Restoring Lady Anna
When Lord James Eversley is accused of a murder he did not
commit, he dresses up as his new brother-in-law’s footman and hitches a ride in
their carriage out of town. When it seems they are no longer being followed he
begins to relax until a minor accident causes them to stop at a shabby looking
inn. As his “master” and his sister sip tea in the scruffy parlour, James comes
face to face with Lady Anna, the woman who left him in the dead of night five
years before and a familiar looking child.
Lady Anna has accepted her life as Mrs
Johnstone, mother of four-year-old Viola, “wife” of Peter, the mentally ill
former footman and land lady of a shabby inn on the Great North Road. Her plans
for a love match with the handsome Lord Eversley were cruelly snatched away
from her five years before. Her ruination means there is no opportunity to
return to her family or the ton. When James turns up, dressed as a footman and
demanding answers, Anna must decide whether to tell the truth.
James never stopped loving Anna and now he must
learn what happened that fateful night that Anna left him heartbroken. With the
truth out in the open, he must convince the love of his life to take a chance
on him. He wants to marry her and restore her reputation among the aristocracy.
But in Regency England reputations are easily lost and difficult to regain. Can
Anna trust James enough to do what is right for Peter, despite his actions, her
child and most importantly himself? Can James convince Anna to seek the help
that Peter needs and return to the ton?
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EXCERPT
“Why did you leave?” he asked.
“I...I... did not have a choice.”
“Were you in love with him?”
“No.” She should lie. She knew she should,
but his light blue eyes seemed to bore holes into her very soul and she could
not bear to hurt him further. She could not bear to have him think badly of
her.
“Then I do not understand why you left. Was
it... was... God dammit.” He took a large gulp of his ale and looked around
before leaning close. “Was it the bedding? I know you were an innocent and it
must have hurt but...”
“No.” She shook her head fervently. Could he
really believe that the best night of her life had driven her from him? “That
night... it was very special. You were wonderful and kind and caring. I could
not have asked for a better lover the first time.”
Relief washed over his countenance before he
frowned. “Then why?”
Should she tell him? Could she? “It is too
complicated to explain, except to say that it was not my choice and it was not
your fault.”
He pushed his long fingers through his blond
curls and stared into his ale. “Is he—the footman—still alive?”
“Yes.” He looked into her eyes—the hope that
had shone there moments before was gone.
“So you are married.”
“We never married.”
“You live in sin?”
“Yes. I refused to marry him—not even to give
my daughter a name. I tell people I am Mrs Johnstone, but there are no legal
documents and no marriage. Therefore, you can return to the ton, my lord, and tell them that Lady
Anna Kingsley is a whore and has a bastard child.”
Now perhaps he would leave her alone to her
miserable life and find someone who would make a proper countess when his
father died. She swallowed hard, forcing back the tears. Willed herself to stay
strong. She only had to stay strong until the damned ostlers could help Lord
Ramsey’s horse.
“Shh! I will be returning to the ton to tell them no such thing. I wished
you would tell me what actually happened, if for no other reason than to
assuage my fear that it was something I did or said that drove you away. You
said you have a daughter?”
“Yes. Viola. She is a pretty little thing but
can be quite precocious when she wants to be. She would have made a beautiful
debutante when her time came.”
“Mama. Who is this?” She turned to see Viola
standing at her side and realised it had been the child who was tugging at her
skirts.
****
James stared at the little girl standing next
to Anna, tugging on the grey wool skirt. Blond hair, blue eyes and rosy cheeks
that reminded him of Rebecca when she was small. She even had the little turn
up in her nose that was identical to his sister’s. But, it could not be. This
child could not be his? They had made love but once—or at least just one night.
But he had not withdrawn as he knew he should. He had been too caught up in the
moment—in their love. Had Anna fallen with child that one glorious night, how
old would a child be? Three? No—four! Was this little girl four? He had no idea
how large or small a child should be at the age of four. He did not come into
contact with many children.
But he did not have to ask her age. His sight
told him that Viola was his as did something else…instinct perhaps?
He schooled his features so they were
unreadable. Years of training to be a gentleman, to show no outward emotion,
were now paying dividends.
“This is Lord Eversley, a friend of mine.”
“Oh. Pleased to meet you Lord Evasey.” She
bobbed a small curtsey, and he noted that she over extended her back leg a bit
like the actors did in the theatre at the curtain call. It was very sweet. The
child obviously did not meet many members of the aristocracy. Though it was
just like Anna to have taught her daughter to act like a lady in preparation
for meeting a viscount or even a duke.
“Very pleased to meet you too, Viola.” She
smiled dazzlingly at him. It really was like being taken back in time to when
Rebecca was a child.
“Mama, he’s awake. I heard him shouting.”
“I see.” She turned to James. “I need to go
just now. I have things that must be attended to.” Anna stood and looked like
she was about to bob a curtsey but seemed to the think better of it, probably
remembering he was supposed to be a footman.
He watched her leave, Viola’s hand in hers.
He had sired a daughter and all this time he never knew. He did not need Anna
to tell him that Viola was his flesh and blood—he knew it with every fibre of
his being. If he said it outright, would Anna lie? Could she lie about
something as monumental as him having a child? Not the Anna he once knew. But
she was harder now—more resilient. He saw it in her eyes. Even though he had
sensed she had been on the edge of tears, he suspected Mrs Anna Johnstone did
not cry very often. But he must allow Anna to tell him in her own time. There
was a lot more to this than a silly lady having her head turned by a handsome
footman.
Was the person who had just woken the
footman? Why had Viola looked unhappy when she had to announce the footman was
awake? And why was Anna the one working in the taproom?
He would find out, and he would not leave
this place until he knew the whole truth and certainly he
would not leave without his daughter.
AUTHOR BIO:
Em was born and brought up in the Central Belt of Scotland
and still lives there. She was told as a child she had an over active
imagination--as if that is a bad thing. She's traded her dreams of owning her
own island, just like George in the Famous Five to hoping to meet her own Mr
Darcy one day. But her imagination remains the same.
Unfortunately, Em was put off reading and
writing by school and although she rediscovered her love of reading many years
ago, she only tried her hand at writing again in 2011. After a year of writing
fan fiction, she wrote an original short story for an anthology. This was
followed up with two more shorts and 4 novella length books, all published
under a pen name. Having fallen in love with a new sub-genre, courtesy of books
by Mary Balogh and Lynsay Sands, she decided to try her hand at her new
favourite genre for reading--regency.
Having bitten the bullet, she feels she has
found her home in the 19th century, and it does give her an excuse to watch
Colin Firth in a pair of buff breeches and riding books ad infinitum.
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