Rags-to-Riches Wife by Catherine Tinley

Author:Catherine Tinley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-11-08T18:43:01+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Mrs Kendal gasped, and a wave of mortification washed over Jane. Although she was a servant, there was no need for Mrs Millthorpe to be so cruel. She bit back an impertinent retort, and felt a sudden lump in her throat. Her eyes stung.

Do not cry!

‘Eh? What’s that?’ Mr Millthorpe fixed a beady eye on his wife.

At the same time Mr Kendal rose from his seat and walked across the room to sit with Jane. He did not speak. He did not need to. The unlooked-for support tightened Jane’s chest with gratitude. His cool grey eyes found hers and he nodded slightly.

She gave him a misty half-smile. It was all she could manage.

‘Well!’ Mrs Millthorpe was addressing her spouse, an air of defiance in the toss of her head. ‘You cannot expect me to be easy about it.’

Her husband spoke slowly. ‘About what, exactly?’

Mrs Millthorpe was angry, but there was a deep hurt there too. One her grandfather could not see.

‘About having her—’ she jabbed a finger in Jane’s general direction ‘—in my home.’

Here it was—finally. All the anger she had been suppressing since Jane’s arrival had finally slipped its leash.

‘She has every right to be here.’ Mr Millthorpe’s tone was disturbingly soft. ‘As she is my only living blood relative.’

Two spots of colour appeared on Mrs Millthorpe’s cheekbones. ‘The daughter of a by-blow, I assume? What would your first wife, the sainted Eleanor, have had to say about that?’

Jane gasped. She does not know I am Edward’s daughter! He has never told her!

Her hands clenched into fists. She had not realised her grandfather had been so disrespectful to Mrs Millthorpe! Why on earth had he not told her the truth?

Husband and wife glared at each other from opposite sides of the fireplace. Between them the fire blazed, crackled and spat.

This should not be happening—and it is all because of my presence.

She stood. ‘I do not wish to distress anyone. I—’

‘Sit down, child.’ Mr Millthorpe’s tone was harsh.

She sat, trembling. Mr Kendal put his hand on hers briefly, his touch warm. She sent him a worried glance.

Mr Millthorpe sat up straighter in his chair. ‘I have never had a by-blow.’

There was a stunned silence as the impact of his words was felt.

Jane felt Mr Kendal stiffen beside her.

Mrs Kendal was the first to find her voice. ‘Then...then who is Miss Bailey?’

‘Her father was my son—Edward.’ Mr Millthorpe’s voice cracked a little. He coughed to disguise the emotion, then carried on, addressing Mrs Kendal. ‘We were estranged before you and Robert came to live here. Before my second marriage.’

Mrs Millthorpe’s mouth was hanging open. She turned to Jane. ‘You are Edward’s daughter?’

‘I am.’

‘I did not know... I thought...’ She addressed her husband. ‘You should have told me.’

They eyed each other, the only sound in the room the crackling of the fire.

Then he nodded. ‘You are right. I should have told you. I myself only discovered her existence recently, through the offices of a Bow Street Runner. She is Edward’s only child and his legitimate daughter.

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