Lord Romney's Exquisite Widow

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Authors: Jenni James
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you suppose it would have anything to do with me?"
    "Oh, p'shaw! Do not play coy with me, young lady. Even now, I see the redness in your cheeks. Ah-ha! I shall discover this secret as soon as I am able, and then you must come and confess the whole of it to me."
    Clearly, Mrs. Darell had little to do and much more time than she needed, for why would anyone wish to know such things of a mere acquaintance? Let alone someone of such odd relation as Catherine was to her friends and family. She sighed and smiled a little. "I honestly have not one notion what you are speaking of, but I cannot deny you the splendor of settling upon a secret and finding its darkest parts. Though I must warn you, I fear you will be greatly disappointed with any secret of mine." Catherine chuckled, squeezed the lady's hand, and then said simply, "I will have the butler see me out. Thank you again for your invitation. We shall do it again sometime."
    With the close of the door of the house behind her, the dowager countess took a deep breath while climbing into her awaited carriage and then marveled at how fast word traveled amongst the Ton .
    However, she mused as she reached the new earl's home, the rest of the afternoon was cleared for whatever enjoyment she wished. No more gossip, no more uncomfortable questions—merely peace and quiet.
    Yet it was not above a quarter of an hour, while she rested in the upstairs library reading some sort of decadent fluff of a Gothic novel, that the butler rapped upon the door and disturbed her.
     
     
     

CHAPTER TWELVE:
     
     
    "There is a Lord Hamson here to see you, my lady," Chaffney said. "Are you at home?"
    Catherine attempted not to groan as she closed the book, her finger still marking her spot. "I wish I could say I was not at home, but I know this man. He will continue to pester us all for several days until I agree to see him. ’Tis best to get this sort of thing over with now, I suppose."
    "Very good, my lady. Although I should caution you, he appears to have brought a gift."
    What madness was the man up to now? She removed her finger from the book and set the volume upon the nearest table. "Very well. Show him into the drawing room."
    "Perhaps not, my lady."
    She blinked. "Whatever do you mean by that?" Then she chuckled. "Why, I have never seen you look so uncomfortable, Chaffney. What has happened? What is it about this particular present you have not told me?"
    "I fear, my lady, that he has brought you something that is not considered a proper gift. Not at all the thing."
    Her brows rose as she imagined all sorts of very improper presents. "Are you to leave me in suspense?"
    Chaffney cleared his throat. "My lady, I am afraid to mention that it is in a large basket with a blanket over it, and moves around much like a baby."
    Good heavens! What could the outrageous lord be about? Catherine stood up. "Well, perhaps we had best bring him into the upstairs parlor in case the countess comes home earlier than expected. Send down for tea, and let Lord Hamson know I will be there presently."
    Chaffney bowed. "Very good, my lady."
    Catherine took another flight of stairs and made her way to the guest rooms. They had nicely situated her in a cheerful pink-and-white room, with a large wardrobe and four-poster bed. With the nursery above her, she could hear her step-grandson's little rambunctious feet as he played with his nurse. Catherine could not help but smile. She might never know the beauty of having a child of her own, but she had her dear Joshua's hugs and kisses and never-ending sunshine to make up for it.
    Just this morning, she and he had played a fun game of soaring hawks. They flapped their arms and dashed about the room, make-believing to be birds of prey as they leaped upon the little toys strewn about the nursery. She and his nurse had often used the game as an exercise to get him to clean his room, swooping down, collecting the toys, and safely depositing them in the chest or shelves where

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