The Luck of the Bride--The Cavensham Heiresses by Janna MacGregor

Author:Janna MacGregor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, March rushed into the yellow salon to find a welcome sight. Hart sat in the gold settee surrounded by Faith, Julia, and Bennett.

As soon as he saw her, he stood. Not standing on ceremony, she rushed into his arms. “How we’ve missed you!”

He held her at arms length for a quick perusal and smiled. “I’d say London agrees with you. You’re the proper young woman I always knew existed under that attractive veneer of a sheep farmer.”

“Scratch the surface, and you’ll see she still exists,” March retorted. He always teased her about her abilities on managing the estate and the ever-increasing flock. Her merriment diminished when she stood close to him and noticed the thin lines etched around his eyes and the dark circles under them. “What is it?” she whispered.

“Later, my miss, when we’re alone.” He softly spoke the words for her ears only.

Bennett demanded his attention as he shared his adventures with the Duke of Langham and the museums that he’d attended since he was in town. Hart listened intently, but he looked tired, as if the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders.

Faith shared her remarkable progress with Dr. Kennett and his daily calls. A pretty flush colored her cheeks as she compared how much they had in common. Hart smiled in sincere pleasure when she swept the length of the room, her limp barely noticeable this morning.

Julia was a little more subdued than usual, but she told Hart all about the handsome Earl of Queensgrace. She left out the posy tale, which was a blessing, but she surprised them all when she shared she wanted to introduce the young earl to Hart.

“I think he’s a good man, but I’d like your opinion.” She smiled at Hart, and his face softened at her request. “You’ve always been such a wonderful judge of character.”

“Jules”—Hart thinned his lips, a sign he fought for control—“that’s lovely. Of course, I want to meet this nonpareil of a man and make certain he’s worthy of your affections.” He leaned forward to ruffle Bennett’s hair. Her brother tried to swat his hand away, but Hart’s reach was too long. Soon he had Bennett giggling at their play.

March’s heart swooped and buzzed like a swallow at the familiar sight. The busy London Season lent little time for reflection, but with Hart’s visit, she discovered she missed their home, missed these exchanges, and missed the contentment she felt at Lawson Court. Even though the family faced incredible circumstances in Leyton, she missed Hart. He was part of their family, and she hated they all couldn’t be together.

Always astute, Faith caught March’s gaze and nodded. She urged Julia and Bennett to say their good-byes to Hart. She used the excuse they were late for an excursion to the circulating library.

Hart escorted them to the door. When they left, he closed it and came back to March’s side. Worry lined his face and creased his brow. She’d poured tea for them and let the heat of the cup warm her hands.

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.