The Langley Sisters Trilogy Boxed Set (17 page)

The sound of the front door opening had the sisters rushing out to the hall in time to see Jenny stomping inside followed by a flurry of snow and blast of cold air.

“I wish you hadn’t insisted on going outside in this weather, Jenny.” Livvy hurried forward to take the bag Jenny handed her.

“My boy took me up on his horse and it’s only a short trip to the village.”

“But now you’re frozen to your toes,” Bella said, coming forward to take Jenny’s cloak.

“Nevermind about that. A letter has arrived for you from London.”

The three sisters watched as Jenny pulled it from her bodice and handed it to Livvy.

“Now you go along into the warm and read it and I’ll get the tea going.”

“It must be from our cousin,” Phoebe said, following Livvy up the stairs and back in to the parlor.

Tearing it open, Livvy quickly read the words. “Dear God!” Stumbling to a chair, she fell into it seconds later.

“What is it?” Phoebe appeared before her.

Livvy handed her sister the letter. “Read it out loud so Bella can hear.”

Shooting Livvy a worried glance, Phoebe lifted the missive.
 

“Dear Cousin,” she began. “Please forgive my tardiness in replying to your request for monetary assistance and the possibility of lodging with me during the season. It is with regret that I must decline both of your requests and also inform you that your free tenure at Willow Hall will cease at the end of January as I have need of the lodgings for my own use. I shall visit with you for Christmas to discuss the little secret you are holding and check on the progress of your departure. Your devoted cousin, Lord Timothy Loftus Langley.”
 

The sisters sat in silence for several seconds. Somewhere in the house, Jenny banged a door and the clock in the hall chimed the hour.
 

“What secret does he think we hold, Livvy?” Phoebe questioned.

Livvy had only two secrets of any value; the first that the Langleys were poor and taking great pains to hide it, and the second only she and a dead man shared. Surely, her cousin could not mean that one?

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“What are we to do, Livvy?”

It was Bella’s desperate words that finally broke through the shock of her cousin’s letter. Livvy quickly stood and hugged her sisters as her mind searched frantically for the reassuring words she needed to say.

“This must be an error on his part. Surely, he does not mean to throw us out,” Livvy said. “He cannot be that cruel.”
 

“He is a horrid beast of a man to treat his cousins this way.” Bella sniffed, close to tears. “How can he be the same man who attended father’s funeral? He talked to me many times and told me that everything would be all right and I was not to worry.”

“I loathed him,” Phoebe declared. “He was a braggart and a fool and I gave him no time when he sought me out.”

“None of that matters now,” Livvy said. “I must go to London on the next stage and talk with him. All shall be resolved by the time I return.”

“I shall accompany you.”

“No, Phoebe, you must stay here with Bella. Besides, we do not want to waste money on two fares to London when I can go alone.”

“No, Livvy, you can’t go alone. It is too dangerous. And besides, where would you stay?”

“I shall seek lodgings in a small inn when I arrive. Don’t fret. It shall be the adventure I have always wanted,” Livvy said, feeling sick inside. Lord, she was going to London on her own; it was a terrifying prospect.

“No, I will not allow it, Livvy. We shall both go or not at all and I’m afraid in this I am standing firm,” Phoebe declared.
 

“But what about Bella? She will need someone to care for her.” Livvy was torn between wanting Phoebe with her and worry for her little sister.
 

“Jenny can care for me.”

“Two women alone at Willow Hall? What if something went wrong and Jenny had to visit the village?”
 

“Go and find Jenny at once, Bella. Bring her here and we shall sort this out now.”

“Yes, Phoebe.”            

Livvy took the note back and sat again as the door closed behind Bella. Reading the words, she could not fathom why he had sent them this letter. Surely, he was not so cruel that he would throw them out of their home if they had no other place to go? It was all a misunderstanding, it had to be.
Did he really know her secret?

