Blame It on the Earl by Jane Ashford

Author:Jane Ashford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2022-06-24T00:00:00+00:00

Eleven

By the first day of the village fete, it was clear that they would be able to move in a short time, and Kenver savored this knowledge as they set off for the opening of the celebration. He smiled at Sarah in the carriage, and she smiled back. He’d noticed that his parents were puzzled by their unshakable good humor. Sarah had been blithely unaffected by several of his mother’s barbs. Kenver, reminding himself of the duke’s advice to disengage, rested in the knowledge that he was getting Sarah away from them. He thought the Terefords were enjoying this too. Kenver particularly appreciated their shared secret as they prepared for their first public event since his marriage. All of them would be on show today.

But as they walked about the village square admiring examples of local crafts and husbandry, his patience wore thin. His mother acted as if Sarah wasn’t there. It was always Kenver who brought Sarah forward and introduced her to any friends and neighbors she had not encountered before. Mama was losing no opportunity to slight her, Kenver thought, trying not to grind his teeth. This was different from dinner table gibes. This was public rejection and impossible to ignore.

It was too bad that the duke and duchess had not come along today. Their friendliness would have boosted Sarah’s consequence. But a thick packet had arrived for them, heralding a crisis at one of the duke’s other properties. They had stayed behind to prepare replies, much to the disappointment of the villagers.

Kenver paused beside one of the exhibits of handwork and let his parents go ahead. Watching Sarah praise the quality of the stitches and seeing how much her knowledgeable comments were appreciated, Kenver could not understand why his family didn’t see her as a welcome addition to their ranks.

“Sarah!”

Turning at the sound of her name, Sarah saw her father and mother approaching, a surprise that ought to be delightful rather than complicated. But was not. When first married, she had asked Lady Trestan if they might invite her parents for a visit, since her old home was too far away for a call—more than two hours on horseback riding through the fields and longer by carriage. Sarah had thought it would be pleasant for the two families to be better acquainted. But Kenver’s mother had put her off and made her feel she was asking for some onerous favor rather than a commonplace and kind gesture. Later, when the Pendrennons’ attitude became clear, Sarah had dropped the idea. She didn’t want her family to see the way she was treated at Poldene. Now the sight of them coming toward her made her heart ache. And when she was enfolded in her mother’s embrace, she had to fight back the tears.

When they drew apart, her mother examined her and said, “Sarah, are you all right?”

Sarah strove to sound convincing. “Yes, Mama.”

“Lady Trestan was…very cool when we asked where you were.”

So they had already encountered her. Too bad. “I didn’t know you were coming to the fete,” Sarah answered.

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