No one crossed my path as I made my way to the garden. To my astonishment, I was out of breath and weak. I refused to turn back, but instead went to the closest bench. It was a relief to sit down.
Breathing out, I ran my hand over the stone of my bench. When I had first arrived at my aunt’s house, this had been my preferred location for solitude. The calm and quiet had been soothing to my grieving mind.
Such was not the case this time.
The flowers that gave off a subtle scent as I breathed in were a sober reminder of the time that had passed. Summer has more than half done, and soon the leaves would be changing. The surrounding beautiful flowers would turn brown and die.
Why did my thoughts turn so grim? Usually, the garden brought me peace, but it seemed so elusive. I’d set out to clear my family’s name, but I hadn’t managed to do it. My brother’s murderer may have been found. Henry Bladen would harm no one, betray no one else, ever again, but that hadn’t brought the result I’d wanted.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Could I be satisfied with what I had done? Should I just resign myself to having a name blackened from rumour and suspicion?
My right hand curled into a fist. No. Why should I lie down and take it when there was something I could do? A Sinclair would never admit defeat if there was some course of action they could take.
“Blast,” I whispered. Opening my eyes, I looked over my shoulder at my aunt’s house.
Aunt Beth was going to have a lot to say when I told her. Maybe I would wait until after I received a response from Mr. Harper.
Epilogue
Miss Nelson,
Thank you for your prompt response. I am pleased to hear that you are recovering from the unfortunate encounter with Bladen at Clarendon. A gunshot wound can be a tricky thing to recover from, especially when one is so foolish as to travel immediately after.
In answer to your question, yes. Though it would have been better to act now, a month’s time should not cause too much of a problem. If you feel yourself ready sooner, of course, we shall be ready to put you into place. Merely send word.
In the meantime, if you have access to the papers, I advise you to learn all that you can of Miss Evelyn Russell. She has been a much loved dramatic actress in London for the past three years. Before that, she travelled with an acting troupe that took her to many cities along the coast. I’m sure you can see how such a life would have put her in the way of being able to hear much information and then pass it on.
Rest while you can, Miss Nelson. You may find the fall season more of a trial than you are expecting.
O. Harper
Acknowledgments
This book would not be what it is today without the help of a few other people. A huge thank you to my editor, thepeditingservc for editing and polishing up my book better than I’d ever hoped for. Thank you to my sister for being my first reader, and my mom for being my first critic. And, of course, I can’t forget about my lovely followers on Wattpad for being with me from the beginning.
You all rock!
Coming Soon
Not My Idea (A Gentleman of Misfortune, Book One)
“Lucas, you must return home.”
Twenty-two year old Lucas Bywood abandons his Grand Tour in response to those words from his father. Everything is not well at home and he finds himself in a bit of a fix. A little warning that his father had made tentative arrangements for his marriage would have been nice but Luke really wishes it had been anyone other than the young lady chosen. After all, Phoebe Ramsey had always been an annoyance and any time they had spent together had resulted in physical injuries for one of them.
Just when Luke thinks he’s escaped that particular future, he finds himself courting a young woman he doesn’t want, a furious best friend who wants a duel to satisfy honor, and the responsibility of finding who and why someone had caused an accident for his mother.
This was not his idea of what the summer was going to be like.
Also Available By Bethany Swafford
Regency Romance:
Eugenia (A Sinclair Society Novella)
Grace (A Sinclair Society Novella)
Emily’s Choice
A Chaotic Courtship
Young Adult Historical Fiction:
My Hands Hold My Story
About the Author
For as long as she can remember, Bethany Swafford has loved reading books. That love of words extended to writing as she grew older and when it became more difficult to find a ‘clean’ book, she determined to write her own. Among her favorite authors are Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer. When she doesn’t have a pen to paper (or fingertips to a laptop keyboard), she can be found with a book in hand.
To get notified about new releases and any news, sign up to Bethany's Newsletter here: https://bit.ly/2Hg7KJw
Read more at Bethany Swafford’s site.
Clarendon Estate (The Sinclair Society Series, #3) Page 18