Where Lilies Bloom by Annie Grace Roberts

Author:Annie Grace Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ghosts, Danger, Mystery, Young Adult, Visions, England, Second Marriage, Fish out of water, Death, first kiss
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Published: 2021-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

I could see Christian and his mother. They were seated outside enjoying tea amidst the shrubs and hedges of the formal garden. I descended the balcony walkway and headed toward them, though I was shielded from their view by the heavy foliage. As I approached, I overheard their discussion.

“I will not allow it!” Lady Yarlbury’s declaration was accompanied by the clink of a teacup being set a bit too firmly on its saucer. Her voice was brittle.

“Who has earned your ire this week, Mother?” Christian asked teasingly.

I paused, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. Lady Yarlbury was formidable even during the best of times. I knew from experience it was best to avoid her when she was angry.

“I am quite serious, Christian.”

“All right, Mother. What won’t you have?” Christian asked calmly.

“I’ll not have you sully the good name of our family. You must choose another.”

“Mother, really. You are impossible to please. First you prod me relentlessly with your tireless matchmaking, now you despair when I show an interest in someone?” Christian asked, laughing lightly.

His mother’s voice was angry. “This is not a laughing matter. I have made arrangements with the Barrington family to secure Lily’s future. I do not wish you to confuse the girl with your attentions.”

“Mother, you cannot possibly hope to marry off our Lily to that yeasty, slow-witted clot pole. He is not worthy of her.”

Really, Christian. Lily is not worthy of you. Nor is she worthy of the Hulse family name!”

Christian’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. “Lily already carries the Hulse family name, or have you forgotten?”

“Christian,” Lady Yarlbury began in a more soothing tone, “I am only concerned for your welfare. There are so many other eligible young ladies from good families who would relish the opportunity to become your wife. Why do you insist on spending time with Lily? She is ...” Lady Yarlbury faltered, searching for words. “She is certainly not equal to your station.”

I didn’t wait to hear Christian’s response. I gathered my skirts and quietly fled from the garden.

My dream left me with more questions than answers. I woke up thinking about Christian and Lily marrying, and Lady Yarlbury forbidding the marriage. I thought that I was right about the baptism. Lily had been baptized so she could marry in the church. But I still didn’t know who was she planning to marry? Edward? Christian? Someone else? Did Lady Yarlbury prevent her marriage? Did she send Lily away? Maybe that explained the note in the back of the book. But why would Lily leave? I shook my head. I still had too many questions and not enough answers.

I ate breakfast with my mom. She asked how my research was going, so I filled her in on my progress but didn’t tell her anything about my encounter with Billy. Afterward, I decided to take a break from ghosts. I logged on to my mom’s laptop and checked in with my friends in LA. We swapped information about our summer vacations. Some of my friends were touring college campuses with their families.

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.