Rothbury frowned. “Miss Linfield is sincere in her wish to remain unmarried?”
“She has no desire to go to London for the Season, even though I have told her it will be quite delightful. As it is, she will be all but on-the-shelf when she makes her come-out. She is already twenty years of age.”
At that moment, the subject of their discussion entered the room. Rothbury studied her without being obvious. Miss Linfield had transformed from an untidy schoolroom miss into quite a presentable young lady. Her light brown hair, no longer tangled, had been tamed into submission, and a grey ribbon threaded through her curls. She wore a muslin morning gown with long, full sleeves, and her face, streaked with mud earlier, was now spotlessly clean. Betty had wrought a miracle in a short space of time.
Miss Linfield’s eyes shone with defiance as she sat on the sofa opposite her cousin. Rothbury took his seat in an occasional chair upholstered in striped silk.
The butler followed the young woman into the room. He left a tea tray on the coffee table, and Mrs. Linfield poured the hot beverage and handed Rothbury a cup.
“Thank you.” He sipped his tea and glanced at Miss Linfield again. The flush in her cheeks and the way she nibbled at her bottom lip made her seem very young.
The girl’s slightly tip-tilted nose and too-wide mouth rendered her far from the ideal of classical beauty. However, her thickly fringed sapphire-blue eyes were lovely, redeeming a face he had initially dismissed as plain.
He finished the tea and placed his cup and saucer on a side table. “My mother sends you her warmest greetings, Miss Linfield. She wishes you to come to London next month.”
The young woman’s teacup clattered onto her saucer, and brown liquid splashed on her gown. She gazed at him in horror. “But I am still in mourning for Papa. I cannot travel to London.”
“Mama has informed me that you will live quietly while you are in half-mourning. You will not be required to attend any social events until the end of February, when your period of mourning ends.”
“But…but I do not wish to leave Lyme.”
He tapped a couple of fingers on the wooden arm of his chair. “Why is that, Miss Linfield? Most young ladies are eager to have a London Season.”
“I am not like most ladies. I shall not go.”
“Your uncle is your guardian and, until you come of age, it is he who decrees where you will live. This house will be closed up, and I shall send my coach to convey you to London.”
She raised her chin. “When I come of age I shall return to Lyme.”
“I trust you will listen to the wise counsel of your relatives before making any imprudent decisions once you reach your majority,” he stated calmly.
“I have an interest in both fossils and geology, my lord. I enjoy my work in these fields, and I can continue it only if I return to Lyme.”
“Your work? A woman’s place is in the home.”
Her eyes kindled. “I am pleased we are in agreement, Lord Rothbury. This is my home, and my place is indeed here.”
“Don’t fence with me, my dear.”
She straightened her back. “Very well. Let me speak plainly. What you really meant to say is that a woman’s place is in her husband’s home. That, my lord, is quite a different matter.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance, The Dashing Debutante, during her long university holidays. After traveling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency romance, Lord Fenmore's Wager, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England.
Alissa then published two chick-lit novels,
The Truth About Clicking Send and Receive (previously published as
Send and Receive) and
The Truth About Cats and Bees (previously published as
The Blog Affair).
Many years later, Alissa returned to her favorite time period and signed a three-book contract with Vinspire Publishing for her Linfield Ladies Series, a trio of Regency romances that feature women in trend-setting roles who fall in love with men who embrace their trailblazing ways... at least eventually.
Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons. She is a member of The Beau Monde - Regency Fiction Writers.
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TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 2, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 9, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
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