Lady of Secrets by G.S. Carr

Author:G.S. Carr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Lady Publishing, LLC
Published: 2020-02-22T19:45:25+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Henrietta peered from the parlor, around the corner, and scanned the hallway. It was empty. At the very end was her target. The door leading to the fastest route to the stables. Now all she had to do was sneak down the hall past the kitchen and dining room without anyone noticing. Easy enough.

Not hearing any noise from either of the rooms, she tiptoed forward, pausing every few seconds to glance over her shoulder and confirm she was still the only one about. Almost there. A few more steps and she'd be out the door and well on her way to another secret rendezvous with Elijah. Something that would be wiser to avoid. She reached for the handle, a thin sheen of sweat covering her hand.

"Ah, there you are darling," her mother said from behind her. "Going somewhere?"

Henrietta went still, an icy lump of dread knocking her heart from her chest to her feet. She searched her brain for a reasonable half-truth about what she was doing. Nothing came to her. The worst thing about fear was its tendency to block the ability to think clearly at a time when it was needed the most. Henrietta turned slowly in an attempt to by herself more time before answering. Her mother stood at the bottom of the stairs, patiently waiting for her daughter's reply.

Face schooled to what she hoped portrayed calm composure, Henrietta forced a smile. "Good evening, Mother. Yes. I was going to go for a quick ride before sunset. I’m in need of a little fresh air."

Her mother's lips pressed together in a grimace. She folded her hands against her stomach, a sign Henrietta had come to recognize as concern for her only child. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it? There is nothing wrong with lying about for a while."

"I've never been one to lay about, and you know it," Henrietta said, her apprehension easing and her smile becoming a little less forced.

"True. Very well. Be careful and don't do anything too strenuous. I think I saw Elijah head to the stables not too long ago. Have him ready a horse for you."

"I will."

"And before I forget, we need to invite Matthew and his mother over sometime soon. Your courtship has gone on for quite some time, and I think it's time decisions were made. I want to have grandbabies before I'm too old to play with them."

Her mother's pointed stare narrowed ever so slightly. Odds were Henrietta was imagining it, but there appeared to be a hint of suspicion and knowing in her mother's expression. She couldn't possibly know what Henrietta had been up to last night. Before she’d left, Henrietta had checked to make sure her mother was sleeping. The small blessing of living with a woman who rose with the sun was that she went to bed well before it set.

Henrietta brushed off her absurd wariness and nodded. "Yes, Mother."

She hustled out the door before her mother could say anything else. Or before

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.