Spring Seduction by Michelle McMaster

Author:Michelle McMaster
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: 0
Published: 2016-11-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“It looks wonderful, Mr. Church!” Gemma enthused as she watched Mungo raise the red-and-white striped maypole. He and some of the estate workers fixed it in place on the east lawn of Broomley Park.

“Glad to hear it, Miss Wood,” he replied, then said to his helpers, “Well done, lads. Now make sure she’s stable and won’t sway when folks start dancing ’round beneath ’er.”

Gemma checked off another item on her list of preparations for the May Day fete. Amongst the many things to do were arranging refreshments for both the celebrations during the day, as well as for the May Day ball later in the evening, placing the maypole, hiring musicians, creating decorations, and making sure the dowager Lady Weston approved of it all.

Which she invariably did.

Working closely as Lady Weston’s secretary was actually quite fun, Gemma mused. The elderly lady had a sharp wit, a keen eye for detail and a wry sense of humor. She also understood matters of the heart.

Perhaps fate had brought Gemma here for the express purpose of meeting such a great lady—as well as Lord Weston, his wonderful wife, Prudence, and the rest of the students. One thing was certain, Gemma believed that of all the places she could be on earth, there was no place she would rather be than here at Broomley Park, with these people as her friends.

Even seeing Xander again didn’t change her feeling. She was meant to be here, right now. She didn’t know why, exactly, but she was convinced of it.

Given all she’d experienced in the past year, that was saying something.

Gemma waved as she saw Prudence leading the class of youngsters from the dormitory building up to the great house. The little girls were dressed in pastel colored frocks and they all wore flowered garlands in their hair. Their beaming faces made Gemma smile. All of the students were excited for the May Day celebrations, but the young ones most of all. They couldn’t wait to dance about the maypole.

Many of the townsfolk from the village of Broomley would be in attendance, as would local dignitaries, tenant farmers and their families.

Along with partaking in the celebrations, many of the locals were also coming to see Wellington’s famous war heroes—Alfred, Baron Weston, Beckett, the Earl of Ravenwood, and Alexander, Viscount Courtenay.

There was bound to be much interest in Lord Courtenay, Gemma knew. As the only unmarried man of the three, Xander was an incredible catch. The marriageable daughters of the local gentry would be duking it out with the graduating students of the Weston Academy for a chance to snag him as their husband.

And Gemma would be forced to watch it all unfold before her eyes.

Though it would hurt her desperately, part of her hoped Xander would quickly find another bride here, and make a proposal of marriage. Then everyone could move on with their lives and finally put the past to rest.

Later that morning, when Gemma had crossed off the last item on her list, she gave a sigh of relief.

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