Page 114 of The Trouble with Anna

Anna wasn’t paying attention. She had moved on from milkmaids to grandfathers. Oh, what a fiend the Viscount was! If he were alive, she’d salt his fields. She’d raze Chatham to the ground and cackle as he squealed.

Tears stung at Anna’s eyes and she blinked frantically, determined not to cry. Because if her grandfather were still alive, the truth was she’d horrify them both by flinging herself into his gnarled old arms and sobbing her eyes out. He’d made a casual wreck of her lifeas a trick! AS A TRICK FOR HER OWN GOOD!And all she wanted was to press her head against his traitorous chest and have him pat her with a gruff, “Enough now, child! There, there.”

“Lady Anna?” said Mr. Ingram.

“I’m right here!” Anna cried. “I haven’t moved! If you wish to say something, no one is stopping you.”

Mr. Ingram turned, if it was possible, an even deeper pink. “Of course! Apologies! The senior Mr. Ingram asked me to make it clear that you are to receive your inheritance whether you marry or not. He wanted to make sure you were not pressured by circumstances to… ahem!… to…”

“If you have a point, please come to it!”

Mr. Ingram took a big breath and his words came out in an embarrassed rush. “I am obligated to make clear there’s no need to marry against your wishes!”

“Against my wishes?” Anna gave a howling laugh and stood up abruptly. “Mr. Ingram, thank you for your call. I’ll have my man of business contact you shortly.”

Mr. Ingram picked up his hat. “Of course! Of course. We’ll get you all settled.” He gave two jerky bows and scuttled out of the salon, only to thrust his head back in a moment later. “Do consider Ingram & Ingram for your future legal needs!”

Once the door clicked shut, Anna flopped face-forward onto the settee, pressing her hot cheeks against the cool silk.

She’d have to tell Julian. Of course she’d tell him, just as soon as he returned from Clare. It was deeply humiliating, but that was nothing new when it came to her grandfather and his legal documents. It wouldn’t make a bit of difference to Julian because theyweren’t marrying to secure her future, not anymore. They were marrying because—

They were marrying because—

Anna whimpered.

She was marrying Julian because at some point over the past few months, her heart had leapt out of her chest and dived at him. Perhaps it had happened the first time his mouth twitched, or the first time he poked at her and made her mouth twitch too. Perhaps it was because she felt so much larger when he was around, as if Julian was her moon and drew her up to her high tide. Maybe it was how he leapt into their fights, but listened just as fiercely. Perhaps it was that the stupid man always put duty before himself, and neededsomeoneto look after him. Anna wasn’t sure. All she knew was that her bones had turned to butter and it was all his fault.

And Julian was marrying her because—

Because—

Because surely he loved her too?

She buried her face deep into the upholstery and howled.

CHAPTER44

TWO DAYS LATER, ANNA RETURNEDto the house pink and windblown after a gallop on Charon in the park. Technically, galloping in the park was frowned upon, and galloping until pink was positively forbidden. Usually Anna sucked in her cheeks and followed the rules, but today she hadn’t been able to resist the lure of a good, hard run.

She frowned as she made her way across the foyer. Perhaps tomorrow she could sneak off to Hampstead and have a real ride and let the wind blow away the cobwebs and rid her of the nagging sense that—

Levy stepped forward. “My lady, the Countess Ramsay awaits you in the grand salon.”

“Splendid! I’ll be down as soon as I’ve changed.” A cup of tea with the Dowager would be just the thing. Especially in the grand salon, which was papered in a pale, calming green and had the most charming pillars carved to look like palm fronds. “But wasn’t the Dowager meant to be at her garden club?”

Levy kept his face impassive. “Not the Dowager Countess, my lady. The, ahem, current one.”

Anna stopped in her tracks. It felt like the clocks stopped too, and even the air was hushed, as if everyone had forgotten tobreathe. The house was much too quiet. Surely there should be bells clanging or pots banging or somewarning.

“Charlotte’smother?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“But—but”—Anna flapped her hands, feeling like a panicked chicken—“surely she wants Charlotte?”

“Lady Charlotte is out, and the Countess requested—”

“Charlotte must be coming home any minute.”

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