Announcing Miss Theodosia by Andersen Maggi

Author:Andersen, Maggi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2022-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

When the butler announced Grainger, it was all Thea could do not to leap up from her chair. Her breath quickened, and her heart thudded with relief to find him alive. Desperate to learn what might have happened yesterday, she searched his face for some sign as he bent over her grandmama’s hand. Thea offered him hers with a speaking glance.

He and her grandmother exchanged the usual pleasantries while Thea grew more impatient. Finally, her grandmother left the room with some mention of her knitting bag, which she declared had mysteriously disappeared.

Grainger grinned. “I believe I see knitting needles poking from that bag beside her chair.”

“Never mind that,” she said, annoyed at his calm demeanor. “Tell me what happened yesterday.”

Grainger obliged. It was worse than she’d expected, causing a knot of anguish to lie heavy in her stomach. “Poor Julia. Is it possible her mother might still be alive?”

“It seems unlikely, but not impossible. The question is, why has Lady Farnborough kept silent for a year?”

“Whether or not she lives, you must save Julia, Grainger.”

He frowned. “I’ve scared you. I’m sorry.” He joined her on the small sofa covered with damask, his broad frame taking up all but her small corner.

His masculinity flooded her senses. The breadth of his shoulders in the dark gray coat and his clean male smell made her want to rest against him. To feel his powerful arms around her. But she warned herself against becoming too dependent on him. He would not be here for her forever. But balked at mentioning a means to end their engagement, and now was not the time.

He stretched out his long muscular legs encased in fitted, buff trousers and gleaming top boots. “I need Mrs. Tyler’s agreement for me to remove Julia from the school. I hope that will flush Farnborough out of hiding behind his henchmen. If I can discover where Julia’s aunt, Miss Bannockburn, lives. It’s somewhere in Cambridgeshire, Julia thinks, I will take the girl to her. Failing that, she can stay at Meadows. She’ll be safe with Grandfather, and it will give me time to find out more about Farnborough’s two cohorts involved in this plot.”

“But he will know it was you who took Julia away.”

“I’m counting on it. Mrs. Tyler is sure to tell him. It’s my guess he’ll make up some excuse. He won’t want her to know too much. Once she’s settled with Grandfather, I welcome Farnborough to show his hand. I should like you to spend some time there, too, Thea.”

She disliked the idea of being settled safely anywhere. It sounded like he was tidying her away. “I don’t see why I can’t be of help. Farnborough is a dangerous devil.”

“You can be. I want you to accompany me to the school.” He smiled when she firmed her lips. “I agree Farnborough is dangerous, but I can handle him.”

“He needn’t know I was with you when you take Julia. When I return to London, he might appear at the same balls and soirees as Grandmama and I do.

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