Today's Embrace by Linda Lee Chaikin

“She’s an old bear, and her cub is Rookswood. She will do whatever to protect it.”
    She looked at him, surprised. Then he did understand the tenseness between the two women over running Rookswood.
    â€œThank goodness I don’t need to run the estate now,” she said. “I hardly think I’m ready for that.”
    â€œIt’s not mine until my father passes on. Let’s hope the Lord keeps him around for many years. I’m not ready either. The last thing I want now is to take on the added role of squire. There will be plenty of time later on to settle down with all those responsibilities.”
    Her heart shivered. He did not want the added burden of responsibility yet. A baby would change everything.
    â€œEven so, your aunt treats me like a child.”
    â€œShe treated Arcilla that way. Arcilla warmed to being coddled. There’s the warm, fuzzy word again. No—it was cuddly, wasn’t it?”
    â€œI’m not Arcilla. Your aunt adores Arcilla. She doesn’t adore me.”
    â€œOf course she does. Who would not adore my beautiful Evy?”
    â€œLady Elosia—and Lady Patricia, for two,” she murmured dryly.
    â€œAh,
that
. Forget all that nonsense. It doesn’t matter about Patricia. Her chatter is meaningless to anyone with sense. And those who have no sense will believe anything. There’s no convincing them of your character. Jealousy can only see through distorted vision.”
    She smiled softly. “Thank you for saying that, Rogan.”
    He looked at her quickly, regarding her with some puzzlement. “I would have thought you would know how I felt without my saying it. It’s so obvious. Your character, I mean.”
    â€œI like to hear you say it anyway.”
    â€œI’ll remember that.”
    â€œIf I did take a greater interest in running Rookswood the wayyour aunt claims I do not, she’d be on me as fast as a crow in the standing corn.”
    He laughed. “Don’t let her ever hear you compare her to a crow, darling. I should hate to come to loggerheads with dear old Elosia.”
    That’s just it. No one does
, Evy thought.
    â€œOh, don’t misunderstand. I do love her,” she said. “I really do, but she can be—well, cruel, if you want to know.”
    He looked startled and thought about it.
    â€œCruel? I can hardly imagine that. She means well. She came here after Mother died and took over.”
    â€œ
Exactly, and she doesn’t want to surrender the reins
,” Evy might have said, but she felt as though she might have already said enough. It was clear that Rogan didn’t see his aunt as she did. The trouble had only begun in the last few weeks. Lady Elosia appeared to go out of her way to make her feel inadequate, and even inferior to the Chantry name. Her mind went back to the conversation in the coach, but Evy would not bring that up, for Rogan might ask what she was doing in the village.
    Keeping the truth from Rogan is leading to some complications
, she thought uneasily.
    Evy remembered when Rogan’s mother, Lady Honoria Chantry, died when they were children. Arcilla had taken her mother’s death terribly hard, and Sir Lyle had sent for his older maiden sister Elosia, a dowager in London society. Elosia had tried to fill Honoria’s shoes, and Rogan’s father had been pleased.
    Rogan maneuvered his horse closer beside her, took hold of her arm, and squeezed it.
    â€œDarling Evy, you’ve no reason to feel insecure at Rookswood around my aunt, or around anyone else. You are my wife. I’m proud of you. That’s what matters. No one is running me, least of all dear old Aunt Elosia. She’s no threat, believe me. So why should we get up in arms about the dear old mistress and her imperious ways?”
    That he was proud of her, regardless of the various insinuations,warmed her heart. She could have told him that his aunt’s fussiness