Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder

Author:Hannah Linder [Baker, Lisa Jones]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781636098388
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2024-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

The sight of her town house struck a strange chord within Georgina. She should have rejoiced to be home, where she need not fear for her life and the responsibility of others no longer encumbered her.

Yet—

“Shall I carry this in for you, miss?” The driver, whom Simon had secured at the village near the hunting lodge, pulled out her valise.

“No, thank you.” She took the bag herself and handed him extra coinage, then turned up the walk to the entry door. She untied her bonnet ribbons as she stepped inside.

The hall was quiet, the butler absent, the afternoon air warm and stale.

From the tulipwood hat rack against the wall, Agnes’ colorful hats still hung, as if at any moment she would come downstairs and slip one on.

Georgina forced her eyes away from them. She would instruct Nellie to box them and have them delivered to the Gilchrist residence. Agnes would want them. She loved them.

At least, she used to love them. Did she still care for any of the things she had before?

“Ah, you are home, miss.” Sweeping down the stairs, Nellie smiled at her with pinkened cheeks of relief and welcome. “I am so glad to see you returned. I cannot say why, exactly, but I felt sort of worrisome at your going. Did the visit with your aunt go well?”

She had run into the forest like a frightened highwayman escaping the law. She had slept in filthy, destitute lodgings, and she had lost both of her earbobs in the grip of a revolting maniac.

“Yes.” The answer should have been a lie, but it wasn’t.

Because as she climbed the quiet stairs in the too-quiet town house, her mind lingered back to last night. When she had looped an arm around little Mercy. When young John had smiled at her, dimples in his cheek, before she waved him goodbye this morning. When Simon had opened the carriage door, sending her home, the gratitude he could not speak a fire in his strong, kind eyes.

If she thought for one moment she could belong in such a family, she would accept Simon’s proposal and marry him as soon as the banns could be read.

But the children did not love her.

Simon did not love her.

And nothing in this world could keep them from leaving her, one day, even if they did.

She knew.

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