Free Lady Northam's Wicked Surrender by Vivienne Westlake Page A

fireplace.
    “Shall I order anything for you?” Alice asked, not waiting for an answer before tugging at the tasseled cord.
    “Refreshment would be appreciated,” Rowena said to her friend.
    “And perhaps if you have a little bread remaining?” Delphine added. “We supped so long ago.”
    Rowena hoped Delphine would not insist on a full meal as she had no wish to put out their hostess so late in the evening.
    “Of course.”
    A young woman arrived and Alice walked over to her, giving detailed instructions for their meal and the arrangements for their rooms.
    Looking at Alice only reminded Rowena of Simon. Why should it bother her now? She’d visited her friend several times in the three years since Paul’s death and she’d never had this kind of a reaction. Rowena had managed to forget Simon—or so she’d told herself—but tonight only proved that nothing had truly dulled the hurt of Simon’s abandonment. Not even her marriage.
     Her sister interrupted her thoughts. “I suppose he’s come now that his degenerate uncle is at death’s door.”
    “Delphine!"
    Her sister whispered in her ear. “Don’t tell me you will be sorry to see that old Crow, Waverly, gone?”
    Certainly not. The Earl of Waverly was irresponsible at best, and at worst a reprobate who reputedly spent more time in gaming hells and brothels than a nun spent in prayer.
    “Hush.” Rowena stood and gently put a hand on her sister’s mouth. “Do not speak ill of the earl. The man is, as you say, at death’s door. It is quite impolite.”
    “Well, he’s not here is he?” she said. “The earl’s loss is Rutherford’s gain. I would have bet a thousand pounds that Simon would never inherit. Not with three cousins and an uncle in line ahead of him. It’s a pity you didn’t marry him. I heard the title is worth at least forty thousand a year.”
    While she had a face as angelic as a porcelain doll and she dressed to the epitome of elegance, Delphine had the tact of untamed dog. How could she be so callous about the earl’s demise? Worse, she had to be so insensitive as to bring up the horrid affair with Simon.
    Alice returned to them and sat down. A couple minutes later, a servant arrived, carrying a tray with three steaming cups of tea and a baguette with butter and slices of cheese.
    “I trust you had a safe journey?” their hostess inquired.
    “As well as can be expected with wind and rain and a driver who couldn’t find his way across a shallow pond,” Delphine replied.
    Thou shalt not kill thy sister. Thou shalt not kill thy sister , Rowena repeated to herself. It had been two days, but her little sister had already tried the end of her patience.
    “How unfortunate,” Alice replied. “I hope you will recover quickly from your journey. I regret to tell you that with the heavy rains yesterday, the east wing of the house suffered several leaks. Since the nursery is not quite finished from the renovations, I shall have to put you in different accommodations than I had intended. Would one of you be so kind as to take Millicent’s room?”
    Alice had an eight year-old daughter and five year-old son named after Simon. With Alice's confinement, they were off to visit their grandmother, leaving the house to the adults. That was unfortunate. If Simon was indeed on his way here, the children would have been an excellent distraction.
    “I should be happy to take Millicent’s chambers,” Rowena replied. It was best to volunteer straight away as Delphine would make things difficult if she felt she was given the inferior room.
    “Please forgive the un-hospitable welcome.” Alice blushed. “I—”
    “Do not trouble yourself. We are only too happy to be in such good company.” Rowena smiled.
    “Speaking of which. I believe your footman said that Lord Rutherford is to join us?”
    Delphine could not have waited until tomorrow to discuss such unpleasantness? Rowena closed her eyes, so no one could see that she wanted to roll them