Emily Greenwood by A Little Night Mischief Read Free Book Online Page A

annually, in the Bishop’s Garden, a plot of land to the side of the church that was very prettily laid out with curving, shrub-lined paths, generous plantings of flowers, and weathered old statues. Almost as soon as Felicity and James arrived, Crispin spotted her and came over.
    It had been almost three years since she’d last seen him, and she saw now that he had matured from the young man of nineteen he’d been when he left for university. He was handsome in his new black vicar’s clothes, with his fair hair and the muscular physique of the university rower he had been. She was still getting used to the idea of him being their vicar.
    “Here you are, finally,” he said, and gave her a friendly embrace. And she thought, good, yes, we can be friends now.
    “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” he continued. “I only had your note to say you’d be here, and it’s been so long.”
    She smiled. They had gone down a difficult road together right after her mother died, but seeing him now, she felt no grief over the past. Healing time had covered over their mistakes.
    His eyes slid sideways toward Mr. Collington with a flicker of irritation, but he quickly smoothed it over into a look of polite inquiry. She chuckled to herself, thinking such skills would serve him well as vicar.
    “This is Mr. Collington,” she said, intending to introduce him, but finding that she was unable to frame his presence in a way she could accept. “He is… that is…”
    “I arrived in the area only today,” he said, “and the Wilcoxes encouraged me to come and meet my new neighbors.”
    “Ah,” Crispin said. “Then we must welcome you.” His voice held a loyal, faint hint of reluctance. As they were talking, Felicity could see Mrs. Rossiter bearing down on them, and she could guess that the woman was bursting with curiosity about this newcomer to their village. A new face in a place as small as Longwillow was something of great interest. Felicity barely had time to perform the introductions before Mrs. Rossiter was carrying Mr. Collington off with her, like a trophy to be displayed to the other villagers.
    As soon as they were alone, Crispin said low, “So Collington is the gambler who won Tethering from your uncle.”
    She sighed. “Yes. Father insisted I bring him in his place.”
    Crispin, who was familiar with Mr. Wilcox’s reclusive ways, pressed his lips together. “That was thoughtless of your father. I can believe he doesn’t mind about the family losing Tethering, or care about your family’s standing in the community, but he might be more aware of how you are being affected. Instead he sends you off with the man who has taken your family’s home.”
    “No, Crispin, don’t. It’s all right.”
    He looked at her with a serious expression. “No, it isn’t. This is a very awkward situation. And I don’t in the least like the idea of that man,” he glanced in the direction of Mr. Collington, who was standing in the midst of what looked like the entire Ladies’ Garden Guild, “living on the estate with you. He looks like a fast sort. I don’t believe he can be trusted,” he said with an unvicar-like lack of charity.
    She frowned thoughtfully as she watched the tall, tanned Mr. Collington conversing with a bevy of older ladies, who looked to be hanging on his every word. He was moving his arms neatly, describing some large, rounded object with his hands, and the sun shining against the smooth fabric of his coat was picking out the long contours of his muscles. “Yes, he is rather jarringly different.”
    Crispin took her hands, startling her. “Why don’t you go and stay with my mother for a while at Stonecroft? I know she’d love to see you. And I’d feel better knowing you were being properly cared for.”
    “Oh—thank you,” she said, surprised. “But Blossom Cottage is perfectly fine. For the moment. And I couldn’t leave Father in any case.”
    “But I’m worried about you.” His eyes fastened