the south garden where John Beadle worked.
The finest gardener south of Newcastle, he looked more like a member of the gentry than a gardener, even when down in the dirt readying the spring soil. His complexion had long ago been darkened and leathered by the sun, and his dark hair had been sprinkled with gray. Kate loved his forthright hazel eyes and his calm, quiet dignity.
Calm and dignity that she did not possess. Ever since she could remember, Kate felt a restlessness, a constant churning deep inside her. She did not understand its cause or know its cure, but she felt sure it had to do with the past.
Although dissimilar in temperament, John's patience worked in good stead with Kate. By example, he had instilled in her a love of gardening and given her an unequaled knowledge of rose gardening. From John Beadle she had learned strong, firm values. She'd been more fortunate in the parents who took her into their home and hearts than Edmund had been with his natural mother and father.
Her papa had lost a great deal of weight following her mother's death. He appeared thin and wan. Kate worried about him, wondered if she should even ask his advice. But then, her dilemma might take his mind off his sorrow, if only for a little time.
"Good day, Papa."
"Kate." He looked up, surprise mixed with pleasure in his ready smile. "What brings ye here, me girl?"
"I brought you refreshment, so that you might take a rest."
He waved her away, his attention returning to the soil. "No need to worry over me. 'Tis better to work."
"Papa, I miss her, too."
He continued to stare at the dirt. "I know ye do. How is your eye today?”
"As you can see, the normal color is almost restored." And the lump on her head, which he could not see and did not know of, had lessened in size as well.
Kate hunkered down to his level, squatting on her heels. "Papa, you know that I have been keeping Lady Cordelia company in the afternoons."
"Aye."
"Lord Stamford has asked me if I would accompany Lady Cordelia to London as her gentlewoman. It would only be until I gained a position as nurse, and I would be well compensated for my time."
He looked up at her, plainly perplexed, if the scowling bunch of his brow was any indication. "Would ye like to be Lady Cordelia's constant companion? She does go on with an endless list of complaints."
"Aye, the lady's ailments are numerous," Kate agreed. "But I am accustomed to her, and she is good to me. I am thinking that living in London might offer me opportunities not available in the village... like the theater."
"And Edmund?"
"Oh, no, Papa!"
"I've seen the look in ye eye the last few days, me girl."
"Edmund and I have always been the best of friends."
"But he is the Earl of Stamford now. And ye are just..." His voice trailed off. Averting his gaze to the garden wall, he pressed his lips tightly together.
"Papa?"
He turned back to Kate. His words came slowly. "Ye are me girl. Ye cannot be friends with the man in the same way ye were friends with the boy."
Stung by the truth stated aloud and plainly, Kate tilted her chin. "I am fully aware of our differences, Papa."
"As I am certain the earl is. Ye have grown to be a beautiful young woman, me girl."
"Edmund and I used to play together. We forged a bond that has nothing to do with... your meaning."
"Aye? Kate, do not be naive."
"I am not."
"Ye are the gardener's daughter. The earl may think he owns ye, like one of his hounds or horses." Her papa's tone was ominous. " 'Tis the way of the world."
"No! Do not even suggest that Edmund would take advantage of me, Papa."
"Lord Stamford to ye, me girl."
The implication that Edmund would use her unjustly wounded Kate. Her papa's suggestion echoed her own suspicions, which Edmund's kiss had elicited.
"Ye would not be the first young girl lured to ruin by a member of nobility."
"Papa! We are speaking of Ed—Lord Stamford. He has only been good and kind to me since I was a child."
"Ye are not a child
The finest gardener south of Newcastle, he looked more like a member of the gentry than a gardener, even when down in the dirt readying the spring soil. His complexion had long ago been darkened and leathered by the sun, and his dark hair had been sprinkled with gray. Kate loved his forthright hazel eyes and his calm, quiet dignity.
Calm and dignity that she did not possess. Ever since she could remember, Kate felt a restlessness, a constant churning deep inside her. She did not understand its cause or know its cure, but she felt sure it had to do with the past.
Although dissimilar in temperament, John's patience worked in good stead with Kate. By example, he had instilled in her a love of gardening and given her an unequaled knowledge of rose gardening. From John Beadle she had learned strong, firm values. She'd been more fortunate in the parents who took her into their home and hearts than Edmund had been with his natural mother and father.
Her papa had lost a great deal of weight following her mother's death. He appeared thin and wan. Kate worried about him, wondered if she should even ask his advice. But then, her dilemma might take his mind off his sorrow, if only for a little time.
"Good day, Papa."
"Kate." He looked up, surprise mixed with pleasure in his ready smile. "What brings ye here, me girl?"
"I brought you refreshment, so that you might take a rest."
He waved her away, his attention returning to the soil. "No need to worry over me. 'Tis better to work."
"Papa, I miss her, too."
He continued to stare at the dirt. "I know ye do. How is your eye today?”
"As you can see, the normal color is almost restored." And the lump on her head, which he could not see and did not know of, had lessened in size as well.
Kate hunkered down to his level, squatting on her heels. "Papa, you know that I have been keeping Lady Cordelia company in the afternoons."
"Aye."
"Lord Stamford has asked me if I would accompany Lady Cordelia to London as her gentlewoman. It would only be until I gained a position as nurse, and I would be well compensated for my time."
He looked up at her, plainly perplexed, if the scowling bunch of his brow was any indication. "Would ye like to be Lady Cordelia's constant companion? She does go on with an endless list of complaints."
"Aye, the lady's ailments are numerous," Kate agreed. "But I am accustomed to her, and she is good to me. I am thinking that living in London might offer me opportunities not available in the village... like the theater."
"And Edmund?"
"Oh, no, Papa!"
"I've seen the look in ye eye the last few days, me girl."
"Edmund and I have always been the best of friends."
"But he is the Earl of Stamford now. And ye are just..." His voice trailed off. Averting his gaze to the garden wall, he pressed his lips tightly together.
"Papa?"
He turned back to Kate. His words came slowly. "Ye are me girl. Ye cannot be friends with the man in the same way ye were friends with the boy."
Stung by the truth stated aloud and plainly, Kate tilted her chin. "I am fully aware of our differences, Papa."
"As I am certain the earl is. Ye have grown to be a beautiful young woman, me girl."
"Edmund and I used to play together. We forged a bond that has nothing to do with... your meaning."
"Aye? Kate, do not be naive."
"I am not."
"Ye are the gardener's daughter. The earl may think he owns ye, like one of his hounds or horses." Her papa's tone was ominous. " 'Tis the way of the world."
"No! Do not even suggest that Edmund would take advantage of me, Papa."
"Lord Stamford to ye, me girl."
The implication that Edmund would use her unjustly wounded Kate. Her papa's suggestion echoed her own suspicions, which Edmund's kiss had elicited.
"Ye would not be the first young girl lured to ruin by a member of nobility."
"Papa! We are speaking of Ed—Lord Stamford. He has only been good and kind to me since I was a child."
"Ye are not a child
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