The Perfect Spinster by Annabelle Anders

Author:Annabelle Anders [Anders, Annabelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-31T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

T he Aftermath

RATHER THAN RESUME working with Eliza at the Smith home, Olivia and Mary both threw themselves into baking and preparing meals and then delivering them to the families of the deceased. Olivia recognized the frantic activity on Mary’s part as necessary to her grieving. Mary had, in fact, lost her brother in the cave-in.

Other emotions, such as guilt and regret, clouded Olivia’s grief. When she visited Luke Smith’s now orphaned children, she found herself grieving more that she could not become their mother than she grieved the fact that she would not become Mr. Smith’s wife.

And deep down, when being completely honest with herself, she experienced a tiny grain of relief at not having to marry Luke Smith. What kind of person was she? She’d happily have married him if she could only bring back the children’s father.

She’d have cursed herself if only she knew how.

Olivia took small solace in Louella’s return, but their relationship had changed as well, just as Olivia suspected it would. Stanton was now the duke, he was Crawford, and Olivia’s baby sister was the duchess now.

Not that Louella had embraced her new status as of yet. Olivia’s younger sister had glared daggers at her when Olivia dared refer to her as ‘Her Grace.’ The title was a daunting one, and Louella hadn’t been prepared to take on so much responsibility so soon.

With each day that passed, the people of Misty Brooke endured yet another funeral. Although Louella attended them alongside her husband, Olivia adhered to tradition and left the ceremonies to the men of the village.

It was after attending the sixth of these funerals that Louella finally managed to make time to come and visit Olivia alone.

It seemed like they’d not chatted privately for ages.

But instead of inviting her sister into the parlor as she’d always done in the past, Olivia led her back to the kitchen, sat her down at the long worktable, and returned to the dough she’d been kneading before Louella arrived.

“Where is Mary?” Louella glanced around, looking quite beautiful if not a little paler than usual in one of the new gowns Stanton had purchased for her during the short time they’d been allowed together in London.

“Mary has gone to the Cromwells’ to deliver a basket.”

Of course, Louella knew of the Cromwells’ loss. Mr. Kenneth Cromwell’s funeral had been the one held that very day.

“I knew they shouldn’t reopen it.” Louella hated the mine nearly as much as Olivia did. “If I hadn’t married Cameron, it wouldn’t have been included in my dowry, Crawford would not have had the opportunity to send men down into the hole, and all those men would be alive today.”

Olivia punched at the dough but then looked up at Louella. “They would have opened it anyway, Lou.”

“But, Livvy—”

“In the end, from what I have gathered, Crawford ordered operations despite the engineers calling a halt to it. Greed had no limits with that man. You were given no choice in the matter, Lou. You and I both know that.

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