by Ella Edon
Her mother was out in the front garden, tying up some of the beanstalks to a makeshift cane. Sweat beaded her forehead, and her hair was starting to come out from the many pins Rosie Powell shoved into her head. Arabella waved as she came out of the trees.
“Mother.”
Rosie looked up.
“Arabella, dear.” She frowned as Arabella opened the gate. “What have I told you about going through those trees? It can be dangerous if you’re not careful.”
“Mother, I’m a grown woman, not a little girl.”
“Sometimes I wonder.”
Arabella rolled her eyes and looked around. “Where’s Katherine?”
“She’s in the back garden. She wanted to read under the tree out there.”
That had Arabella smiling. Katherine was young, and she had limited schooling, but her reading was extraordinary. Katherine loved reading. Even Lady Derby had encouraged her, giving Katherine books for her birthday and Christmas. Arabella’s heart had melted when she saw her daughter’s eyes light up at the pile of books on her bed.
Only seven years old and she was reading novels. Arabella had loved reading herself, but this was something else. She didn’t want to think about who her daughter might have gotten her ability to read from.
Leaving her mother to finish in the vegetable patch, Arabella headed around the back into the garden that stretched out behind the house. Her entire family had been stunned by the sight when they first arrived; it was a rare thing to get a garden in a dwelling like theirs, and certainly not one as big as this. Arabella and Jeffrey had loved it, Jeffrey the most. He would spend hours playing outside, running around and climbing trees. Then once she was able to walk, Katherine had joined in. She loved playing with her uncle.
Arabella swiped this memory away. Any memories of Katherine when she was little would have her thinking of Katherine’s father. Arabella didn’t want to do that.
Katherine was sitting under the biggest tree in the garden, a blanket spread out under her as she leaned against the trunk. A thick book was open in her lap, and her head was bent. Her black hair fell in long waves over her shoulders and down her back, which Katherine absently tucked behind her ear. Arabella felt a hard lump in her throat.
She looked so much like her father. It wouldn’t take much for Viscount Harrison to guess once he saw Katherine…
Katherine looked up as Arabella approached. Her face broke into a big smile and she jumped up, dropping the book to the ground.
“Mama!”
Arabella knelt down as her daughter leapt at her, wrapping her arms around Arabella’s neck. She almost knocked Arabella over, who just managed to catch herself. She hugged her daughter tightly before easing her back. She cupped Katherine’s face in her hands.
“You’re looking well today. That cold seems to have gone.”
“I did as you said and slept,” Katherine answered, her hazel eyes shining. “I felt better this morning, so Grandmama said I could come out here to read.”
“That’s good. What are you reading today?”
“Virtue Rewarded.”
Arabella remembered reading something like that when she was younger, but it had been a bit of a daunting read due to the thickness of the book.
“That’s a Samuel Richardson book, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Katherine sighed dreamily. “It’s beautiful. Letters from a servant girl to her parents about her employer, about how she loves him but knows it can never happen.”
Arabella bit back her response about the employer attempting to rape the servant girl several times and treating her abysmally to begin with. She nudged Katherine towards the blanket and then lay down on her belly.
“Why don’t you read me a little bit? I want to see how your reading is getting on.”
“All right.”
Katherine picked up the book and lay down beside her mother. Then she began to read. She did stumble over her words a little bit, but her voice was clear, and she seemed to have a good understanding over what was going on. Arabella could only listen in awe. Anna had come by with Arabella once to see Rosie and had heard Katherine reading aloud. She had been just as surprised. Not all seven year olds, especially children who didn’t get an education as extensive as those from richer families, managed to read that well. Katherine was a fast learner, and she was so eager to learn.
Arabella didn’t think she could be more proud of her daughter.
They had gone through three pages when Arabella smelled the delicious aroma of her mother’s cooking. She looked up to see Rosie standing in the kitchen doorway, watching them. Arabella nudged Katherine.
“I think Grandmama has lunch ready.”
“Good. I’m hungry.” Katherine closed her book and put it aside. “Are you staying for lunch, Mama?”
“Of course I am.” Arabella sat up as Katherine jumped to her feet and ran towards the house. “Wash your hands first!”
Katherine shouted something over her shoulder and then disappeared into the house, almost barging into Rosie. Her grandmother darted out the way with a smile, and then she turned back to Arabella as her daughter approached. Arabella couldn’t help but beam at her mother.
“She’s coming along. I can’t believe how bright she is.”
“Much like her mother. You could read by the time you were four.”
“I couldn’t read like that. I don’t know where she gets it from.”
Rosie was silent for a moment. Her smile was fading a little, and she was beginning to wipe her hands on her apron; a sign she was about to talk about something awkward. Arabella didn’t need to guess what she was going to discuss.
