An Earl for the Shy Widow by Ann Lethbridge

Author:Ann Lethbridge
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Historical
Published: 2019-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Ethan watched the Westram ladies depart from the church in haste. He had his temper in check. Barely. ‘Interesting sermon, Vicar,’ he said through gritted teeth.

‘Thank you, my lord.’ Beckridge rubbed his hands together. ‘There are a few members of our little congregation who were squirming in their seats.’

He actually had the gall to look smug.

‘And your reason for selecting that particular message today?’ Ethan could not keep the dangerous note from his voice, no matter how hard he tried.

‘Actually, it was my dear wife who suggested that it had been a while since we had last addressed the topic. The ladies employed at the Green Man are no better than they should be and have been getting bolder by the week. A little reminder never goes amiss.’ The Vicar beamed.

A sly and clever woman, the Vicar’s wife. Ethan could hardly object to a sermon directed at the village’s round-heeled wenches. Not without raising suspicions in the Vicar’s mind. But it was a fine line his wife was walking. A very fine line indeed and Ethan would not hesitate to make good on his threat if one shred of gossip impinged upon Petra’s reputation.

Unfortunately, since she had not accepted his offer of marriage, he was honour-bound to end their idyll. And since that was the case, he no longer had an excuse to put off going to town to take his place in the House of Lords. It was also time to meet his prospective bride before making a commitment.

‘There is another matter I wish to raise with you, my lord,’ the Vicar said.

Ethan eyed him warily. ‘And that is?’

Beckridge glanced at the departing congregation. ‘If you would care to honour me by taking a cup of tea in my study, my lord, we could discuss the matter in private.’

The hairs on the back of Ethan’s neck rose. He narrowed his eyes on the Vicar’s face, but he saw no guile, nothing untoward. Damn it all. It looked as if this was a discussion he could not avoid.

It would be as well to discover what the man had on his mind and, since the Vicar’s abode was beside the church, it should not take long to dispense with the matter.

Once they were seated in the small study each with a cup of tea and the maid had closed the door behind her, the Vicar leaned forward in his chair. ‘It is about these gypsies.’

Gypsies. Ethan felt the stiffness leave his body. The result of a protective urge that seemed to overtake him in regard to Petra, when he knew that lady could take care of herself. ‘What about them?’

‘The last time my wife raised this matter, you indicated you knew of no wrongdoing on their part which would make you require them to move on.’

This was likely the reason for the woman coming to his house in the first place. And no doubt now she thought she had the means of getting what she wanted by making Petra’s life uncomfortable.

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