Anne Barbour by A Dedicated Scoundrel Read Free Book Online Page A

a man in, as well. Adam Beech has been very patient, Catherine, but he deserves—”
    “We’ve been over this ground before—many times, my dears. Adam deserves a woman who will love him unreservedly, which I cannot. He is my friend, and for that I am grateful, but I do not wish more from him.”
    “Bah,” Lady Jane uttered a barely stifled snort. “You can’t let one unhappy experience with love discourage you from dipping into the pool again. Lord, if I’d let that sort of thing stop me, I never would have married Carstairs. He wasn’t much of a husband, but he was malleable, and I did enjoy being a countess—and he did give me four beautiful children.”
    Catherine and Mariah exchanged grins. “And how about Mister Winter?”
    Lady Jane’s expression softened. “Ah, dear Charlie. My only regret is that I never had any children with him—although—” She glanced about her with satisfaction. “I was left with Winter’s Keep.” She chuckled. “Lord, what a rumpus there was when I told my family I was going to marry a cit! But there wasn’t a thing they could do about it. If you want to talk of love matches—well, the real thing came to me late in life, as it may do for you, Catherine. But you’re not getting any younger.”
    “And, as I have told you, Grandmama,” retorted Catherine, “if I die an old maid, I will not count it a tragedy. I am pleased that matrimony brought you happiness, but, as you can see, I have achieved that state by remaining single.”
    “Well,” interposed Mariah judiciously, “I like being single—but, I liked being married, too; and if I were to stumble across the right man, I could be persuaded to try it a second time.”
    Lady Jane shot a glance at Catherine before replying to Mariah. “Spoken like a sensible woman. Now, if you could just persuade your friend to set foot in London again, the odds of your finding the right man to stumble across would increase considerably.”
    “Grandmama, we have been all over that, and—”
    “Yes, and I realize I’d be wasting my breath to point out—again, that your precious scandal has long been forgotten, and you still have friends there who—well, never mind,” she concluded at the signs of real anger that were rising in Catherine’s eyes. “I shan’t say anymore.”
    “Good,” said Catherine firmly. “And now, if we’re finished, shall we rejoin our patient?”
    When they entered Mr. Smith’s room a few minutes later, they discovered that a servant had just come into the gentleman’s room to light the candles in the wall sconces and to set a taper alight on his bedside table. Smith had just taken the draft left for him by Dr. Beech, and they found him dozing over the history of Rome. His delight at their appearance was patent. The visitors grouped themselves in chairs around his bed, and Catherine and Mariah addressed themselves to the needlework they had brought with them. After a desultory exchange of conversation, John said lightly, “I do apologize for not being able to tell you more about myself, but won’t you ladies tell me something of your histories?”
    The three women exchanged wary glances, and Lady Jane spoke first.
    “I am a widow, Mr. Smith. I was married at eighteen to George, the fifth Earl of Carstairs. After twenty-seven years of marriage, he died—took a tumble in the hunting field—and I remarried two years later, this time to Charles Winter. He passed away three years ago, after thirty-two years of happy marriage. I had four children with the earl-—my oldest daughter married Catherine’s father, and my son is now the sixth earl.”
    “And now,” said John gravely. “You have retired to the country?”
    “Yes,” replied Lady Jane tightly. “Although—well, that is neither here nor there. I am happy here and surrounded by people whom I love and who love me. What more could I ask?”
    “What more, indeed, my lady. And you have a lovely home—or, no, you said this is Miss