The Penwyth Bride (The Witch's Daughter Book 1)

The Penwyth Bride (The Witch's Daughter Book 1) by Ani Bolton Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The Penwyth Bride (The Witch's Daughter Book 1) by Ani Bolton Read Free Book Online
Authors: Ani Bolton
them.”
    “With what, sir?” his father inquired coolly. “You haven’t a groat to rub together.”
    “Never fear. I will get it.”
    The determined set of his chin thrilled me beyond words.
    “You will do no such thing.” Lady Penwyth’s hand trembled slightly as she forked into a rondelly of steamed purslane.
    “Why not, Mother? Spending the day at the quay is no more disagreeable that hunkering down in a mine.”
    “I daresay. But let Roger stay on his side of the Hundred, and we on ours.”
    Damon’s wineglass came down with a thump, slopping remnants over the laboriously starched tablecloth. “You cannot forgive him for spurning us, can you? That was long ago. And the rumors are rot.”
    “I do not listen to gossip,” Lady Penwyth replied quellingly, with a meaningful tilt of her head at me, “but so much talk must contain some germ of truth. Roger has no notion of how his queer ways and unsocial behavior affect our standing in the district. I prefer we share as little intercourse with him as possible.”
    “Roger has his eccentricities, to be sure--”
    “Lord, yes!” Susannah exclaimed, interrupting her brother. “I never saw one so much for coffee--nasty, bitter drink.”
    “--but who doesn’t? I never wager on a horse race without making sure my luck piece is in my pocket; so what if he never takes off those damned spurs.”
    “That’ll do.”
    Sir Grover’s tone hardly went above a pleasant remark, but his family instantly fell silent. “My dear Jocasta, if Damon has taken an interest in Roger’s business, it is all well and good. Roger has an uncanny knack for the shipping trades. His vessels are never wrecked nor harried by the African privateers.”
    “But isn’t that proof of--”
    “It’ll be better for Damon than idling his days with the other over-privileged bucks.” Sir Grover ruthlessly cut across his wife’s agonized whisper.
    “Roger cannot help being morose,” Susannah said thoughtfully into the little pool of silence that had developed. “I would too, if my parents had tried to murder me.”
    “Susannah!” her mother cried.
    “Hold your tongue!” Sir Grover rapped.
    Susannah gulped and lowered her eyes to her plate.
    “Shall I clear, ma’am?” Nanny’s soft country lilt broke the stillness, as she was blessedly unaware of the tension.
    Lady Penwyth let out her breath. “Yes. Thank you, Nanny. Why, Miss Eames, you’ve hardly touched your plate. I hope everything was done to your taste.”
    “Oh, indeed. It’s just that all the traveling . . . my appetite is quite crushed . . .”
    I felt Damon’s eyes upon me again.
    “My poor Miss Eames!” Lady Penwyth said. “Do take a dish of cream and nuts and then we will leave off the cards tonight. I--where have you been?”
    Her voice had sharpened.
    I looked up to see the pretty maid from earlier in the day, Jenny, sidle in the room bearing a silver bowl filled with uncracked nuts. The maid passed a tongue over her lips and flicked a hunted look about the table.
    “Don’t look away from me while I am addressing you.” Lady Penwyth’s voice cracked like a whip.
    “I . . . my sister be sick, mistress. I went down to cottage to see if my mother needed anything.”
    “Your sister is sick,” Lady Penwyth repeated with skepticism. “Why did you not inform anyone of your whereabouts? Cook was quite distracted without you, and poor Nanny had to serve alone. In future you must tell someone before you leave the grounds. I declare, Miss Eames, the girls I get from the village these days, scatterbrained to the highest degree--well, don’t just stand there, girl, serve the sweet.”
    Jenny’s downcast face showed no reaction to the reprimand. I was just about to feel sorry for her when I caught a slinking smile creep up at the corners of her rosebud mouth when she thought no one was looking.
    ###
    The next morning at the breakfast table, Damon was nowhere in sight. His mother informed me that he had left at first

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