Free Jaded Moon (Ransomed Jewels Book 2) by Laura Landon Page A

little boy at the back of the circle slowly rose to his feet and came forward.
    “Richie, I’d like you to meet the Marquess of Rainforth. Lord Rainforth, Richard Carruthers.”
    Josie took immense satisfaction from the surprised expression on Rainforth’s face. She knew this wasn’t what he expected but he recovered quickly.
    “How do you do, Richard,” he said, holding out his hand in greeting.
    With a little prodding, Richie extended his small, trembling hand. “How do you do, sir.”
    “Richie is four years old, aren’t you, Richie?”
    “Yes, Miss Josie. But I’ll be five next month.”
    “Oh, yes. How could I have forgotten? Richie is getting very old on us.”
    Josie gave the youngster’s shoulder a gentle squeeze and pulled him close to her while she continued. “Richie’s parents were killed in a fire that destroyed their home when Richie was only a babe. Richie survived and came to live with us because we wanted him so very much. Isn’t that right, Richie?”
    “Yes, Miss Josie,” Richie answered with a smile so wide it brought tears to her eyes. “And Miss Josie takes me to the cemmary—”
    “Cemetery,” Josie corrected.
    “Yes. The cemtatary every Sunday so I can talk to my mama.”
    “That’s very nice of her,” the marquess said, his face an unreadable mask.
    “Glenda,” Josie said, calling for the next child.
    “Lord Rainforth. Miss Glenda Johnson.”
    Glenda curtsied a wobbly bob that the marquess answered with a bow as regal as any Josie had ever seen. But Glenda wasn’t brave enough to face the intimidating stranger and quickly buried her face in Josie’s skirts. “Glenda’s mama came back to Clythebrook from London. She worked in a beautiful mansion there, didn’t she, Glenda?”
    “Yes, Miss Josie. All the walls in the house where my mama lived were painted gold.”
    Josie gave the little girl a loving hug. “Glenda’s mother was an upstairs maid for the Duke of Shakely. Perhaps you are acquainted with him?”
    Josie could tell from the harsh rush of air Rainforth sucked into his lungs he was familiar with Shakely’s reputation. From the rumors that had made their way this far in the country, she doubted if there were many with close ties to London who weren’t.
    She kept her level gaze locked with his so he could not misunderstand the meaning to her next words. “Glenda’s mama came back to Clythebrook to live with her parents when… her services were no longer required.”
    “She went to heaven, though, when I was born,” Glenda added quietly. “And I don’t have a father like Richie. But I have a granny and granda who come to see me sometimes.”
    “Glenda’s grandparents aren’t well enough to care for Glenda yet. Maybe someday they will be.”
    Josie didn’t want to admit that the day would probably never come when Glenda’s grandparents would take her. It had been almost five years and neither one of them had recovered from the guilt that plagued them. They were the ones who’d sent their daughter to London to give her a better opportunity to find some nice young man to marry and settle down with. Instead, she’d come back carrying Shakely’s bastard child and had died birthing it.
    “And this is Jeremy Black,” Josie said, placing her hand atop the curly blond head of the nearest youngster still sitting on the grass. “He’s just three and very special to us. Jeremy, say hello to Lord Rainforth.”
    Jeremy stood and Josie saw him swallow hard. “’lo, Lord Rainforth,” the little boy said softly, then held out his hand like he’d seen Richie do.
    “How do you do, Jeremy,” Rainforth said, taking Jeremy’s tiny hand in his massive one.
    “You’re very big,” Jeremy said, craning his neck and tilting his head way back to look into the marquess’ face.
    “Yes, I am. Perhaps one day you will be, too.”
    Jeremy couldn’t come up with an answer so he just smiled a baby-faced grin.
    “Jeremy’s mother left him with us when he was