My Dearest Enemy by Connie Brockway Read Free Book Online

from school but the bank trustees tell us that they shall abide by Horatio's wishes and keep Bernard in school unless we can prove his condition is life-threatening. It is abominable that in this country a dead
    man has more power than a live woman. You will doubtless disagree
.' "
    But he did not disagree. It
was
abominable. He well remembered Horatio giving the same instructions regarding himself: "
The boy is to endure unless he collapses
. " "
There will be no one to molly-coddle a sickling on my estates, so the boy stays in the school's infirmary
." "
Under no circumstances are the headmasters to indulge—"
    "Why are you scowling so, Avery?" John asked, motioning for one of the turbaned servants to refresh his drink.
    Avery stubbed his cigar out in a crystal ashtray. "No reason. '
Perhaps you could offer Bernard a word of encouragement. He quite considers you a hero
.' "
    Lily Bede must be seriously concerned in order to let pass an opportunity to give him a set-down.
    " '
He particularly liked your story about being elevated to god status. Indeed, so did I, since it bears out the theory I have long held that we Europeans underestimate the sense of humor of other peoples. Yours truly, Lillian Bede
.' " Avery broke out laughing.
    "I adore her," Karl declared, raising his tumbler in a toast.
    "You say that with every one of her letters," Avery said, replacing the note in his jacket pocket.
    "It's true. I have never heard a man put in his place with such elan. It is masterful."
    "Yes," Avery agreed smoothly, "and that's the problem. She would be master when she should be mistress."
     
    Mill House, Devon December 1891
     
    "Good morning." Francesca took her seat at the breakfast table beside Evelyn. The newest member of the household, a curly-haired maid who was just now beginning to show the results of 'a trip behind the stable,' poured Francesca's tea.
    "Good morning, Francesca," Lily replied absently, thumbing through a stack of envelopes.
    The women fell into companionable silence, interrupted only by the genteel clink of fork tines against china and the crackle of logs blazing in the hearth. Lily looked around at her adopted family with a feeling of supreme contentment. Surely, these two women could be no dearer to her than the brother and sister she'd never seen. But then, she'd never get the opportunity to discover if that were true, would she?
    The thought cast a shadow on her easy, companionable mood.
    "Anything interesting?" Francesca asked.
    "Not really," Lily said. "Mr. Camfield requests my opinion regarding his new sheep."
    "I think our new neighbor is smitten with Lil," Francesca said.
    "Nonsense," Lily said. Martin Camfield, the new owner of the adjacent farm, was not only a fine-looking man but one of the few of his gender that had the good sense to treat women as equals. "He merely wants my considered opinion and that's all."
    "Mr. Camfield seems an enlightened sort of man," Francesca said nonchalantly. "The sort of man one could expect to act in a progressive manner. He wouldn't, say, be tied by convention."
    "No, I dare say he wouldn't," Lily answered slowly, eyeing Francesca suspiciously.
    "One could see oneself enjoying a modern sort of association with such a man."
    Lily felt herself blush. That Francesca was giving voice to thoughts she herself had entertained only made her abashment worse. Martin Camfield might seek her opinion on sheep dip, but he certainly had never asked her to tea. But then, what man would? She was a bastard, without name or money. Each passing season saw her small, closely-guarded hopes for romance growing more improbable.
    "Is there anything else in there?" Evelyn asked.
    "Excuse me?"
    "I asked what other news you had."
    "Let's see. Mr. Drummond writes that I shall have to dredge the mill pond this winter and build new berms which, of course, I cannot afford. Polly Makepeace asks if the Women's Emancipation Coalition can hold its annual board meeting here come April."
    "All