glistened with a patina of sweat. “Oh, yes, Sir, but I am not often permitted to do so.”
The boy reminded Marcus of his brother Trevor–all rambunctious enthusiasm. The eleven-year-old favored his father, his quick mind indicating the boy’s intelligence far exceeded his years. Marcus had always enjoyed being around Daniel. He had observed bits of himself in the boy: Daniel had spent most of his time with adults, and so the child’s mature vocabulary sometimes shocked an onlooker. Yet, he was still a boy–exuberant and boisterous, and the contrast made people unsure of how to react to him.
“Well, it is a fine day for fishing.” Marcus ruffled the boy’s hair. “Not too warm nor too cold.”
“Will you show me how to cast, Lord Yardley?” Daniel double stepped to keep up with Marcus’s long strides.
Marcus stopped suddenly and peered curiously at the boy. “Surely, you
With a deep sigh, he set the book on a nearby table and stood to take his leave. Without looking back, Yardley strode from the room.
Cashé edged from her hiding place. She looked toward the door through which he had exited–actually considered following him, but instead she reached for the book he had left behind. Clasping it to her chest, Cashé rushed to her chambers. She would read the poem and cherish the moment.
*
The next morning, the duke rode to Matlock to procure a special license. By the same time next week, the marriage would occur. Thornhill’s friends and Velvet’s family would celebrate together. They would remain at Linton Park until the ceremony. Loyal to her Uncle Samuel, Cashé had sent a letter reporting the transactions. She had informed her family of the upcoming nuptials, and she had broken her vow to be strong by begging Aldridge to allow her to return home. She had promised she would do whatever he wished of her; she had made her promises, but Cashé realized her uncle rarely relented when he had made a decision.
“Miss Cashé.” Sonali Fowler passed Cashé in the upper hallway. The child belatedly made a proper bow. “Will Gwendolyn come to Linton Park?”
Cashé bent to speak to the child. “No, Darling. Gwendolyn remains in Scotland.” Sonali and Uncle’s daughter Gwen had become fast friends when the families had dwelt together.
Sonali frowned. “I had hoped...” The child glanced quickly toward the maid assigned to tending to her until the girl’s governess Mrs. Carruthers arrived. “There is not much to do in the nursery. They have not had a girl in the children’s room since Lady Georgina was a child.”
Cashé smiled at Sonali’s manipulations. “Would you care to take a walk a bit later, Darling?”
“Would you, Miss Cashé?” The child’s smile grew.
“I have a few errands, but I will come to the nursery soon.”
The girl giggled, dropped a curtsy, said her “thank yous” and skipped away.
Marcus did not look forward to spending another week away from his own properties. Neither could he sit through more discussions on the wedding. The women were all atwitter with dress fittings and flowers. Kerrington, still recovering from his broken ribs, judiciously agreed to escort the women wherever they needed to go. Lowery and Kimbolt had decided to deliver a personal invitation to the wedding to Carter’s brother, Lawrence Lowery. Lord Hellsman had distracted Averette while the Realm had staged Velvet’s rescue. The Lowery estate was a two-hour ride north of Linton Park; however, Marcus had declined to join them. Instead, he had agreed to take Worthing’s son out for the day. Therefore, he and Daniel Kerrington walked toward the largest tarn on the Linworth estate.
“Do you like to fish?” Marcus asked the boy as they approached the lake.
Daniel’s face glistened with a patina of sweat. “Oh, yes, Sir, but I am not often permitted to do so.”
The boy reminded Marcus of his brother Trevor–all rambunctious enthusiasm. The eleven-year-old favored his father, his quick mind indicating the boy’s intelligence far exceeded his years. Marcus had always enjoyed being around Daniel. He had observed bits of himself in the boy: Daniel had spent most of his time with adults, and so the child’s mature vocabulary sometimes shocked an onlooker. Yet, he was still a boy–exuberant and boisterous, and the contrast made people unsure of how to react to him.
“Well, it is a fine day for fishing.” Marcus ruffled the boy’s hair. “Not too warm nor too cold.”
“Will you show me how to cast, Lord Yardley?” Daniel double stepped to keep up with Marcus’s long strides.
Marcus stopped suddenly and peered curiously at the boy. “Surely, you
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