Forever, Lately by Linore Rose Burkard

Author:Linore Rose Burkard [Burkard, Linore Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781733311113
Publisher: Lilliput Press
Published: 2019-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

There's just something obvious about emptiness,

even when you try to convince yourself otherwise.

Sarah Dessen

CHAPTER 40

St. John had been three times to Lady Ashworth’s home since Claire’s disappearance from his house, and each time had been prevented from seeing her. Lady Ashworth was now refusing to see him. When he’d stormed over on the morning after he’d read the note from Claire and discovered her deception, Lady Ashworth seemed quite speechless at first, except to insist Claire was not well and could not be expected to face him. She utterly decried the note, saying she was sure Claire had not written one to Clarissa. As for the other note, with the elaborate explanation about time travel, Her Ladyship merely said, “You see, she is not well.”

All of this would have been frustrating enough on its own, but today a new development would have made Julian challenge the marchioness, had she been a man, to a duel! One of his servants had found through the servant-grapevine that Miss Channing was not in residence at the marchioness’s house. Not only that, but she hadn’t been seen there since before her appearance at St. John’s house. Which meant that Her Ladyship had been lying to him all along about Claire being indisposed.

He went once more to the mansion on Berkeley Square, prepared to end ties with Her Ladyship if she did not come clean about whatever she was hiding concerning Claire. And where was that deuced woman, if not with the marchioness?

Another frustration was that Miss Andrews still clung to her obsession about him. Whenever he went out in his carriage, another coach would shortly appear behind his, which his footman recognised as belonging to Miss Andrews. He considered confronting Clarissa but decided to ignore her instead. However, it was irksome. What did she hope to gain by watching his comings and goings?

When he arrived at Berkeley Square, Clarissa’s coach likewise stopped at the kerb, not too distant from his equipage. Ignoring it, he handed the reins to a servant and went into the house. Yates insisted that his mistress was indisposed, but St. John said, “I’ll be in the yellow saloon. Tell Her Ladyship that she must see me, or—” He thought for a moment.”Or I will marry Clarissa.” He had no intention of marrying Clarissa, but Lady Ashworth wouldn’t know that.

Yates nodded. “Yes, sir.”

In less than five minutes, Claire’s grandmamma entered the yellow saloon, her face a picture of alarm. St. John was leaning against the mantel with his arms folded, but he came to attention and gave her a pointedly brief bow.

“What is this fustian I hear about you marrying Clarissa?” she said, without preamble. “Did you not tell me yourself that you made an offer to my granddaughter, sir?” She hadn’t even taken a seat.

“As a matter of fact,” said St. John, coming and standing abreast of the woman, his hands tightly closed behind his back, “I did. And she accepted. But speaking of fustian,” he added, “I happen to know that your granddaughter is not here.

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