Her eyes flew open.
No. I mustn’t cherish delusions.
But why did he come back inside after sending the Chaffees away?
When Mr Alwyn had ushered the sisters through the front door, he had followed them out, leaving Belinda to steal upstairs to her room in a daze. While leaning against her clothes press, trying to sort through all she had just learned, she heard the front door open, then close again. Hurrying to her window, shehad seen Mr Alwyn start off down Hertford Street. It was only then that she realized he had come back inside the house.
And that she had left him downstairs, alone.
Why was he waiting there?She bit her lip.I’d know if I hadn’t bolted like a frightened hare!
Someone behind her cleared their throat.
Turning, she saw the maid was standing just feet away.
“Shall I bring in some hot, fresh eggs for your breakfast, miss?”
Even the thought of dry toast made Lindy’s stomach clench, but she started towards the breakfast room anyway, saying, “No thank you, Minnie. I’m sure that whatever is here will be plenty for me.”
The room was empty, though a crumb-filled plate proved that her aunt had eaten already. Outside of the window, clear blue skies sparkled over the back garden. Amongst the tidy display of plants, Rose was sitting on the stone bench with her sleeves pushed up, and her face tilted towards the sunshine. There was a teacup beside her as if a siren had lured her out before she had finished her breakfast.
Lifting the still-warm teapot from the sideboard, Belinda headed out to her.
“More tea, Aunt Rose?”
Her aunt’s eyes opened leisurely as she lifted the cup to be replenished.
“Ta, darling.” She scooted over on the bench and patted the freed space. “Now, you must sit that I might apologize to you.”
“Youapologize tome?” Belinda asked, nestling the teapot in a bed of bugleweed before she sat down. “Whatever for?”
“Last night, I let you face those dragons on your own. I told myself as I laid down that I ought to go downstairs and see to them myself, but the next thing I knew, Minnie was stealing in to stoke the morning fire. I never even undressed.”
She held her arms out and Belinda saw that she was indeed wearing the same gown, rumpled now, that she had worn the day before.
“Therefore, I am sorry,” Rose said grimly, then glanced over her shoulder at the townhouse. “But I see the house is still standing, and you do not appear to have been torn limb from limb. So tell me, whatdidoccur?”
Belinda took a deep breath.
“Regarding your nieces…”
“Please do not refer to them as such.” Rose cringed prettily over the rim of her teacup. “Poor George must claim them, but I think of only you and your sister asmynieces. But do go on. What happened?”
“Aunt, before I speak of it, I must tell you…when I was writing to Nell as you asked me to, I saw a letter on my uncle’s desk. I did not read it except for the signature, but that proved it had come from his sister, Imogene.”
She paused as Rose had grown completely still.
Oh aunt, will you disown me in the next moment?
“And naively thinking that I was saving you some trouble, I sent word of my uncle’s illness to Hollyfield Park.”
The admission lay heavily in the air for a quiet moment before Rose asked, “So it wasyouwho told them?”
Nodding reluctantly, Belinda held her breath.
“Thank goodness!” Rose cried, pressing her hand to her bosom. “I thought perhaps a spy was amongst us!”
Relishing the sound of her aunt’s laughter, Belinda exhaled. “I am so terribly sorry. Had I known what they are like, I never would have—”
