Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Of course you did! The girl has never seen such an outburst in her life. She’s English. Raised by my uptight sister. That sort of affection isn’t one practiced on this soil,” Uncle Alfred stated with a grin in his voice this time.
Aunt Harriet smiled then and wiped at the tears on her face. “I am sorry, honey. Your words were so special and I have come to love you as my own child. I just got so filled with emotion that I forgot myself and… well back home we are more affectionate,” she explained.
“And loud and emotional,” Uncle Alfred added.
Aunt Harriet glanced over her shoulder at him with a scowl and he shrugged. “Tis true.”
“My Lord, Mr. Compton is here to see Miss Bathurst,” the butler announced from the open door behind Uncle Alfred.
Uncle Alfred’s eyebrows raised in unison as he looked at me. He seemed to be asking me silently if I wanted to see Nicholas. I nodded once and he stepped back to look directly at the butler. “Very well, send him in, James,” Uncle Alfred replied.
Aunt Harriet squeezed my hand, before getting up from the settee and moving across the room and taking a seat by the window. She picked up a letter that she had left there earlier and glanced up at Uncle Alfred.
“I will be in my office if anyone needs me,” he said, before exiting the room. I wasn’t sure if Aunt Harriet’s look had been one telling him to leave or if he had not wanted to be there for the visit. One could never tell with my uncle.
My gaze shifted to Nicholas when he entered the room. Smiling, I placed the book beside me and stood up. “Good morning, Mr. Compton,” I greeted him, realizing I didn’t have to force my smile. It truly was nice to see a friendly face.
“Good morning, Miss Bathurst,” he replied. “As always you are breathtaking. You manage that with so little effort it seems.” He winked then turned toward my aunt. “Hello, Lady Wellington, you are looking lovely as well.”
Aunt Harriet blushed and waved a hand at him. “You’re such a charmer, but it isn’t me you must win over,” she said. “Would you like some tea or perhaps something to eat?”
Nicholas shook his head. “Thank you but I do not require either. I would like it very much though if Miss Bathurst would take a walk with me out to the garden. If that would be okay with you,” he added.
Aunt Harriet glanced at me for a moment then back to Nicholas. “Of course. It’s a beautiful day. The sunshine is warm and the roses are lovely. They aren’t enjoyed enough. Please go out back and make use of the bench no one ever sits on.”
Nicholas grinned and nodded then held out his arm for me to take. I did so and we made our way out to the hallway. “Do you know a better way to get to the garden in back than going out the front door and walking around?” he asked me.
“Indeed I do,” I replied and led him toward the exit on the left side of the house used mostly by servants. There was a rock paved path from the door to the small garden in the back of 18 Mayfair. Aunt Harriet did not spend much time outside, so Uncle Harriet did not worry much about the gardens here. I wondered if he did at their home in the country.
We walked in silence until we reached the one bench that sat in the shade, just near the rose garden like Aunt Harriet had mentioned. I took a seat and Nicholas hesitated before he then too sat down. The bench wasn’t very large and our bodies were close yet not so close that we touched. I didn’t get heated nor did my heart rate speed up from being this close to him.
He did smell very nice, however, and I was thankful he had come to visit. It gave me something to do rather than sit and stare at a book while my thoughts were on Ashington.
“I know that you believe yourself to be in love with Ashington. I’m a perceptive man and with you I find I am unable to take my eyes off you. Therefore, I have learned much about your expressions,” he paused then and I turned to look at him. This was not the conversation I thought we would have.
I had hoped he would come talk of things that made me laugh such as whatever silly gossip he had heard last or something trivial.
“I’m not an earl, but I’m not without wealth. I know you do not care about being accepted into London’s social rankings, but you do want that for Whitney and as you have witnessed, I am well-loved amongst the ton. My country estate is not comparable to Chatwick Hall, but it is lovely and there is room for your sister and your mother as well if you so choose. I can make you happy, Miriam. I can give you all the things you want so desperately for you sister and I can give you the one thing you seem to overlook for yourself.” He paused again then stood up.