“I don’t like our cousin, Livvy, and I don’t trust this note. I never said anything when he was here, but he tried to comfort me when I was crying once and his hand grabbed my breast.”

“Phoebe! Why didn’t you tell me?” Livvy cried.

There was nothing sweet about Phoebe’s smile.

“I made him see the error of his ways.”

Livvy’s laugh turned into a sob as she took her sisters hand. “Dear lord, what do you think this letter is about?”

“I don’t know, but we shall face whatever it is together.”

Livvy wiped her eyes as the door opened again and Bella appeared.

“Mr. Blake has arrived, Livvy, and is asking for you. He is in the kitchen.”

“Now?” Livvy didn’t want to speak to anyone, not when her family was in turmoil.

“Yes, now.”

“Tell him we will be there shortly, Bella,” Phoebe said, urging her sister from the room again.

“We must see him, Livvy. If we do not, he will wonder why and then he will tell Lord Ryder and the Duke that we refused and then they will wonder why, too.”

“I know.” Wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her dress, Livvy drew in a deep breath and then left the room with Phoebe on her heels.

“Mr. Blake, how lovely to see you again,” Phoebe said, moving forward to greet him as the sisters entered the room. “

“And it is wonderful to see you also, Miss Langely.”

“What has brought you out in this weather? Surely you should be tucked safely inside Rossetter.” Livvy forced a smile onto her face, which she was sure looked as stiff as it felt.

“I have brought you a gift from Lord Ryder, Miss Langley,” Mr. Blake said, bowing deeply.
 

“A gift, Mr. Blake?”
 

“Is something wrong, Miss Langley?” he said, his face now concerned as he looked at Olivia’s red eyes and pale cheeks.
 

“These are tears of laughter, Mr. Blake, I assure you,” Livvy said quickly. “We have just been telling each other funny stories, and Phoebe has been making me laugh.”

“I see. Well, that is a relief.” Livvy knew he did not believe her but was too polite to push for the truth.

“Firewood, Livvy. Lord Ryder has sent us a pile of chopped wood and Luke and another footman from Rossetter are stacking it for us now,” Bella said. “So we will not need to cut any more for a while.”

Aware that she was being studied thoroughly, Livvy kept smiling. Firewood, Will had sent her firewood, and she wanted desperately to cry and not just because her nefarious cousin may know her secret. No, because Will had sent her a gift that really meant something to her. How had he known? And then she remembered that day at the church. He had asked how she got the callous on her finger and she had told him that she received it chopping firewood.

“Please offer Luke and the other man some refreshment for their efforts when they finish, Jenny,” Livvy said quickly. “Mr. Blake, will you stay and take tea with us?” She hoped he didn’t take up her offer yet manners demanded she ask him.

“I would be delighted. Thank you, Miss Langley, and would offer my services to Mrs. Bell if she will let me assist her with the preparations.”

           
“Don’t need a man’s help in my kitchen, Mr. Blake. Never have and don’t plan on starting anytime soon.”

The three Langleys stared at their housekeeper. Jenny was usually sunny natured and quick with a smile, yet she was scowling at Mr. Blake and her cheeks were flooded with color.

Well, then,” Phoebe said to break the awkward silence. “If you’ll come with me please, Mr. Blake, we shall find a place to have our tea.”

Mr. Blake didn’t look offended by Jenny’s words; in fact, he gave her a gentle smile that reached his eyes and made the corners crinkle just like Livvy’s father’s had when he was smiling, and then followed Phoebe and Bella from the room.

Livvy stayed in the kitchen because she needed to talk about Lord Langley’s letter with Jenny. Taking down some clean cups, she set them on a tray as she began to talk.

“Did Bella tell you about the letter, Jenny?”

“Yes, and you have no need to fear for Miss Bella, I will send word to my sister who is recently widowed. She can join me while you are gone.”

“Thank you, that is one weight off my shoulders.” Livvy gripped the edge of the bench hard. “I’m so scared, Jenny. How will we cope if we have to leave here?” Her words sounded desperate as she struggled to keep the fear inside her at bay.
 

