The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn

Author:Ella Quinn [Quinn, Ella]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2013-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Rutherford placed Anna’s fur cloak around her shoulders and handed her into the gig. Humphrey spread a warm rug over her legs. Swathed in a shawl, spencer, cloak, and with a warm brick at her feet, she looked snug indeed. Dark curls escaped charmingly from under her velvet hat.

Rutherford handed Anna her muff. “I hope you don’t get too cold,” he said solicitously, and smiled.

Anna fetched a sigh and looked upward. “Heaven forbid I should become chilled. Let’s hunt down the vicar. With any luck at all, he’ll be at home.”

But when they arrived at the vicarage, the housekeeper told them he was out. Rutherford and Anna finally caught up with the man at the inn.

Rutherford jumped down from the carriage. “Stay here, I’ll bring him out.”

Anna nodded. “By the time you unwrap me and hand me down, I daresay you could have him here.”

He grinned. “I’ll be back shortly.”

He found the vicar in the common room playing chess. “Mr. Thompson, I’d like a moment of your time.”

The man glanced up from his game. “Yes, of course, my lord. What can I do for you?”

Rutherford motioned with his head for Mr. Thompson to step outside. The vicar excused himself and followed Rutherford, who told him about the wedding as they walked outside.

Mr. Thompson bowed to Anna. “Ah, Miss Marsh, Lord Rutherford tells me I am to wish you happy.”

Anna smiled and held out her hand. “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Reading the banns would be my pleasure. I’m delighted we’ll be able to keep you in our little area of Kent.”

To Rutherford’s surprise, Anna went on to discuss some parish issues with the vicar before they left. How in the devil did she keep up with it all?

Rutherford climbed back into the carriage. “Correct me if I am wrong, my love, but you have been in London until recently.”

“I have been back for over two weeks, and I correspond with him regularly. Someone must keep up with the parish doings. If not me, who?”

Who indeed. Anna apparently had her fingers in more pies than he knew about. “I would have thought my mother might be the proper person,” he said grimly. “It is, after all, my living, and she is currently the most senior lady.”

“I will not speak poorly of your mother, Sebastian. It just happened to fall to me, and as we are to marry, it is no great matter.”

Rutherford gave a bark of laughter. “Thompson was right. I made a good choice.”

Anna’s eyes lit up. “Did he say that?”

Rutherford glanced at her again. She really was remarkable. “He did indeed. At the risk of increasing your good opinion of yourself, I’ll tell you my staff is delighted at the prospect of you becoming their mistress.”

Anna patted his arm. “It’s all as it should be.”

“Yes, it is.” Rutherford couldn’t believe his luck. Despite her being forced into the betrothal, it was working out better than he’d expected.

He stopped the carriage in front of the Priory’s portico and hoped his previous discussion with his mother had done the job.

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