Lessons in Expectations by Ginny Hartman

Author:Ginny Hartman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2020-08-03T21:00:00+00:00

"Go away," Chase growled, turning away from the door where someone, presumably his father, was knocking loudly.

He'd been dreaming of Emmeline and was quite perturbed to be awoken. The knocking persisted, however.

Chase took a pillow and shoved it over his head to drown out the noise, wishing he could will himself to fall back asleep and keep dreaming.

"Chase, I know you're in there," came the lilting voice of his sister, Alice. "I need to speak to someone, and Jude is nowhere to be found."

"Of course he's not," Chase grumbled, though not loud enough for her to hear. "He's been spending every waking, and sleeping, second with his mistress."

He pressed the pillow tighter to his face, hoping she'd get the hint and disappear. It wasn't that he disliked his sister, he actually found her quite charming, but he was not much of a morning person, and anyone who woke him before he was good and ready instantly became a target of his ill-nature.

"Go away!" he called out when he heard her enter the room. He felt the mattress dip and knew she hadn't listened to him.

"Chase, don't be so grumpy, I'm in no mood for it. I have to speak to you about what I've just discovered."

He tossed the pillow aside and rolled onto his back, rubbing one hand across the hair on his bare chest before moving up to his beard. "What is it, Alice? I swear, you're acting as if you've just discovered the Queen's own secrets."

"Close, I've just discovered Father's."

"What?" He scurried to sit with his back against the walnut headboard. That's when he noticed a small, leather-bound diary in her hand. "Have you been reading Father's private diary? I didn't know he kept one."

He reached for the book, but Alice snatched it back. "I didn't either," she confessed with a look of contrition, "but I happened upon it when I was, uh, looking for something else."

"Alice, you nosy goose. What were you looking for and where?" he asked, amused by his sister's confession.

"Promise you won't make fun of me if I tell you?"

"Promise."

"I was in the attic looking for my doll, Priscilla. You remember the one I used to cart around everywhere with me, the one with the purple ruffly dress and the matching violet eyes?"

"That hideous thing?"

Alice cuffed him in the arm. "She was my favorite! Mama gave her to me for Christmas, if you remember. I was bored the other day and decided to go look for her. I found this instead," she said, holding up the diary. "It was in a small, hidden box with a few other items, items which I presume were sentimental to Father."

"I didn't know he was the type," Chase confessed. "Now, what are you so eager to get off your chest that you'd risk waking a sleeping bear?"

Her eyes fell to the book as she fidgeted with the ribbon marker. "I guess I didn't know Father harbored so many secrets. Did you know he was in love with Lady Amelia, the woman now known as the Countess of Dalford?"

Chase shook his head in disbelief.

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