Free A Reckless Promise by Kasey Michaels Page B

death affected her greatly, didn’t it? I would imagine it would, at her age.”
    I know it would, at her age. But I won’t think about that. I never think about that.
    He guided Sadie to one of the benches situated along the square and invited her to sit down, then spread his coattails and sat beside her.
    â€œShe’s afraid. You’ve noticed that, as well. Susan, Marley’s mother, passed away when Marley was only just three, and she barely remembers her, which is sad in itself. I did my best to step in for her, coming to live with them, helping in John’s surgery, taking it over for the time he was away and...and until he died.”
    She seemed open to telling him things now, so he decided to see just how much information might be forthcoming. “You never mentioned where John and Marley lived. Where he had his surgery.”
    She looked up at him curiously, and he noticed that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. It hadn’t been the best of days for her, not for a many number of weeks and months, and he felt his heart soften toward her. She was quietly brave, and he admired her for that, as well. He could even forgive her lies—her one lie, for that’s all it had been, really. She had done what she had thought best under the circumstances. As had he, come to think of the thing.
    Careful, Darby, you’re in danger of turning into a softhearted ninny. What would your friends have to say if they suspected any such nonsense? Well, that’s simple enough. They’d think you’d once again fallen into a mud puddle only to come up smelling like the first roses of spring, that’s what they’d think, because Sadie Grace is an exceedingly beautiful woman, apparently both inside and out.
    â€œI didn’t? I certainly wasn’t hiding that information. We resided in Dibden, in Hampshire. I doubt you’ve heard of it.”
    Darby shook his head slightly, for he’d gotten lost in his own thoughts and for a moment didn’t have the faintest idea what Sadie was saying. “Oh, Dibden. No, I can’t say that I’ve heard of the place. Not quite the thriving metropolis, I’ll assume. But you didn’t always live there?”
    â€œNo. I remained in our parents’ cottage in Huyton, not much distance from Liverpool, after they’d passed, happy with a small allowance. Papa had been a tutor and Mama a fine seamstress, and they left me as well-provided-for as they could. But that was only until Susan died. I’m a country mouse, and content. I’ve really never been anywhere, and yet now here I am in London, and soon to be a viscountess. I still can’t quite imagine it. You’re marrying quite beneath you, my lord Nailbourne, but with your friends’ support, I believe there’s still time for you to come to your senses. Ah, and here they come now, marching to your defense, I should hope.”
    Darby looked across the square to see Gabe and Coop approaching, Rigby and his Clarice bringing up the rear. He suppressed a smile at the sight of Rigby’s betrothed, who apparently had discovered a love for furs, as the ermine muff she carried rivaled the size of a bandbox. She certainly had adapted well to her new station in life.
    â€œMiss Hamilton,” Gabriel Sinclair intoned, bowing in her direction, as did the others, while Clarice shooed Darby from his seat and quickly occupied it, giving a surprised Sadie a quick hug that left her to surreptitiously pick a few bits of ermine fluff from her tongue.
    â€œExcuse us, Sadie,” Darby said as he joined his friends a safe distance away from Clarice’s happy chatter. “Gentlemen? You’ve come to thank me for the puppies?”
    â€œWhat?” the red-haired Rigby said, momentarily confused. “Oh, yes, yes, indeed, the puppy. Quite the surprise, that. Not so much as Gabe’s birds, but Clarice is happy enough. Can’t walk a parrot in the