Free A Priceless Gift: A Regency Romance by May Burnett

secretary. He left just yesterday, but will be back for the first week of next month. Ah, and of course, there is the portrait gallery. I did not have time yet to study it properly.”
    “A portrait gallery? Even better than a Bible! Let’s go there tomorrow morning. It is your duty to know all there is to know about your new family, and I am curious.”
    “I suppose,” Amanda muttered. Her husband had been remarkably reticent on that subject, she realised, and so had Aunt Louisa. Had he been an only child? How old had he been when he came into the title? They had talked about various subjects, but his family history had never come up. His intention to let the title die out indicated that he felt no affection or obligation towards his ancestors, as she had always assumed was the norm among distinguished families. She had a hunch that Lucian, too, would prefer that she avoid any traditional Rackington names.

Chapter 11
     
    A week later, one morning Amanda met Mattie at the stables before breakfast and walked back to the main building with her. “How was your ride?”
    “Oh, wonderful. Whatever one might say about your husband, the earl, he keeps the best stable I could wish for. Every single one of the horses I have tried over the last week moves like a dream. They are extremely well-trained.”
    “I am glad to hear it.” Amanda kicked at a straw on the ground. It rankled that she was precluded from those early morning rides Mattie loved, so as not to endanger that unwanted passenger in her body; but a promise was a promise. She had considered a sedate, slow ride, but that would be more frustrating than not riding at all.
    Amanda had already picked out her future mount, a half-Arabian mare called Muffin, and visited her daily with bribes of apples and carrots. On her orders, the grooms were training Muffin to the side saddle, but it would be months yet till Amanda could experience her gallop.
    “I already checked on Sigurd this morning,” Mattie went on, oblivious to Amanda’s envy. “He slept like an angel, Nurse assures me, and ate his breakfast very neatly. It is amazing how well he minds her, better than me.”
    “That is normal. You are his mama, and he presumes on your natural affection while Nurse is all authority. Mine was like that, too.” Was it natural to feel affection towards one’s children in every case? Well, she would soon see for herself.
    “I want to take Sigurd out into the gardens later in the day.”
    Was that Mattie’s oblique way of asking permission? It was not as though she were Amanda’s slave. “By all means. Children need fresh air and sunshine.”
    “I have found out who that doll belonged to,” Mattie said as they entered by the French door that gave onto the western terrace. “The one you ordered put away.”
    “Oh?” Amanda had forgotten all about the toy.
    “Yes, it seems she belonged to Lady Amaryllis, the earl’s older sister.”
    “I was not aware of her existence.” Amanda frowned. “She would be my sister-in-law.”
    “Except that she died long ago, before you were even born, when she was just sixteen. She drowned here on the estate in that little pond where the horses are bathed.”
    Amanda stared at Mattie. “Are you sure of your facts?”
    “Yes, I had it from the cook; she has worked here for over three decades. Amaryllis must be the young girl on that picture we could not identify in the gallery, the pretty one with the shepherdess costume and powdered hair.”
    “I suppose that would be the right period,” Amanda agreed, putting the picture and name together in her mind. “How strange that Lucian never mentioned a sister to me.”
    “Not all that strange; it was long ago and must be a sad memory. He was only fourteen when she died. And having seen that shallow pond, it does not strike me as likely that anyone would die there accidentally.”
    “You mean she might have killed herself?” Amanda shook her head. “A pretty young earl’s daughter?