“I’ve heard that Viscount Harrison is a guest at the main house again,” Rosie said, a little too brightly. “That’s the third time in six months.”
Arabella took a deep breath.
“He’s supposed to have arrived this morning.”
“I thought he was going to spend this month in Ireland? Normally, he refuses to leave the estate because it’s the month his wife died.”
“It’s been ten years since Lady Harrison passed, Mother, and things change. He’s friends with Lord and Lady Derby, and his son is Lord Derby’s brother-in-law. They’re all family, essentially.”
“I suppose.” Rosie paused. “Your father heard mention of Viscount Harrison going to visit Mrs. Day again while he was here.”
“I know he is. He’s already seen her last night at the main house.”
“He’s certainly getting more confident about being around Mrs. Day without a chaperone.”
She was dancing around the topic. Arabella could tell. She folded her arms.
“What are you getting at, Mama? You know I don’t like people talking in riddles.”
Rosie looked like she was about to protest. Then her shoulders slumped and she sighed. “You need to tell him about Katherine, Arabella.”
Arabella gritted her teeth. This again. She shook her head. “I don’t need to tell him anything. It’s none of his business.”
“How is it none of his business? She’s his granddaughter. His only grandchild. Or have you forgotten?”
“He’s got Lord Derby’s niece. His son married Lady Sarah, so that makes her daughter his grandchild.”
“Katherine is his blood.” Rosie folded her arms, matching Arabella’s stance. “You need to tell him.”
“No, I don’t.”
Arabella didn’t want to think about the reaction the Viscount would have once he found out he had a granddaughter. Katherine would be taken away from her. Arabella wasn’t about to lose her little girl because a wealthy family wanted their blood living their lifestyle.
Rosie huffed. “For goodness sake, Bella! What do you think is going to happen? That he’s going to take Katherine away?”
“Yes! He wouldn’t want Katherine living anything less than a good life.”
“And she is living a good life,” Rosie pointed out. “Katherine is healthy, and she’s very bright. Viscoun
t Harrison isn’t about to take her away from her other grandparents. He’s a good man.”
“Appearances can be deceptive, you know,” Arabella shot back. “Just look what happened to Mrs. Day’s second husband.”
Arabella had just started work as one of the scullery maids when the murders had happened, poisonings committed by Doctor James Day. It had been a harrowing time, and Arabella had believed Doctor Day was above suspicion. He had been a good, kind man. Clearly, he wasn’t, and he had been executed as a murderer.
Arabella knew only too well how quickly people could change.
Rosie shook her head, giving her daughter a disapproving look.
“Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you’re going to do it again. You need to be less cautious about people and trust again.”
“The only people I trust to take care of my daughter other than myself are you and Papa. I won’t have anyone else getting involved.”
Arabella meant it. It did pain her not to have Katherine’s father in her life, but she knew that what they had done would create a scandal. If none of the Harrison family knew, then it prevented David from dealing with a scandal and Arabella from losing her daughter.
“If and when he finds out and that you had no intention of telling him, it’s going to be worse for you,” Rosie warned.
Arabella glared at her. Then she pushed past her mother and into the house. Her mother had the ability to make her feel guilty about the slightest thing. Even when she was a mother herself, and Arabella hated it.
* * *
Arabella did her best not to show her annoyance during lunch - Katherine didn’t need to see that - but she was fuming on the way home, purposefully going back through the trees. She had heard Rosie shouting after her, but Arabella ignored her.
Rosie knew very well why Arabella wouldn’t say anything about Katherine to Viscount Harrison. They were of a much lower class, and Arabella was not married to his son. As soon as Katherine was born, she would have been whisked away to be raised in the big house with a proper education, growing up around the proper people. Arabella would get visits, if she was lucky, but she wouldn’t get any say over her daughter’s upbringing.
Her mother had protested that Viscount Harrison wouldn’t do that as he was too good a man, but Arabella wasn’t willing to take that chance. Even the nicest of people could change in the right situation. Arabella had witnessed it with other people, and she knew it would happen here. Women didn’t have a say in anything in life, and she wouldn’t be seen as the right choice for Katherine’s upbringing.
Arabella hadn’t wanted to go through that. And, once Katherine was born, neither did her parents. Both of them had been absolutely furious when they found out Arabella was with child. Her father had shouted at her, berating her for doing something so stupid. Her mother had simply cried, believing Arabella had completely ruined herself. In Arabella’s mind, she hadn’t ruined herself at the time - she had been giving willingly to the man she loved - but things changed when she became pregnant. That she couldn’t hide, and she certainly wouldn’t be getting a loving proposal of marriage. Or even a marriage at all; no one would marry a girl with no prospects and no dowry.
