Abbeyford Inheritance by Margaret Dickinson Page A

“Not until you’ve answered my questions,” she whispered.
    Emily sighed. “ Oh very well. Yes – he’s Sarah Smithson’s son.”
    â€œWe met him this afternoon – up near the abbey ruins. Emily – he – he seems to hate Wallis? Why should that be?”
    â€œI suppose he thinks he has good reason. He’s – he’s Squire Guy Trent’s illegitimate son.”
    Adelina gasped. “Of course! The likeness is there. Why ever didn’t I see it? But – surely, he’s about the same age as Wallis, isn’t he?”
    Emily nodded. “A year older, actually. Years ago, Guy Trent was as handsome and – and attractive as Evan is now. As you’ve seen, though, he drinks now and – and gambles …”
    â€œBut what about Evan? I mean – how …?”
    â€œAs a young man Guy was wild and irresistible. They say no girl was safe! He fell in love with a village girl – Sarah Miller. She – she had his child, but neither her family nor his would let them marry.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œThe Miller family arranged for Sarah to marry a distant cousin, Henry Smithson. But their life together has not been happy. Henry Smithson bears a grudge, and so now does Evan, against the Trent family.”
    â€œYes,” Adelina said slowly. “ Yes, I guess they do. And what about Guy Trent?”
    â€œHe married Louisa Marchant, the daughter of a wealthy clothing manufacturer from Manchester way, according to his parents’wishes. You saw her in church.”
    â€œShe didn’t look exactly happy either,” Adelina remarked. “But Wallis is their son, I take it?”
    Emily nodded and seemed about to say more, but at that moment they both heard the stairs creak and Mrs Langley’s familiar sniff.
    â€œOh Adelina,” Emily whispered frantically. “We’re caught. She always comes in here when she comes to bed.”
    â€œHush,” Adelina swung her feet to the floor. “Lie down, Emily, and pretend to be asleep.” So saying Adelina lay on the floor and rolled under the bed. The coverlet fell down at the side to hide her completely. The latch lifted on the door and Mrs Langley whispered softly, “ Emily?” But when, after a moment, there was no reply from her daughter except her steady breathing, Mrs Langley closed the door again. When she heard the other bedroom door close too, Adelina rolled out from beneath the bed, stifling her helpless laughter. She scrambled to her feet and not trusting herself to speak to Emily, for she knew she would laugh aloud, Adelina escaped back to her own room. She jumped into bed and pulled the covers over her head as her merriment shook her.
    Adelina surmised that perhaps Wallis Trent, who seemed to wield such power in Abbeyford valley, since neither Lord Royston nor his own father took much interest in the estate, might succeed where Lord Lynwood had failed.
    She made up her mind that she would ask him to approach Lord Royston on her behalf.
    â€œOne last try,” Adelina told herself as she mounted Stardust in the stableyard at the Manor, “and if that doesn’t work, I’ll leave Abbeyford!”
    A busy harvest-time had kept Wallis away from the Vicarage for some time, but he had left word that Miss Adelina was to be allowed to ride Stardust whenever she wished. Taking advantage of his offer, Adelina slipped away from the Vicarage one afternoon and went in search of Wallis Trent.
    She turned in the direction of the abbey, thinking that from such a vantage-point she would be able to see the workmen in the fields and perhaps see Wallis. As she drew near the ruins she could see plainly the gaunt walls, half gone, rising up grotesquely against the grey sky. It was a stark and lonely place and yet it fascinated Adelina, for she believed that perhaps her mother and father had met here when their love had to be kept a secret. She