Adam stepped down from the buggy and came around to help Madeline. “Miss Oxley, this is my son, Charles.”
The boy suddenly lost his enthusiasm. “Miss Oxley? But where’s Lady Thurston?”
“She didn’t come. There was a misunderstanding, and Lady Thurston’s sister came to visit instead.”
“Her sister?” Charlie gazed uncertainly at Madeline. “Willyoube marrying my father?”
Madeline was thankful that Adam answered the question before she had to. “No, Charles. She’s just visiting. I’ll be sending another letter to Lady Thurston to clear everything up.”
While the boy led the horse and buggy into the barn, Adam escorted Madeline into the house, the wide center hall decorated with teal wallpaper and dark cherry columns. An older woman wearing gold spectacles appeared from the back kitchen. She smoothed her skirt with her hands. “Mr. Coates, you’ve returned.”
“Hello, Agnes. This is Madeline Oxley. Diana’ssister.”
Looking bewildered, the woman stared at Madeline.
Madeline saw the situation work itself through the woman’s mind, until finally she nodded in understanding. Madeline forced herself to smile. She would be glad to get these awkward introductions over and done with.
“Madeline, this is my housekeeper, Mrs. Agnes Dalton.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
At that instant, a dark-haired girl came running from the kitchen. “Father!”
She flew into Adam’s arms. He scooped her up and squeezed her before setting her back down. “Miss Oxley, this is my daughter, Penelope. Penelope, this is Miss Madeline Oxley.”
“Are you Lady Thurston’s maid?” the little girl asked. “Father said she might bring one.”
Could this possibly be any more humiliating?
Adam quickly interrupted. “No, Penelope. This is Lady Thurston’ssister.There was a misunderstanding about my marriage proposal, but it will all be cleared up soon enough.”
If Madeline heard him saysisterwith that overly explanative tone one more time, she might decide to swim back to Yorkshire!
“So, you’ll be my aunt, then?” Penelope said.
Despite the setbacks, Madeline couldn’t help smiling at the girl. “I suppose I will be.”
“Will you be living with us, too?”
Madeline tried to imagine living here after Diana arrived, married Adam and became stepmother to these children.
Could she live here, too? As the spinster aunt?
She glanced up at Adam’s handsome face, noticed the line of his strong jaw, caught the scent of his shaving soap.
No, definitely not.
“I’m just visiting,” she replied.
“For how long?”
“Very briefly.”
“How briefly?”
Thank goodness the housekeeper stepped forward and cut off the interrogation. “You must be exhausted after your journey, Miss Oxley. The crossing wasn’t too unpleasant, I hope?”
She was the first person not to make Madeline feel like a huge human blunder. “As smooth as can be expected.”
