Page 71 of An Offer for a Spinster
She tilted back her head, letting the sun play over her face, and closed her eyes.
How will I bear it?
She heard crunching footsteps over the gravel but didn’t immediately turn around. William would likely have seen her coming from his study window and might have sent somebody out to fetch her. Or perhaps he would even have come himself.
“You dropped this.”
She flinched at Timothy’s voice, eyes flying open. He was holding out her bonnet, smiling wryly down at her.
“Oh. Thank you,” Katherine managed, taking the bonnet from him. She rose nervously to her feet. “I… I suppose that you’ve heard the news.”
“That you’re marrying Lord Barwood? Yes, I heard. And yes, I am here to convince you not to go ahead with it.”
Katherine shook her head. “I have to, you know that. You know the situation we’re in – I know that William told you – and the fact is that Imustmarry. It’s as simple as that.”
Timothy seemed to waver, lips moving as if sounding through words. She found herself waiting, breathless, for him to speak.
It was pleasant, being around a man who weighed his words so carefully.
A man who sent her heart fluttering the way Timothy did. A pang sounded through Katherine’s chest.
How will I bear it when I’m married to another man?
“I… I have a confession to make,” he said slowly. “I didn’t come straight here to confront you about this. I went home first. Made the stagecoach wait.”
Katherine lifted an eyebrow. “I… see. Why should I care about that? No offence.”
“None taken. I went home to pick up this.”
He reached into his jacket and took out a thick sheaf of papers. It took Katherine a moment to realize that she was looking at a manuscript.
“It’s not finished, but read the front page,” he said quietly, handing it to her. The front page was a blank sheet, with just a few typed words in the centre.
Rosalie’s Redemption (Rosalie’s Trials, Vol III)
Written by Mr. Timothy Rutherford (publishing name L. Sterling)
Katherine stared at the words until her vision swam.
“I… I… I don’t understand,” she gasped. “What is this?”
“It’s the final book of theRosalieinstalments,” Timothy said, eyes fixed on her. “I wrote theRosaliebooks. I wrote all of them. I’m L. Sterling, Katherine.”
All of a sudden, everything he had said and done came crashing back on, so painfully obvious that Katherine wasn’t sure whether she wanted to laugh, cry, or manage both at the same time.
“You’re L. Sterling,” she managed at last, hand fluttering up to her mouth.
“I should have told you, but I had no idea you liked my novels that much, and then it just seemed… just seemed like I would be courting attention.”
“Your books are remarkable,” she admitted. “When I read them, I feel… I feel whole again.”
He shrugged lightly. “When I write them, I feel whole. I only now told William, for what it’s worth. I’ve kept this secret from everybody I know. I intend to keep it secret, too. I don’t want fame, I just want to write in peace. But you… I want you to know.”
She swallowed hard, nodding. “I… I understand.”
He stepped forward, hand coming out to rest on her forearm. The warmth of his fingers seemed to burn, in a good way.
“Katherine, don’t marry him,” he said softly. “Please. I beg you, don’t marry him. He only wants you for your money, I overheard him saying it in the club.”
