Page 84 of Scandalous Heiress
Listening to her sister recount the sad tale of the transformation of her sister-in-law, Ada heard the story of Elanna’s life in more detail than she ever had.
But Lily, who knew her better than Ada, had sympathy for the young woman.Ada had been in Elanna’s company occasionally over the past few years, but she’d never had a conversation with her that allowed her an insight to her character.Each time, however, Ada was impressed by Lily’s tolerance for a young woman whom Ada saw as self-centered and who had caused as many of her own problems as her husband.Perhaps that was not fair to Elanna.Ada had witnessed three of Carbury’s outbursts when he searched for his wife.In those instances, he’d been belligerent, threatening physical violence to his wife, Ada’s father, and her brother Pierce.
“I’m going up to bed.”She bent to put a hand to Ada’s.“Stay.I know you like the fragrances of the garden.”
“Try to sleep.It’s good for you.”
Lily tried to smile, then strode away.
Ada strolled down the steps to the small rose garden that bordered the house from the public walk.The best buds had bloomed last week and only a few flowers remained.London with its smoke and fog was not kind to flowers.In the countryside, where a person breathed more easily, flowers did too.The azaleas and rhododendrons flourished at her father’s and step-mother’s home along the seaside cliffs outside Brighton.
A prickling sensation made her stop.Odd.She felt that in the theater tonight, too.She shivered.Perhaps she’d go in and—
A shadow emerged from behind the nearest tree.
She cupped her elbows.Surprise had her stepping backward.
“Good evening,” he said in a saccharine tone.“I thought your sister would never leave.”
“What are you doing here?”
Another man stepped from the gloom.“Convenient, eh, to come down here for us?”
The two of them were quite mad.Drunk, too.Or…or by the looks of their eyes, intoxicated by some other means.
“Good night.”She spun toward the house.
The first one caught her around the waist.“I think it soon will be!”
