Page 51 of Romancing the Heiress
Leah stood. “I need to be on my way.”
“You should give some of that to us for all we did for you,” Harriet said sullenly.
The pain and anguish Leah had long carried faded away as she took a few steps toward the horrible woman who’d raised her. “All you did for me was make me feel unwanted, unloved, and completely lacking.”
“We gave you a roof, clothing, education, household skills, and most of all respectability. You wouldn’t have had that last one if not for us. All of Marrywell would have known you were a bastard if I hadn’t pretended to have birthed you.” Since she rarely left the farm, no one had questioned Leah’s parentage.
Leah stared at her, unwilling to remain silent or stifle her feelings any longer. “What I will never understand is how you cared for me, nursed me, then treated me as you did.”
“Because I did it as a favor tohim.” She sneered toward her husband. “But you loved that trollop—her mother. And her death nearly broke you, made you worthless to us.” Harriet turned her frigid gaze to Leah. “I saw no reason to give you, his bastard, more than the most basic of care. Still, I could have turned you out. Regardless of what you think, I’m not completely heartless.”
Not completely, but the line was definitely blurred. Leah tried to find compassion for the woman’s pain at feeling betrayed but still couldn’t fathom how she could take her anger out on a defenseless child.
“Stop it, Harriet,” Monty—Leah wasn’t sure he deserved to be called father anymore either—said loudly and with more force than Leah would have credited him with possessing. “You don’t speak to Leah anymore, not from this moment. You’re lucky I don’t throw you out after all you’ve done.” He turned to Leah, his eyes full of tears.
Leah froze. She didn’t know how to respond to this display of emotion from him.
Monty rose, clutching his hands in front of his slight paunch. “Ignore her. She’s a frigid woman, and I should have shielded you from her. I know yours wasn’t the happiest of childhoods, but I thought it was better than if I hadn’t brought you here at all.” He shot a glare toward his wife. “I turned from her to find love elsewhere, and I found that with your mother. She was the sweetest, kindest woman—a widow whose children were grown. One of them might have taken you in, but I admit I was selfish. I wanted you with me.”
“I wish you had said all this years ago,” Leah murmured, torn between the need to hear his confession, his love, and the desperation to find Phin. “But I forgive you. Just as I forgave her. Not for you. Not for her. Forme.”
“You are too generous,” he murmured. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“I’ve waited my whole life to hear what you just said to me. I don’t want to spend another day with anger and resentment in my heart.” Not when love and happiness were within her grasp.
Tears swam in Monty’s gaze. “I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. If you’ll let me.”
“It happens that I may be moving back to Marrywell.” If Phin would still have her.
Monty wiped his eyes. “Would you? That would be wonderful! I promise you won’t ever have to see her again.” There was no need for him to explain who “her” was.
Leah pondered whether she should give Harriet money. Then the woman could leave Marrywell and spare them all her cruelty. Jacob would likely be thrilled.
She’d need to discuss that with Phin. They would decide together. She only hoped it wasn’t too late, that he hadn’t already agreed to sell the gardens.
“I have to go now.” She tucked the letter into her reticule.
“You’ll let me know what you decide?” Monty asked, wringing his hands. “Please let me try to make things up to you. You were loved, my dear. Youareloved.”
Unshed tears stung the back of Leah’s throat. She wouldn’t let them fall here. “I’ll let you know.”
Then she turned and went to the entrance hall just as the door opened. Barnabas stood on the threshold, along with Jacob.
“It is you,” Barnabas said. “I told Jacob he had to be mistaken, that you would never come here.” He seemed incredulous, not irritated.
“I’m on my way out.” She ought to forgive her brother too, for he’d only sided with Harriet in their youth because it was safest for him. She couldn’t blame him for that. Forgiveness, though, would need to wait for another day.
“You can’t leave already,” Jacob protested.
“I will see you again soon.” She ruffled his hair with a smile. “Promise. You’ll need to introduce me to your brother and sister.”
He grinned. “I will!”
Leah brushed past them and hurried toward the sheep pasture. That was the quickest way to Phin’s house. Would her well-worn path still be there? To the gate leading to the botanical gardens, then past the oak grove and the castle folly until she finally reached the gate to Radford Grange. If she hurried, she would be there in ten minutes.
She prayed she wasn’t too late.
Chapter16