It had taken a while, but Arabella had managed to persuade her parents that they needed to leave Ireland. She wanted to go back to England, put distance between them and the Harrison family. They hadn’t been happy about leaving, as life in Ireland was good for them and it was like they were running from their responsibilities, but they had eventually agreed. Arabella had cried all the way back to England, almost wasting away in her sadness. If it hadn’t been for Rosie urging her to eat and remember the baby, Arabella wouldn’t be here now.
The moment she had held Katherine in her arms had been beautiful. All the pain of childbirth had melted away and Arabella found herself staring at the screaming baby that wriggled against her chest. She was a mother, and everything was about protecting her daughter. Arabella wouldn’t let anyone take her away. Certainly not the father of the baby.
She had contemplated contacting him in the past, just to let him know that she was alive. Arabella hadn’t liked leaving without a word, but she knew there would be a lot of questions, or propositions that Arabella didn’t think she could accept. She was too proud, and she had committed a scandal already. It was meant to be a clean break. Clearly, in her mind it wasn’t clean.
Eight years had passed, and there wasn’t a day that went by where Arabella didn’t regret her actions. Then she remembered Katherine and what would have happened had they stayed, and she strengthened her resolve. Katherine was her daughter and she was staying.
Chapter Five
Arabella was still firm in this resolve as she returned to Anna’s cottage. It was quiet when she went in. Even Jeffrey was making himself scarce, more than likely having his own meal in the kitchen. Arabella shrugged out of her coat, putting it away in the closet along with her gloves and hat.
“Mrs. Day? I’m back.”
There was a sudden murmur of voices, and then sudden silence. Arabella paused. Whatever was going on? What was Jeffrey up to? And where was Anna? She hadn’t made any plans to leave after lunch. If anything, she was going to stay in and work on some letters.
Where was everyone?
“Mrs. Day?”
Arabella went into the morning room. And turned away with a startled scream.
“Oh, God!”
It wasn’t something she could get out of her head now. Anna and Viscount Harrison had been on the couch by the window. Anna had been draped across Harrison’s lap as Harrison kissed her with such vigor that it made Arabella giddy. The shoulder of Anna’s dress had slipped down, and Harrison’s hand had been drifting up Anna’s leg, going under her skirts.
There was a rustling of clothes, and then Harrison spoke. He sounded amused. “You can turn around, Arabella. We’re decent.”
“I don’t know about that,” Arabella snorted. She turned back, now seeing Anna on her feet brushing her skirts down and Harrison still sitting as he buttoned up his shirt. She tried not to look further down, choosing to concentrate on a point just over Harrison’s head. “What do you think you’re doing, Lord Harrison?”
“Do you really need me to tell you the details?”
“Ian!” Anna swatted his shoulder. “Don’t!”
“Forgive me, my dear.” Harrison rose to his feet, reaching for his jacket that was draped over the arm of the couch. “You need to make your presence known a bit more, Arabella. We didn’t hear you come in.”
“We did, but Lord Harrison decided to ignore you.” Anna glared at him. “So much for gentlemanly manners.”
Arabella tried to look anywhere but at Harrison. He was a very handsome man, tall, lean and dark-haired, though it was turning to silver. It was no wonder that Anna Day was smitten. Any woman with a pulse would be drawn to him.
Arabella knew that pull only too well. The man looked far too much like David, and that set off a pang in her chest. Arabella swallowed hard and squared her shoulders.
“If you’re going to do that, My Lord, would you please lock the door or make it known that you’re...well…”
Harrison chuckled. “You want me to make your mistress moan as I ravish her so you know not to come in? I’m sure that can be arranged…”
“Ian!”
Arabella was so shocked she almost burst out laughing. The man had David’s sense of humor as well. Harrison was still laughing as he slid an arm around Anna’s waist.
“It’s all right, Anna. I’m not that much of a cad. And I prefer privacy.”
“Clearly not right now,” Arabella grunted.
Harrison’s eyes twinkled as he looked at her. Arabella wished he wouldn’t look at her like that. She preferred it when he was morose and pining for his dead wife. Now there was a new lease of life in him. She clenched her hands behind her back.
“You haven’t lost that spritely attitude, Arabella,” Harrison commented. “All those years aw
ay haven’t tempered you.”
“I’m glad I can please, My Lord.” Arabella turned to Anna, who was still flushed. “Do you want me to do anything right now, Mrs. Day? Like show Lord Harrison out?”
Anna bit her lip, her eyes shining with mirth as she looked up at Harrison.
“I think that’s your cue to leave, Ian.”
“Then I will take my leave. I know when I’m not wanted.” Ian took Anna’s hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner?”
