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Mother—the woman I believed to be my mother—this is what she meant.
All those years—all of those things she said—this is what she meant.
To finally have an answer to the mystery...why her mother had told Kate she was different...why Kate never felt that she belonged...this was why. The new knowledge flooded her, and steadied her.
But just as suddenly, a new wave of tumultuous feelings broke over her and she realized that she had never known the woman who had birthed her. Her mother was not her mother, and the woman whowas,was gone.
Lady Inverley rose from her seat. ‘I beg your pardon, my lord, I feel I must retire for a time,’ she said. ‘Pardon me, everyone. I must take my leave.’
Kate met the lady’s eyes as she hastened from the room, and a chill swept over her.
She is not pleased at the discovery of my existence,Kate mused.
I suppose I’ve upset her life in a most remarkable way.
I do hope she will forgive me for it.
‘Well,’ said the fellow in red. ‘What happens now?’
Kate looked at the earl, who blinked in response to the question.
‘I suppose I should have Mrs. Bishop make up a room...’ he said.
At this, Kate found her voice at last. ‘Oh, I do beg your pardon, my lord, but you cannot mean for me to stay,’ she said.
The earl gave her an affronted look.
Katherine’s heart, which had calmed somewhat, began to race again. ‘I must apologise but I am expected at home,’ she said.
‘Athome?’ the earl said. ‘And what is it you callhome, Miss—that is, my lady—’ He cut himself off, uncertain and flustered.
‘I only mean my uncle’s farm, my lord,’ Kate said.
Lord Inverley scoffed. ‘Your uncle! By the Devil, the man to whom you refer is no blood relation of yours!’
Panic flooded her. Did he mean to keep her from leaving? Uncle John and Aunt Mary would be beside themselves if she did not return. Regardless of what her mother—or the woman she had believed to be her mother—had done, they were blameless.
‘The Norwoods are good and kind, my lord,’ she pleaded. ‘They know nothing of this...entanglement.’
‘And how did you propose to travel to this...place? Where is it?’
‘’Tis a farm. In Wiltshire,’ Kate said desperately. ‘I would return by cart.’
‘A farm! In Wiltshire!’ exclaimed Lord Inverley, his face reddening.
Kate twisted her hands in her lap, unsure of what to say.
The earl squared his shoulders, peering down at her imperiously.
‘You may not leave. I forbid it.’
Chapter 7
James
As she faced Lord Inverley, Lady Katherine’s eyes filled with tears and she pressed a hand to her mouth in despair.
I must intervene at once.
