Free The Langley Sisters Trilogy Boxed Set by Wendy Vella

short distance to the village and back. Livvy would find a ride home for them if she tired.
      Mrs. Popplehinge had left strict instructions as to when the flowers should be changed, and what flowers to pick from the small greenhouse at the rear of the church; therefore, Livvy was determined that they do exactly as she had directed. She would not give the woman reason to complain.
    “How is your shoulder, Livvy?”
    “Much better, Phoebe, thank you,” Livvy said as they made their way down the road that led to the village. “You will let us know if the walk gets too much for you, Bella?”
    “Yes, Livvy.”
    “I wonder if walking to the village on such a cold day is healthy?” Phoebe said, looking at the gray sky.
    “It will do us good. Because of my shoulder, we have been inside too long and I, for one, need some fresh air.” That was not, strictly, true; Livvy had stayed inside because she did not want to see Will again, yet there was no way she would ever admit that.
    “Can you believe it is nearly Christmas, and still we have had no snow?” Bella said, leaning on her walking stick while she swung her basket with the other hand. She looked pretty in her dark green, velvet cloak. A matching bonnet was nestled on her curls, with cream ribbons tied beneath her chin. Seeing the color in her cheeks and slight weight gain reinforced to Livvy that what she and Phoebe had done had been the right thing to do, even though the guilt of their actions was never far away. They had paid bills and subsequently ordered more supplies, and Bella looked much healthier for the change in her diet.  
    The Langley sisters lived a charade when they left their house. Dressed always in their finest clothes, they acted as if the most pressing concern in their lives was choosing new trim for a bonnet when they were in the village of Twoaks, and so far the façade had worked. Livvy had serious doubts it would do so for much longer.  
    “Will you ride, Harvey, in the Derby this year, Livvy?” Bella called over her shoulder.
    Harvey was Phoebe’s horse, and she had ridden him in the race last year and placed third. She had hopes of winning the prize money the Earl of Dobberly put up this year.  
    “Of course she will ride Harvey. He is far swifter than her slug, Boris,” Phoebe said, offering Livvy a soft smile. Taking the two steps to bring them together, she took her sister’s hand in hers and squeezed it.  
    “Thank you, Phoebe, and although Boris is not as swift as Harvey, he is certainly no slug and I shall thank you not to mention it in front of him.”
    “Perhaps slug was harsh.” Phoebe laughed. “And I’m sorry for what I said to you the other day,” she added so only Livvy could hear.  
    “I’m sorry we argued, too.”
    “The thing is, Livvy, I spoke without thinking and hurt you and that was not fair of me. Bella and I are very aware that you are sacrificing your happiness to ensure we one day find ours.”
    When she let her guard down and showed the real person beneath, Phoebe was actually very sweet.  
    “Having both of you settled will be enough happiness for me, Phoebe. Don’t you realize that?”
    “But what of your happiness? Don’t you want a family and husband of your own?”
    The pale blue velvet bonnet framed Phoebe’s pretty face and Livvy hoped that one day a man would love her for what lay beneath the beauty.  
    “I don’t want that for me. I’m going to be a wonderfully indulgent aunt to the nieces and nephews my sisters give me. Besides, loving someone is painful and hurts when you lose them.”
    Phoebe frowned. “Why would you lose them?”  
    Livvy looked away in case Phoebe saw what she was not saying.
    “We lost grandfather and then father and mother. I don’t cope with grieving very well.”
    “That is utter rot, Livvy! You are not a coward. How dare you give up your hopes and dreams just because you have lost loved ones? Many people lose family, husbands and wives, and go on to