“There now, my love,” Jenny soothed as she pried Livvy’s fingers off the wood and turned her. “T’will work out in the end,” she added, pulling her into an embrace. “Between us, we will always have a home and all we need. The rest will come. You’ll see,” she clucked, patting Livvy’s rigid back.
 

Livvy inhaled the scents of Jenny, this wonderful woman who had given her life to the Langley sisters. She was humbled and strengthened by the sacrifice. With a last sniff, she reluctantly eased out of the welcoming bosom.

“I can never thank you enough for all you have done for us.” Her voice was choked as she struggled to hold back more tears. “But when we come about, you can be sure that I will try.”

“I’ll hold you to that, my love. You just see that I don’t. But now we better make that horrid Mr. Blake some tea.”

Livvy frowned as she watched Jenny get the hot water to pour into the teapot. It was not like her to be so critical, especially when Mr. Blake was far from horrid.

“It is true I’m not a great judge of character, Jenny, and that I have met Mr. Blake only once before today, but I must own to liking him very much and am surprised that you do not. He has a kind face and even kinder heart, as is evidenced by him coming out in this weather just to make sure we have firewood.”

The housekeeper slapped the pot onto the tray and added milk and sugar.
 

“To be sure it was nice of him, but he didn’t have to say that seeing me had brightened his day. He’s a smooth-tongued rogue, is what he is.”

She had nothing to smile about. In fact, Livvy would gladly lie on the floor and cry her eyes dry right here in the kitchen. Yet the notion that her housekeeper was unsettled by one Mr. Frederick Blake made her smile; of course, she hastily swallowed it as Jenny turned to look at her, but it stayed on the inside, a little warm glow that gave her hope.

“Will you take tea with us, Jenny?” Livvy said as she took the tray from the housekeeper.

“Wouldn’t look right, Miss Olivia, as you very well know.”

“I don’t care if it looks right or wrong. I’m asking you to take tea with us,” Livvy said, keeping her face expressionless.
 

Jenny huffed for several seconds and then said, “Well, I suppose someone needs to chaperone you girls from that man.”

“To be sure, he is a scoundrel.” Livvy laughed as Jenny swatted her shoulder as she left the room. They then headed for the good parlor where she knew Phoebe and Bella would have taken Mr. Blake.

“Well, the trick was to sleep in shifts on the boats so no one stole anything from you.”

Livvy opened the door to Mr. Blake’s words.

“Did you have things stolen, Mr. Blake?”

Bella’s eyes gleamed as she questioned their visitor. She had such a passion for information about foreign countries.

“Please have my seat, Mrs. Bell.” Mr. Blake leapt to his feet as Jenny entered the room. She, in turn, appeared flustered and shooed him back into it as she took over serving the tea from Livvy.
 

The hour that passed with Mr. Blake, Livvy knew, was only a respite from what awaited them when he left, but she could not begrudge them this time. Freddy, as he urged them all to call him, was a wonderful storyteller and genuinely nice man. He made them laugh and encouraged Bella’s questions. He was clearly smitten with Jenny and even coaxed a laugh from her, and for those sixty minutes the Langleys were able to push aside their worries and enjoy the company of a man who expected nothing from them other than to listen to his stories.

“And what of Lord Ryder, Freddy? Surely he did not climb the masts as Luke did?”

“Oh, indeed he did, Miss Isabella. In fact, whatever his men did, he did too.”

Livvy could imagine the man Will was today doing the things Freddy said, but not the spoiled nobleman who had left here many years ago. She did not ask the questions burning inside her; instead, sitting quietly, she listened to every word, eager for information about the man who had owned her heart. She knew Freddy skimmed over many things and told them only the stories which would make them smile and gasp, yet she was grateful for the respite from her thoughts. When the time came for him to leave, Livvy was genuinely sorry to see Mr. Blake go.