Beauty's Rose (Once Upon A Regency Book 4) by Rebecca J. Greenwood

Author:Rebecca J. Greenwood [Greenwood, Rebecca J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance, Women's Fiction, Victorian Era, 19th Century, Forever Love, Bachelor, Single Woman, Love Possibility, Hearts Desire, Clean & Wholesome, Christian Stories, Inspirational Reads, Love Inspired, Life-Changes, Second Chance Reunion, Honesty & Trust, Home & Family, Lifetime Love, Romantic Schemes, Love-Family & Forever, Action & Adventure, Once Upon A Regency Series, Multi-Author Collection, Re-told Fairy Tales, Beautiful & Feisty
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Published: 2019-05-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

William found her in the garden, walking among the bare rose bushes in the afternoon sun.

“Good day, Miss Reynolds.”

She greeted him, and he joined her in her walk.

His emotions were conflicted. He had kept his distance from her for several weeks, had practiced caution and courtesy, had made himself as unthreatening as possible. He hoped it would help her grow more comfortable and easy in his presence.

And she was more easy. She opened to him, turned to him, more freely than she had before. But he felt a wall still between them.

Impatience gnawed at him. He wanted to be with her always, not just when socially acceptable.

How did one arrange for a young woman to fall in love with one?

He did not know. He was floundering.

But he felt, more and more, like abandoning caution for more drastic measures.

He restrained himself, clasped his hands behind his back, and endeavored to merely converse with her.

“Miss Reynolds. I know you were not always living in a country cottage. Will you tell me your history?”

“We once were prosperous, as I believe you know.”

“Yes. But tell me how it affected you?”

She pursed her lips, clasped the book she held to her chest.

“Well. Father gave us the education of gentlewomen, hoped we could marry well. The largest of dowries were planned.

“My sisters were both seeking titles, you see. I know you will hold us in contempt for this, as those with titles often did, but still they worked and schemed and refused other amiable offers.

“Then one day the money was gone.” She let her arms go and swung them, the book in one hand. “It wasn’t that fast, of course, but the change still was abrupt.

“First, Father’s warehouse burned to the ground. Taking expensive wares with it. Then the ships were lost. Three of them, almost at once. It was impossible to believe, though it assuredly happened.

“Then the crops failed, rioters raided the granary, stole and burned. What was the point of burning the wheat, if they so desperately needed food? The men were caught and hanged, but the damage was done.

“Father started selling our art and furniture. My mother’s jewels that had been passed to her daughters, we had to sell them.

“It was a cascade, all through the fall, until winter became desperate. We scraped through that winter on hope—hope that his other ships would arrive, laden with their goods.

“We did not know two had fallen to American privateers. Pirates, really.

“And the ship from India fell prey to a storm it could not outrun. It was damaged, and its silks and spices water-logged. It limped heavily into harbor with most of its contents destroyed.

“There were two other ships we did not know the whereabouts of, the ones you discovered for us. But they were missing then.

“My sisters were consumed with the unhappiness of no new dresses and invitations drying up. I was not out yet, so it did not afflict me in that way, but I was sent home from the school I had been attending because my father could no longer afford the fees.

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