A Regency Holiday by Rebecca Hagan Lee & Rebecca Hagan Lee & Allison Lane & Alicia Rasley

Author:Rebecca Hagan Lee & Rebecca Hagan Lee & Allison Lane & Alicia Rasley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BelleBooks Inc.
Published: 2011-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

Alex turned his horse toward home, his head bursting with the information he’d amassed since breakfast. After seeing the shooters off, then sending the ladies into town with the dowager for some last-minute Christmas shopping, he’d set out to survey the estate and call on Squire Potter. Sarah had invaded his dreams last night, daring him to open his mind. He needed to discover the truth.

The first truth was that he must replace Larkins. The steward was clearly incompetent. After six months of minimal supervision, hedgerows were unpruned, broken limbs littered the park, and the wall of a sheepfold had collapsed.

But the meeting with Sarah’s brother Norbert, the new Squire Potter, dominated his thoughts, inciting guilt that was already eating at his soul. The boy had not improved with age. His revelations were worse.

“A belated condolence on your parents’ passing,” Alex had offered, accepting a glass of wine in Norbert’s study. “I missed much local news these past years, so I just heard.”

“Yes, well—” Norbert frowned. “If Papa were still here, I’d likely strangle him for tarnishing the family name with his idiocy.”

“What?”

“Surely they told you he blew his brains out.”

“Is that why Sarah wed Heflin?”

Norbert frowned. “No, no. She was already gone.”

Alex leaned forward. “Something haunts Sarah. Her joie de vivre is missing. I thought the problem arose from her marriage, but your father’s death might be responsible. I need details if I’m to help her.”

“Why would you care? She’s just a servant.”

Alex could see why Sarah preferred employment as a companion to living at Potter House. Norbert had become the stuffiest of prigs. Worse even than the old squire. “We were betrothed before I bought colors,” he revealed. “That gives me the right to some answers.”

“My God!” Norbert paled. “I had no idea.”

Alex glared. Had they driven Sarah into Heflin’s arms? “She wished to postpone the announcement until after her Season.”

He nodded. “Of course. Papa would never have sprung for London if he’d known. No wonder—”

The door burst open. A woman rushed in, her fawning smile aimed at Alex. “Shame on Norbert for hiding you away, my lord. We are delighted that you called here on your first day home. But, of course, you’ve come for the latest news. You would never believe—”

“We are discussing business.” Alex glared, reminding himself that Norbert’s wife was not a lady and might not understand the difference between a drawing room and a gentleman’s study.

She flinched.

“That is enough, Caroline,” said a pink-cheeked Norbert, waving her away. Once the door was firmly shut, he addressed Alex. “My apologies for the interruption.”

“Sarah. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I was barely down from Eton when they returned from Town. Papa was livid that she’d refused an offer he’d already accepted. Everyone avoided him when he was in a fury, so we didn’t speak. He didn’t calm down until Heflin showed up two days later.”

“Did you talk to Sarah when she returned?”

“Just once. She was furious at what she called Papa’s hard-headed idiocy and swore she’d tried to discourage Heflin.

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