Chapter 17 #2
“No.” Ash laughed. “This is going to sound exceedingly patrician, and I hate to even admit that it’s true. I’ve never used a broom, and I was actually admiring just how efficient you are with it.”
Trent could only laugh. “Patrician, indeed. Sometimes it’s easy for me to forget that you are, in fact, Lord Ashdown.”
“Did you grow up in a place like this?” Ash gestured around the small home with his cane.
Trent shook his head. He scooped the majority of the glass from the floor and dumped it into the bin. “I grew up in the rookeries.”
Ash sighed. “I’m sorry you had a hard life, Trent.”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry you did, too.” Ash obviously blamed himself for not saving Trent from that life, but it wasn’t his fault.
Trent had no doubt, if Ash had known he existed, he would have done just that.
John appeared in the hallway, Anthony standing behind him with his hands protectively on his shoulders.
Reluctantly, John walked to stand before Ash. He swallowed nervously. “Anthony says you’re Lord Ashdown.”
Ash sat down and waved him over to stand in front of him. “Technically, I am. But you may just call me Ash.”
The young boy looked so afraid. “I’m sorry I broke the window, my lord.”
“It’s alright, John. It’s only a window. Will you tell me what happened that got you so upset?”
“Someone was saying rude things about my mum and Anthony. Saying that Mr. Gibson only lets Anthony work on the estate because my mum has been giving him special favors, and that’s why he comes around all the time.” Tears started down his cheeks again.
“Who said that?” Anthony barked. He crouched next to his brother. “Who said that, Johnny?”
“Easy, Anthony,” Trent said. “We don’t need even more problems.”
With a sigh, he stood and held out a hand. “Let me finish with that.”
Trent handed him the broom and went to sit next to Ash. “You know that’s not why I’ve been coming around, right?”
John nodded.
“Well, that’s all that matters. I know it’s not easy but try to ignore that kind of thing.”
“Who was it?” Ash asked. “Perhaps Lord Ashdown needs to pay them a visit.”
* * *
“I got it!” Maggie dropped her net and jumped up and down, a butterfly trapped inside.
“Let’s have a look.” Samantha knelt to examine the insect. “What color is it?”
“It’s yellow!”
“That’s right, it is. And what color are the little spots?”
“Orange!”
“Right again! And that grey part there, in the middle, that’s its body, and the yellow parts are the wings.”
“Is that what makes it fly?”
“It sure is. Shall we let it go now?”
Maggie nodded enthusiastically. Samantha held the net open. “Gentle,” she said as Maggie reached inside. She was so careful as the butterfly climbed onto her little fingers, and she squealed as it took flight once more.
“I love butterflies!”
Samantha never seemed to stop smiling these days. Such a change from where she’d been. It was impossible to not smile when Maggie was around. And Trent. Just thinking of him was enough to turn up her lips.
Mrs. Elmhurst came around the side of the house. “Good afternoon,” Samantha called to her.
Maggie ran across the grass. “Emma! Want to catch butterflies with us?”
Mrs. Elmhurst smiled, but was obviously flustered, and even though she wasn’t now, Emma had been crying. Samantha summoned Mrs. Baird. “Why don’t you take Maggie and Emma inside for a snack?”
“Yay! Can we have lemon cakes?”
Mrs. Elmhurst set Emma down and Maggie took her hand. Together, they skipped across the lawn and into the house with Mrs. Baird.
“What’s the matter, Mrs. Elmhurst?”
She shook her head, struggling to explain. “Lord Ashdown sent me here.”
Panic sent a chill through her. “Is he alright? Is Trent alright?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Yes, they’re fine. It’s just…
I don’t know what’s going to happen. Johnny was upset about something, and he broke the window.
He didn’t mean to, but he broke it, all the same.
And His Lordship was sitting right there on the sofa.
” She looked desperately into Samantha’s eyes.
“What if he evicts us? Or even if he doesn’t, how am I going to pay for a new window? ”
Samantha wrapped an arm around Mrs. Elmhurst’s shoulders. “I can promise you, you have nothing to worry about. Come inside and have a cup of tea.”
After they were settled on the sofa, Samantha reassured her once again. “You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Elmhurst. Lord Ashdown is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Did he seem upset?”
“No.” She stared down at her tea. “He said it’s only a window, and then he sent me here so that Emma and I could enjoy some sunshine, and to protect her feet from the broken glass.”
Samantha laughed. “Of course he did. He’s good with children. Uncle Ash is Maggie’s favorite person.”
“Uncle? But I thought Maggie was Mr. Gibson’s sister.”
“She is, but she doesn’t have any relation to Ash. Trent is only his half-brother. But I can promise you, they will make sure you’re taken care of. They’ll see that the window is replaced. You have nothing to worry about.”
She let out a long sigh. “I don’t quite know how to feel about this whole revelation. He’s shown my family and me so much kindness, and this whole time, he was not only the manager here, but Lord Ashdown’s brother.”
Samantha squeezed her hand. “Nothing has changed.”
She groaned. “I teased him. I didn’t know who he was, and I teased that he was even handsomer than Mr. Gibson.”
Samantha laughed out loud. “He is handsome, but I have to admit, my preference is for Trent.”
“Well, he certainly has an eye for you.”
Warmth crept into her cheeks. It was probably selfish of her, but she was going to take full advantage of that and enjoy this for as long as she could. After all the misery she’d endured, surely she deserved a moment of happiness.
“And you have an affection for him, if that wistful smile is any indication.”
Samantha sighed. “If only life were as simple as that.”
“It’s never simple, but your heart knows what’s right for you.” She took a sip of her tea. “I ran away from my family to be with my husband. It wasn’t easy, but it was the right choice. I loved him, and he loved me.”
Samantha stared down at her cup and chewed on her lip. “I can’t bear children.”
“Does he know that?”
Samantha nodded.
“And has he said he doesn’t want to be with you because of that?”
“No.” He hadn’t said anything about it, in fact.
“But you’ve seen him with Maggie. He adores her.
He needs to have children of his own.” But he had come to her bed last night.
Initially to comfort her, but then for more.
He wouldn’t have allowed that if he wasn’t still intent on marrying her, because regardless of what he said, he was a perfect gentleman.
“He certainly is good with children. You both are. You’ve both taken mine under your wings.
And me, for that matter. We’re lucky to have you.
So, I’ll give my advice, and you can do with it what you will.
Follow your heart. If the love is real, it won’t lead you astray. Let God figure out the rest.”