Marquess Of Mistletoe by Grace Burrowes

Author:Grace Burrowes
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2016-11-22T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

“What do you mean, the colonel has departed?” Marielle fired that question at the innkeeper’s wife, a stolid, round-faced lady with an incongruous sprig of mistletoe affixed to her lace cap.

“Not an hour past, milady,” the woman replied. “Perhaps he had Boxing Day errands?”

Boxing Day errands? Boxing Day errands?

“Did he leave a note, a letter, anything?” Marielle had dashed off a note to her solicitors before she’d even rung for a breakfast tray.

The innkeeper’s wife shot Petunia a look that suggested Marielle should have asked Father Christmas to deliver some common sense. Petunia busied herself poking at the sitting room’s fire, which had done little to take the chill off Marielle’s sitting room.

“Colonel Drake didn’t leave any notes, milady. He paid his fare, then he and his manservant saddled their own horses, and went on their way.” Her tone suggested that notes passed between a lady and a single gentleman would not do at a proper establishment.

Marielle sank to the chair nearest the fire. Last night had been the best Christmas gift two people could share, and now Leo had hared off. He wouldn’t do that to her. As a young woman, she’d been cozened by her father’s machinations, but she knew better now.

Or did she? Leo had made her no promises and been at pains to inform her he’d caught the interest of another woman.

Could a man intent on marriage to another make love like that?

Both the proprietress and Petunia were sending Marielle nervous glances, and well they should.

“We’re leaving, Petunia. Mrs. Somerset, you will please prepare my bill. Your hospitality has been excellent, and I wish you Happy Christmas.”

The woman withdrew on a curtsey so hasty, the mistletoe on her cap flapped against her forehead.

“Are we off to Chelsea then?” Petunia asked, taking the last triangle of toast from the breakfast tray.

Chelsea, where Marielle had thought to begin the next phase of her life, with the cool logic of a woman who expected little from marriage, but still desperately longed for children.

“We’re going back to London, and from there, possibly onto the Continent.”

“Of course, milady.”

Something about the way Petunia munched her toast—loudly—suggested she had more to say.

“He apparently wasn’t interested in anything permanent, Petunia. The colonel was clear on that point.” Somewhat clear. Marielle had been too intent on sharing Christmas night with Leo to grasp any subtleties he’d been trying to convey. He’d mentioned attending to business, but his business might have been in the Hebrides for all the details he’d given her.

Petunia took the opposite chair and poured herself another cup of tea. “I gather the colonel was an old acquaintance?”

He’d been Marielle’s best friend in childhood, her first and only romantic passion, her greatest loss, and her fondest memories.

“We were infatuated, before my come out. We’d grown up together, spent all our holidays and summers racketing about, and then friendship turned to foolishness. I fancied myself in love with him.”

“Have some tea,” Petunia said. “It’s not cold yet.”

But it would be tepid.

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.