The Earl and the girl from the Abbey (Regency Romance) (Regency Tales Book 2) by Darcy Regina

Author:Darcy, Regina [Darcy, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Clean and Wholesome Romance
Published: 2016-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Alistair showed Christopher the note that had been found in the basket with the baby. The writing was ill-formed, the spelling inconsistent. “I cannot keep this baby; it belongs to the Earl. I pray that you will give it a good home and kare for it. Don’t sent it to the poorhows; it ain’t the baby’s fault that Lord Christopher took a vantage of me.”

“Alistair, I have no idea what this means. I learned earlier today that I’ve been accused of fathering a baby on a former house parlour maid, Betsy something. Do you know anything about this?”

Alistair was reluctant to speak. “I know what I’ve heard, your lordship.”

“And what is that?”

“That there’s babies born to village girls after you’ve been home on leave,” Alistair admitted.

‘When did you hear this?”

“Only just started hearing it, sir. First time was just after you arrived, after the Earl died. I didn’t pay any mind, of course, but there’s never been a whisper of gossip about you before and I thought it most strange. Then a month or so ago, the blacksmith asked me if I knew what you were going to do about the baby. Of course I said I didn’t know what he was talking about.”

“This tale is all about the village?” Christopher felt trapped. How could he defend himself against a lie that had already been given credence?

“Seems to be sir.”

“Why the devil didn’t you say anything when I was here?”

“You weren’t here long, sir, and you were off to London. And I didn’t give it any credit. But they—the gossipers, sir—said that you must have done this every time you came home on leave, not that you came home often. People were saying that babies were born. It’s a lot of nonsense, sir, but I’ll be bound someone’s behind it.”

Which was what Everard said, later that evening when he arrived. He had delivered Beatrice to the Abbey, as she has wished. Christopher asked how Beatrice was feeling and Everard admitted that she was very pale and quiet.

“I find it very odd that suddenly, just as you’re about to pay court to the niece of the Abbess, the village suddenly is rife with tales of your philandering,” Everard said.

They were in the dining room, sharing a lacklustre meal of turbot prepared by Lily. The lady’s maid was taking care of the mysterious baby.

At least the bread was fresh; Christopher thought gloomily that perhaps he had avoided coming home because the food was so forbidding that it made army grub appetizing in contrast. He shouldn’t complain; Lily was a lady’s maid but she had borne up under the news that there was an infant that had been delivered to the doorstep of the manor.

“Yes, but damned if I know what to do about it. If I start going about the village asking questions, people are likely to say nothing at all. I’ve been away more than I’ve been here; they have no reason to credit me with anything but the same habits that my brother and father have been notorious for.

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