How to Wake a Sleeping Lady by Bree Wolf

Author:Bree Wolf [Wolf, Bree]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-07-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

A Mother’s Heart

After learning of her son as well as his loss, Nessa found little moments to mourn him. She spoke to her father as well as Grant and saw that she was not the only one who missed him dearly, who pictured him in their mind’s eye and who shed a tear every now and then at the thought of never knowing him.

He was missed.

He was remembered.

And knowing that eased Nessa’s mind.

Still, the animosity between her and her mother-in-law remained a constant irritation. Grant confirmed that he had, indeed, spoken to his mother about her tendency to eavesdrop on their conversations, and although the dowager countess refrained from doing so henceforth, it seemed she now disliked Nessa even more than before.

Resolved to confront her mother-in-law openly, Nessa found it difficult to catch a moment alone with her. Milly was always nearby, and Nessa did not wish for her daughter to overhear their argument…for it surely would be one.

And so Nessa waited, certain an opportunity would present itself at some point.

Unfortunately, that opportunity came at a most inconvenient moment.

Every few days, Nessa found herself walking down the small path that led past the quaint little chapel on the eastern side of Wentford Park and to the cemetery that lay behind. Her feet carried her across the soft grass and toward a small tombstone. There, she would sit for a little while and think of Oliver, allowing for moments of sadness but also willing herself to see his memory as a gift.

Tears flowed down her cheeks. But the occasional smile flashed across her face as she pictured him with the same mischievous twinkle in his eyes she had often seen in her husband’s.

“He would have been four years old.”

At her mother-in-law’s sharp voice, Nessa flinched.

Looking over her shoulder, she found the dowager countess walking up to where she sat. Quickly, Nessa brushed the tears from her face and pushed herself to her feet. “I know,” she replied as she looked at her mother-in-law with curious eyes. Never had they spoken more than two words to each other, and Nessa wished that could change. “Grant told me about him. It came as quite the shock.”

As the dowager’s pale blue eyes swept over her, Nessa felt a chill run down her back. “It was hard for Wentford to bury his only son.” Folding her hands, she stepped forward, her lips thinning as she regarded Nessa with unadulterated disapproval. “I told him he was making a mistake, but he would not listen. Now, his son is dead.”

As shock froze her limbs, Nessa stared at her mother-in-law. “What are you saying?” she gasped almost breathless as pain and grief came back with full force, bringing along an old friend: guilt. “Are you suggesting I…?” Unable to finish the sentence, she stared at her mother-in-law.

The dowager’s gaze narrowed into a point, and Nessa could feel it like a needle piercing her skin. “You should never have married him,” she hissed, her hands balling into fists as she fought to contain the fury that burned in her eyes.

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