Free The Baron's New Wife: Regency Romance by Emily J. Rose

The Baron’s New Wife
    By
    Emily J. Rose
     
    Published by A. Harmer
    Copyright 2016
     
    All rights reserved. No part of this work of fiction may be copied or reproduced without prior consent of the publisher.
     
     
     
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    Chapter 1
     
    Lady Anna Kemp sat alone in her boudoir, dressed in a fine pink gown and adorned with jewels, ready to meet the guests waiting in the dining room. She gazed at herself in the dresser mirror. Her strawberry blonde curls had been pinned up beautifully, elongating her thin neck. A chain of sparkling diamonds graced her delicate shoulders and twinkled in the candlelight. Her mother, Lady Kemp, had given Anna the necklace as an engagement gift;
     
    “This is the necklace I wore the night I became engaged to your father. Now it is yours, and you shall wear it on your engagement to Baron Hester.” Anna’s mother had placed the necklace on Anna’s neck and fastened it in place. This had been one of the few moments in Anna’s life were her mother had spoken fondly, usually her days were spent socializing with various friends and their paths throughout the day would hardly cross. As an only child Anna spent most of her time alone or with various tutors. Her time had been well spent studying several languages, painting, drawing, music and by everyone’s account she was regarded as an accomplished young lady. Lord and Lady Kemp spent their time socializing, leaving Anna with her beloved governess, Miss Wayfair.
     
    Anna’s eyes focused on the diamonds passed down from one bride to the next; she felt just as used and pointless as the necklace. Anna was being handed over to a man she had never met, she was a glistening young bride soon to be on the arm of a much older Baron. He too would probably adorn her while out in society but then box her up when the glamourous people had flittered away.
     
    “I have not even been to one ball.” Anna fingered the diamonds while she mourned the loss of her youth which she had no opportunity to exhaust. Her marriage had been arranged by her parents without the need for her to attend the London season and therefore she would miss the excitement of young men’s advances and twirling in a ballroom in expensive gowns. Instead she would be leaving her London home and moving north to Staffordshire where she would be a stranger with no friends in the countryside.
     
    A tap at the door shook Anna from her thoughts and Miss Wayfair swiftly entered the room. “Oh Miss Wayfair, please do come in.”
     
    “I simply had to come and see you one final time before the engagement is formally announced.” Miss Wayfair made her way over to Anna and gently put her hands on Anna’s shoulders as they both smiled at each other in the mirror. Her governess had been with Anna as long as she could remember and had become dearer to her than her own mother. The years however, had taken their toll on poor Miss Wayfair; while Anna grew older and more beautiful with age, Miss Wayfair had simply become old. Her once jet black hair now had silver streaks and her slender figure had become more rounded and hunched over. Yet the love between the pair grew deeper with each passing year to the point where their imminent separation would be unbearable for both.
     
    “Don’t you look fine in your mother’s jewels?” Miss Wayfair smiled at Anna an understanding smile, which concealed her loss.
     
    “How will I continue on without you Miss Mayfair?” Anna’s eyes started to fill with tears.
     
    “Now, now child. We will have none of that talk. You are to be Baroness Hester. A Baroness does not cry because they will miss their worn out governess.” Miss Wayfair rubbed Anna’s cheek and tried to encourage a smile.
     
    “If you could stay till the wedding that would surely ease my heart?” Anna looked up hopeful that Miss Wayfair would cave on her plan to leave the house after the