Free Beside Two Rivers by RITA GERLACH Page B

you will be returning home soon.”
    “Very soon. I confess that I had hoped our journey to Virginia would have been a honeymoon. But it was best to wait and travel with companions. I shall plan a wedding when I return.”
    Darcy forced herself to speak with courtesy. But her desire to escort Miss Roth out grew to a fevered pitch. Why she had to rub in any details of a wedding was beyond Darcy. “I see. What delayed it?”
    “Oh, this and that. I was so pleased Ethan agreed to accompany us to America as our protector, and at the last minute. He assured me his acceptance of Daniel’s offer was so he could buy a Virginia mare.”
    Mrs. Mort choked, pressing a lace handkerchief to her mouth. Her face turned scarlet, and Darcy called for Missy to bring a glass of water. It did some good, but Mrs. Mort looked at her charge with a shake of her head. “I do not believe he meant to imply …”
    Miss Roth held her hand up to stop her. “Now that Mrs. Mort’s interruption is calm, I must tell you I rejected the first mare. But then he chose the prettiest brown mare I have ever seen just to spoil me. It is only ladies of quality who deserve such a fine horse. I daresay there are no horses here that could stand up to my brown mare.”
    Darcy marked Miss Roth’s needling and kept herself composed in the face of insult. “It was kind of him, but I understand Ireland has fine horses and the English prefer them to ours. You could have saved yourself a long journey by going there instead.”
    “That is indeed true, but after Daniel described his family’s horses and the beauty of the Virginia countryside, we could not resist. I shall be the only person in our neighborhood to have a Virginia mare. My dear papa shall be pleased and breed her with the best of his own stock of English stallions, and his opinion of Ethan will certainly broaden.”
    “Your father had not a great opinion of Mr. Brennan before?”
    “Not a great one, but that is his way. He is skeptical of everyone, and would prefer Ethan to be extremely wealthy and titled. But one cannot have everything they desire in a mate. But he does own Fairview, a lovely property. And I have every confidence in Ethan that he shall prosper. Papa thinks he has plenty, but Ethan has told me we shall be poor until he builds up the estate. When we do marry, I shall remove all persons from under his roof who are unnecessary. That will save him a great deal of money.”
    “It seems odd that your father would agree to you marrying a man he does not particularly like.”
    “Oh, you interpret my words wrong, Miss Darcy.”
    Mrs. Mort again coughed, and Darcy glanced over at her. Did Miss Roth have anothermeaning to her words?
    “Then he does have a great opinion of him?”
    “More than I have let on.”
    “Tell me, Miss Roth. Why have you come? You were the last person I expected to see.”
    “To speak to you to clear the air.”
    “Well, say on. I am sure you do not wish your time wasted.”
    “Indeed I do not. It concerns Ethan.”
    Darcy paused a moment then asked, “He is not sick, is he?”
    With a lift of her hand, Miss Roth laughed. “Oh, no. He is very well. I have come to tell you, to assure you, that he and I have had an understanding these last two years, despite what he may have told you.”
    Her stinging words caused Darcy’s heart to sink. A third time, Mrs. Mort coughed into her handkerchief, and Miss Roth glared at her. “Must you do that, Mrs. Mort? It is so disruptive.”
    Mrs. Mort finished off her water. “I beg your pardon.”
    Miss Roth turned to Darcy. “I have forgiven him that you, Miss Darcy, distracted him. Though I cannot understand why, except to say that your exotic ways may have tempted him and caused him to be curious. You have no fortune, no family of any consequence, and live in this wild country.”
    Darcy felt her face flush with the insult. She pushed it back, deep down, and strove not to show it. “Fortunes can fail, Miss Roth. As for my