Cecilia (The Families 0f Dorset Book 3)
Page 19
"Come in, my dear," she said, extending a hand to welcome her.
The weight of the interaction with her father melted at the sight of her mother's kind smile, and she sat on the floor in front of her, just as she had often done as a child, when her mother would run her fingers through Anne's hair and sing to her.
Anne breathed in her mother's violet scent and rested her head on her mother's knee. "Did Father tell you?" she asked.
"Tell me what, my dear?"
Anne sighed deeply, letting her shoulders relax even further to counteract the anxiety that crept in at the thought of the future. "I am to be married."
Her mother's hand stopped, her fingertips resting against the crown of Anne's head.
"To Tobias Cosgrove," Anne said.
There was a pause before her mother's hand dropped to Anne's shoulder. "No, he did not tell me."
Anne might have guessed. Her father never did tell her mother anything. Whether that was the result of his unapologetic disinterest or the result of the distance her mother kept from him, Anne wasn't sure.
"I cannot claim to know Tobias Cosgrove very well," her mother said, stroking her hair once again, "or precisely what type of husband he might be, but I do think him far preferable to the man I feared your father might choose."
Lord Granworth. Anne suppressed a shudder. Yes, Tobias Cosgrove was decidedly better than Lord Granworth whose squat but self-assured strut and the disquieting way he raked his hungry eyes over every woman sent a shudder through Anne.
"Yes," Anne said on a sigh, "I should be grateful, I'm sure."
Her mother placed her hands upon Anne's shoulders, turning her toward her. "You have known more than your fair share of pain, Anne. Perhaps Tobias Cosgrove is precisely the type of husband you need—one to help you remember the joys of life and how to laugh away your sorrow." She touched a hand to the small curl that hung in front of Anne's ear, too short to reach to her bun. "And who knows but what you might come to care for one another deeply in time?"
Anne turned away, a catch in her throat and a burning in her eyes. "I don't wish for that, Mama." She shut her eyes and inhaled. "I only want to live in peace—neither adored nor despised, neither adoring nor despising."
Her mother kissed the crown of her head. "It is no wonder, my dear, if that is so. Your heart has hardly had time to heal."
Anne said nothing. It wasn't time which was lacking. She had embraced her love match, so desperate that her own marriage not echo her parents' that she had fallen headlong into heartbreak of another kind; so desperate that she had fallen for someone who never even existed.
She would not do it again. She would marry Tobias Cosgrove, and they would have, she hoped, the mutually indifferent marriage of convenience that would give her the peace and independence she needed.
Also by Martha Keyes
Families of Dorset Series
Wyndcross: A Regency Romance (Book One)
Isabel: A Regency Romance (Book Two)
Cecilia: A Regency Romance (Book Three)
Hazelhurst: A Regency Romance (Book Four)
Phoebe: A Regency Romance (Series Novelette)
Regency Shakespeare Series
A Foolish Heart (Book One)
Other Titles:
Goodwill for the Gentleman (Belles of Christmas Book Two)
Eleanor: A Regency Romance
Author’s Note
In Cecilia: A Regency Romance, you encountered a character named Lady Caroline Lamb. Lady Caroline is a historical figure who lived during the Regency era. She was a bit of a celebrity at the time, hailing as she did from a powerful family (she grew up in Devonshire House) and causing a great deal of scandal, largely connected to her affair with the famous poet Lord Byron. I have taken the liberty of incorporating her into this story, pulling general bits and pieces from her life and weaving them into the storyline.
Lady Caroline was eccentric, and she was known to dress as a man at times, shocking both her husband (who became Prime Minister after Lady Caroline’s unfortunate demise) and society as a whole. Her short but intense affair with Lord Byron was public knowledge, and its collapse greatly affected her for years. The scene in Cecilia at Lady Heathcote’s ball is based off of true events, gruesome as it may seem to readers. I hope I have managed to convey a bit of the complexity in Lady Caroline, even though she is a side character.
As always, I strive to be true to the time period by my research, but I am by no means perfect. I apologize if you encounter errors in Cecilia, and I hope that you enjoy the characters and the story.
Thank you for reading Cecilia.
Martha Keyes
About the Author
Martha Keyes was born, raised, and educated in Utah—a home she loves dearly but also dearly loves to escape whenever she can travel the world. She received a BA in French Studies and a Master of Public Health, both from Brigham Young University.
Word crafting has always fascinated and motivated her, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that she considered writing her own stories. When she isn’t writing, she is honing her photography skills, looking for travel deals, and spending time with her husband and children. She lives with her husband and twin boys in Vineyard, Utah.
Acknowledgments
There are always a few key people who are instrumental in the creation of a novel. My mom has rooted for me and my characters from the very beginning and given me valuable feedback. My dad has encouraged me on some of my worst days, providing a buoying influence during the ups and downs of the writing and publishing process.
My husband has given up precious work hours of his own in order for me to write, edit, write, edit, ad nauseum. My little boys are almost always good sports about their scatterbrained mom and my constant sneaking away to the computer to get down an idea while it’s fresh.
Thank you to my editor, Jenny Proctor, for her wonderful feedback—I’m so glad I have you!
Thank you to my Review Team for your help and support in an often nerve-wracking business.
And as always, thank you to all my fellow Regency authors and to the wonderful communities of The Writing Gals and LDS Beta Readers. I would be lost without all of your help and trailblazing!