Fair as a Star by Mimi Matthews

Author:Mimi Matthews [Matthews, Mimi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Perfectly Proper Press
Published: 2020-05-30T01:46:12+00:00

Henry stood from his desk as Mrs. Guthrie showed Beryl into the library at Rivenhall Park. A faint flicker of irritation crossed his face. It was gone as quickly as it came. “Miss Burnham. This is an unexpected pleasure.”

Her spirits sank a little. She’d interrupted his work again. It wasn’t a very auspicious beginning. “I trust I’m not disturbing you?”

“No, indeed.” He addressed the housekeeper. “Tea, Mrs. Guthrie.”

“Yes, sir.” Mrs. Guthrie dropped a curtsy before exiting the library. She left the door open behind her.

Henry crossed the thick red and gold carpet to take Beryl’s hand. “You came alone?”

“I did.” She slid her hand from his grasp before he could raise it to his lips. It didn’t feel right to let him press his customary kiss to her knuckles. Not after what had happened today between her and Mark. “You think it unwise?”

“We’re not married yet.”

Yet.

“No,” she said, “but we soon will be.” And then this would be her home. Henry would be her husband.

The prospect left her strangely chilled.

She turned and walked to the window. The heavy curtains were opened, revealing a pleasant view of the rolling lawn leading down to the stables. It recollected her to her task. “Winnifred was rather upset after church this morning.”

“Ah. I see. You’ve come on her behalf.” Henry came to stand beside Beryl at the window. “I owe you and your mother an apology. I should never have permitted your sister to ride that horse in the first place. I might have known she’d become attached to him.”

“She is attached. Desperately so. She feels he was made for her.”

“He’s a horse, Beryl. An unreliable one at that.”

“Not to her.”

“As that may be, I’ll not have her injured on his account.”

“She wasn’t injured.”

“Not this time she wasn’t.”

Beryl’s lips compressed. It was plain that Henry had already made up his mind. She knew he was unlikely to be moved by any of her arguments. “Must you sell him?”

“It seems the kindest course. I’d have thought you of all people would agree with me.”

She leaned back against the window sill. “Kind? How so?”

“Because keeping him here and forbidding her to ride him will cause more misery for the girl than simply getting rid of him altogether. Once he’s gone, she’ll soon forget—”

“She won’t.”

“You must trust my judgment on this.”

“And you must respect mine,” Beryl said with a trifle more starch than was her habit. “I know my sister.”

Henry gave her a long look. “She’s distressed you.”

“She hasn’t—”

“Pity she didn’t consider your feelings before enlisting you to come to her aid.” Setting a hand at Beryl’s back, he guided her to the overstuffed library sofa. “It will do her good to find out what it’s like not to get what she wants.”

Beryl reluctantly took a seat, her back ramrod straight against one of the sofa’s decorative silk-fringed pillows. “You’re very hard. Winnifred knows precisely what it’s like. She’s had to go without ever since my father died, just as my mother and I have done. We none of us are spoiled or overindulged.

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