Not My Idea by Bethany Swafford

Author:Bethany Swafford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: regency, historical fiction, misfortune, not my idea
Publisher: Lilac Petal Press
Published: 2023-06-26T00:00:00+00:00

I KEPT AWAY FROM THE house for as long as I could. My solitude did nothing to ease my troubled thoughts. In all honesty, my questions and suspicions only prompted more questions and doubts. If I wasn’t careful, I would end up wary of every one of my acquaintance or a bit insane from trying to work it all out into some logical sense.

No one was in the sitting room when I poked my head through the doorway. In the hallway, I encountered George. “Was it your idea to have our mother leave her bed?” he demanded as soon as he saw me. He didn’t give me the opportunity to answer as he continued, “It is just like you to concoct something idiotic like that. Do you realize the kind of damage you have done to her health?”

“What damage? Was Mama injured in some way?”

“She was so exhausted she went straight to her bed. She refused Rosamund’s company!”

I barely kept from laughing. “Of course she did. Mama has been confined to her bed for months, so naturally, she would not have her strength as she used to. Once she gets back into the habit of being up, she will be more herself again.”

“Since when did you study to be a physician?”

“I do not pretend to be a doctor, George. It’s common sense,” I said, shaking my head. “Why am I the only one who wants to help Mama improve? You want her to waste away in her bed?”

“Whether it does her some good or not, Father will be furious with you when he hears of this,” George said, apparently abandoning the argument. “Maybe then you will learn to think before you act.”

Scoffing, I stepped back. “When is he not furious with me over one thing or another? Besides, in this case, it was Mama’s idea. She wanted to meet Miss Darkin, so she rose from her bed by her own choice. I had nothing to do with it.”

Nevermind I had been the one to suggest the idea to her in the first place. George shook his head. “Luke, maybe Father wouldn’t be furious with you if you listened to him for once,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “When you give him reason to be proud of you, he will be.”

Immediately, I shrugged off his hand. “I have never given him a reason not to be proud of me.”

“Oh, there you are.” Rosamund’s voice reached us. There was the rustle of silk as she walked up to link her arm with George’s. “Lucas, we missed you at the competition this afternoon. I would have thought you would have enjoyed seeing your Phoebe excelling at archery. Knowing you were watching would have given her confidence, I am sure.”

Meeting her gaze, I forced a smile, wanting to appear unconcerned. As expected, she raised her chin. “Thank you for your input, Rosamund. I’ll keep that bit of advice in mind for the future. By the way, I crossed paths with your brother today.

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