Free The Seduction of Lady Charity: The Baxendale Sisters Book Four by Maggi Andersen

straighter in his chair. “I should enjoy that. I grow stronger every day.”
    With a surge of relief, Charity noted her father’s face flush with interest. She met her mother’s gaze and realized she felt the same.
    Mercy wandered into the drawing room, a purring orange cat in her arms. Aunt Christabel had several cats. Charity wasn’t sure of the exact number, for many were similar in appearance. “The post has come. I’ve received a letter from home. Wolf is in good health, as are the cats.”
    “Then we can all breathe a sigh of relief, Mercy,” Mama said with a smile.
    Mercy held out a letter. “This has come for you, Mama.”
    She frowned. “It’s from Faith. She must have written as soon as they received our direction. Please excuse me, Your Grace, I feel I should read it.” She tore the missive open and quickly scanned the pages.
    “Oh, my goodness.” She gazed up from the page, her cheeks flushed. “The doctor suspects Faith is having twins!”
    “Twins?” Father repeated, his eyes widened. “How can they be sure? It sounds like absolute nonsense.”
    “The doctor expects her to deliver early.” Mama cast Father an uncertain glance. “I should go to her.”
    Father shook his head. “The birth of Faith’s baby is weeks away, is it not? Her mama-in-law and Honor, who is a mother herself, will be there for her.”
    “I agree; Honor is very level-headed, but Faith will need her mother. If you’re in better health, my love, I shall go at the end of the week. I know you will benefit from extending your stay here. There are far too many demands made on you at home.”
    “I am delighted you’ve planned to stay awhile, Baxendale,” Aunt Christabel said, entering the room.
    She curtseyed to Robin. “Your Grace, how nice to meet you at last. One hears a good deal about you. I was sorry to hear of your uncle’s death. A decent man and his son and daughter-in-law gone far too early, so very sad.”
    Robin bowed. “A tragedy, Lady Huddlestone.”
    As soon as she sat in a wing chair by the fireplace, a grey cat that had followed her in jumped onto her lap. “How very nice to have your company for a little longer,” she said, stroking the grey fur. “I do hope my nieces will remain with you. I’d like to introduce them to society here.”
    Father smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re tiring of your books?”
    “I do believe I am. Well, I have read all of Ann Radcliffe’s novels, and The Mysteries of Udolpho several times, Walter Scott and Jane Austen too. I daresay something will come along to tempt me, but I now find that I’d like more society.”
    Charity was surprised. Honor had thought Aunt Christabel to be a long-established recluse. But what she’d been like when young might have been quite different.
    “Then we must have a party at Harwood before your nieces return home,” Robin said.
    “That is indeed generous of you, Your Grace,” Aunt Christabel said.
    Mercy released the protesting cat. “I can’t wait.”
    “I’m afraid Mercy is not yet out,” Mama said. “She shall come home with me.”
    “Oh, but, Mama, this isn’t London,” Mercy said, dismayed. “Robin is a good family friend.”
    “What about Wolf?” Father asked her with a smile. “The dog will be pining for you.”
    Mercy’s face clouded with indecision. “I expect he is.”
    “I promise to hold a party for you when you have your first London Season, Mercy,” Robin said.
    Mercy clapped her hands. “Oh, that’s marvelous, Robin.”
    “If I ask my sister; Lady Miller, to be my hostess, I know she will be more than happy to agree.”
    Charity decided her first impression of Robin had been wrong. He was no longer the boyish man she’d known in Tunbridge Wells. He was certainly better dressed, wearing his clothes with considerable grace, and even his dark brown curls had been stylishly tamed. But that was not it. He’d matured since he’d become a duke. She wondered if this Lady Kitty had been in some way