Lady Allerton's Wager by Nicola Cornick

Author:Nicola Cornick [Cornick, Nicola]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, historical, General, Fiction, Adult, England - Social Life and Customs - 19th Century, Regency Fiction, Aristocracy (Social Class), Widows, Love Stories
ISBN: 9780373292516
Google: j7HyKVwgmjwC
Amazon: 0373292511
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Published: 1999-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

‘I feel wretchedly sick!’ Charlotte said miserably, the following morning. She was sitting up in bed and her pretty face was creased with pain and distress beneath her lace cap. ‘It is all my own fault, for I knew I should not have had the sherry trifle last night! And now it has brought on the megrims and I have the most dreadful headache—’ She winced as Beth pulled back the curtains a little and a bar of sunlight fell across the bed. ‘Oh, Beth, pray do not! I fear my head will burst!’

Beth hastily pulled the curtains together again and went across to sit on the edge of the bed. It was a beautiful morning and she wanted nothing more than to be out in the fresh air, but she knew that Charlotte could not bear the light when she had one of her headaches. Besides, Charlotte was being more than generous in blaming the trifle. Beth suspected that it was the strain of the journey and the necessity of meeting new people that had done her cousin up and she felt more than a little guilty.

‘Can I fetch you anything, dearest Charlotte? Some rose water or something to drink?’ She saw the spasm that went across Charlotte’s face as she shook her head. ‘No? I shall leave you in peace, then.’

Beth went out and closed the door softly. When Charlotte was poorly it usually took at least a day for her to recover, so there would be no travelling to Devon that day. Beth knew that she would just have to be patient. It was not one of her usual virtues, but under the circumstances it was the only course. She hoped that the Reverend Theo would not mind prolonging his hospitality.

The house was very quiet. Beth went downstairs and into the breakfast room. Marcus was alone, sitting by the fire and reading a newspaper. He put this to one side immediately as Beth came in and stood up to hold her chair for her, his dark eyes intent on her face.

‘Good morning, Lady Allerton. I trust that you slept well?’

‘Exceptionally well, thank you,’ Beth said truthfully. ‘I am afraid, however, that my cousin is in poor health this morning and will be staying in her room.’

‘I am sorry to hear it.’ Marcus looked grave. ‘It is a relief for me to find that you do not expect to move on today, however. Justin has gone to visit his mother over at Nether Stowey and the Reverend Theo has been called to the sickbed of a parishioner whom he assures me thinks himself at death door at least twice a month! It has become a ritual for them, I believe. Theo takes a couple of bottles of claret and the two of them sit drinking ’til the cows come home! I doubt we shall see him again this side of dinner!’

Beth looked at him a little uncertainly. ‘Then we are…on our own?’

‘To all intents and purposes.’ Marcus’s smile was faintly mocking.

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