AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Not feeling particularly social, he directed Amy to one of the small settees. “Where has Eloise been? I haven’t seen her in a while,” William said.
“She’s off visiting her cousin in London. She does that twice a year.”
“Does he ever visit her here?”
“Occasionally, but they find more things to do in London.”
The other members slowly drifted in. Miss Sterling and Miss Penelope walked in together, chatting, with Miss Sterling waving her hands around.
Amy stood and wandered over to the two women. William followed her.
“Where is Miss Gertrude tonight?” Amy asked, when there was a break in the women’s conversation.
“My sister was not feeling well.” Miss Penelope offered a slight smile.
“That is too bad. Have her scratches healed?”
“Scratches?”
“Yes, when I visited with you about a week and a half ago, she had scratches on her face. Remember?”
“Oh, yes,” Miss Penelope said. “Those are all cleared up. She is merely suffering from a megrim tonight.”
William and Amy glanced at each other as Mr. Colbert called the meeting to order.
Perhaps Miss Gertrude had a megrim after shooting Mrs. Johnson?
CHAPTER 26
Amy stared at the letter in her hand, vacillating between anger and worry. She was being threatened by her publisher. Either she must sign the enclosed document, agreeing to appear at the Atkinson & Tucker book fair in three weeks, or she would be the defendant in a lawsuit for breach of contract.
She folded the letter and laid it next to her place at the breakfast table. Whatever was she going to do? On the one hand, Papa was adamant that she refuse to appear as E.D. Burton, yet on the other, her publisher was waving lawsuit papers at her.
“Good morning, daughter.” Papa walked into the room. “Why so glum?”
She unfolded the letter and handed it to him. He skimmed the contents and handed it back to her. “I have spoken to my solicitor, and he is prepared to take the matter into hand. We can contact Mr. Nelson-Graves if it goes far enough that we require a barrister.”
“Papa, I don’t want a lawsuit.” She placed her hands in her lap and straightened her shoulders. “I think I should go to the book fair as E. D. Burton. It is time I received recognition for my work.”
Instead of the explosion she was prepared for, Papa merely shook his head. “It would ruin you, young lady. No gentleman would want to marry a woman so notorious.” He shook out his napkin, laid it on his lap, and began to place items from the platters in the center of the table on his plate.
“Papa, we’ve been over this. I do not want to marry.”
“Is that right?” He stopped loading his plate and stared at her. “It appears to me, miss, that your young man is heading in that direction and plans to take you with him.”
Amy felt the heat start in her middle and climb to her face. “Even if that were so,” she hurried to add, “which I don’t acknowledge as true, William is very forward thinking. He doesn’t see any reason for me to be hiding my name.”
“I don’t believe that’s true.”
“He said so right here in this house.”
Papa pointed his fork at her. “He said that because he didn’t want to find himself on the other side of the front door. Mark my words, when you two marry, he will take an entirely different stance.”
“Who is getting married?” Aunt Margaret asked as she entered the breakfast room. “You, Franklin?” The mirth in her eyes brought a smile to Amy’s face.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Margaret,” Papa huffed. “I am far too old and set in my ways to consider marrying.”
