Harlequin Historical: February 2023 Box Set 2 of 2 by Liz Tyner

Author:Liz Tyner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Little more than a couple of streets from his house, he recognised a man and woman pushing a baby carriage. He’d heard that Viscount Harmon and his wife had had a baby last winter. A boy. He’d also heard that the viscount was not the father. His wife had had an affair with a commoner, with the precise goal of getting pregnant. The two of them had been married for over five years and this was their first child.

Roger caught his thoughts with a bit of disgust. He was a gossipmonger. Had been for years. If there was information to be had about nearly anyone, he had ways of finding it. But he never repeated it, other than to Drew if the information was important.

Him seeking information had started years ago, when he’d caught wind of how gossips were saying that one of his friends’ widowed mother had been on the lookout for a new husband. He couldn’t recall if there had been a scandal about it, but it had made him start keeping an ear out in case anyone mentioned his own mother.

‘Hardgroves,’ Carl Harmon said, as they approached. ‘Haven’t seen you for a while, old chap.’

A thick and stocky man, and shorter than most, Carl Harmon was a kind man. His carrot-coloured hair had provided him with a few choice nicknames over the years, which he’d taken in his stride.

‘Good day,’ Roger greeted, with a nod towards Mrs Harmon, who was a remarkably common-looking woman. It was odd that he’d never realised that before today.

‘I dare say, you haven’t seen my son, have you?’ Carl asked.

‘No, I can’t say that I have,’ Roger admitted.

Carl’s chest puffed out a bit more as he stepped closer to the buggy and pulled back a blanket covering the sleeping baby. ‘He’s a handsome devil. If I do say so myself. Which I do often enough.’

With Carl so excited he could barely contain himself, Roger attempted to come up with a compliment, but all he could think was that the poor kid was as bald as a billiard ball. The carriage, however, was an elegant one. ‘He sure has a nice carriage. Looks like he’s content sleeping in it,’ Roger said. His mind went to Abigail. She was too big for such a carriage now. So full of adventurous spirit, she’d climb right out of the rolling bed, but he sure would have liked for her to have had one like this one.

‘Just a short walk puts him right to sleep,’ Carl said, smiling at his wife, who nodded in agreement.

‘It certainly is a fine day for a walk,’ Roger said, once again void of any other comment, because he felt like an intruder. The look Carl and his wife shared held more than an agreement about the baby falling to sleep. Rumours were often false and he was glad that the one he’d heard didn’t appear to be affecting Carl and his wife. They looked as if they were on top of the world, as they should be over their child.

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