For Your Arms Only by Linden, Caroline (best fiction books to read .TXT) 📗

afraid your lease would not have been renewed in any event. It expires tomorrow, and the owner has already, as I have said, taken new tenants.” He smiled politely.

Cressida pressed one trembling hand to her heart, which was pounding painfully. She had known they must move soon, but in a few hours’ time? “Without even a chance to renew? My father…”

“Sergeant Turner did not pay the rent. I am sorry, Miss Turner, but I am only doing as my employer asked.”

Vividly but silently, she cursed her father. If only he were here, surely he would be able to persuade this unctuous fellow to let them stay another week. Or perhaps he might have even paid the rent when it was due. “This is very little warning,” she protested. “I am not sure we will be ready.”

“I have orders to see the house is cleared by tomorrow at noon. I am sorry, Miss Turner.” He said it gravely, but Cressida thought bitterly that it was very easy for him. He had a home to return to.

She went numbly into the house before Mr. Clarke was even down the lane. They must pack at once—and go where? “Callie? Callie!”

Her sister came running, but stopped when she saw Cressida’s face. “Oh dear. What is it?”

“We must pack,” she said in a hollow voice. “We must be out of the house tomorrow.”

Callie’s eyes grew wide. She ran to the door and evidently saw Mr. Clarke departing. “Oh dear,” she breathed again. “Where shall we go?”

Cressida pressed the heels of her hands to her temples. “Marston, I suppose. We have little other choice.”

Her sister’s face paled. Without another word they hurried in search of Tom, to fetch the boxes and crates.

By mid-morning next day they had packed as much as they could. Granny was growing hysterical, fretting that Papa would never know where to find them, and he would be so upset at them for leaving Brighampton without his permission. Granny’s grasp of the reality of their situation was tenuous at best, thought Cressida, replacing another box that her grandmother had tried to take from the carriage before Callie led her back into the house.

Julia Hayes came cantering up the lane. “Are you really turned out?” she cried as she leaped from the horse’s back. “So suddenly?”

A flush of humiliation burned Cressida’s cheeks. “Yes.”

Julia’s eyes flashed. “How draconian. How unchristian. How—” She stopped. “I have come to take you to Penford. You must stay with us until you take a new house.”

“Oh…” It was a godsend, and yet…“Julia, that is too generous. But your family will not want us—”

“They don’t want you to be cast out into the lane like vagabonds. My mother is fond of you and your sister, and she is in full agreement that I invite you. Mrs. Turner,” she said, turning to Granny, who had wandered out of the house again. “Won’t you be our guests until you take another house?”

“Well, that is very kind of you, but I don’t know, my dear.” Granny cast a reproachful glance at Cressida. “We are expecting Sergeant Turner at any moment. He may have other plans.”

“All the more reason to stay close to Brighampton. And you must not worry about a thing; I shall have Farley send someone with a wagon for your things within the hour. Oh, how nice it will be to have you all at Penford!” Julia beamed at Granny, who brightened up and smiled back. Apparently being invited to Penford canceled her objections to moving without Papa’s permission.

Cressida breathed a sigh of relief. It was humiliating to have Julia see them evicted so abruptly, but the tense fear that had gripped her heart since yesterday loosened. It was charity, but from a friend, and honestly given. It didn’t matter that Alec would be there. She had gotten over her worst discomfort at his presence, and surely with a little more time, her pulse would stop leaping whenever he crossed her path. She sent Granny back to tell Callie, and drew Julia aside.

“Thank you, Julia. We would be very grateful to stay at Penford.”

Her friend laughed. “It will be a delight to have you!”

“It is especially kind of Major Hayes, after he has already done so much for us.” Julia’s mouth puckered, but then she just smiled again and turned to lead her horse to the block. “Your brother does know, doesn’t he?”

Julia patted her arm with one hand as she gathered her skirt to mount her horse. “Alec isn’t even at home most of the time. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“He—He does know you invited us, doesn’t he?” she asked again, more anxiously. Julia stepped onto the block and swung into her saddle. Cressida automatically helped tug her skirt into position. “Julia?”

“Good-bye, Mrs. Turner,” Julia called, raising one hand to Granny and completely ignoring Cressida’s question. She wheeled the mare around and grinned down at Cressida. “Good-bye for now. I will see you soon!”

Cressida sighed as Julia cantered away. She closed her eyes and said a quick prayer for patience. Penford belonged to Alec, and Julia wouldn’t dare invite them without knowing he would approve. Surely not. And she had already gone and accepted; they had no real choice, anyway. She would just be very careful not to trouble him much, and look for another lodging as fast as she possibly could.

And God save her until then.

From his bedchamber window, Alec saw Julia ride back up the drive, looking victorious. Quietly he strolled down the corridor to the top of the stairs, in time to overhear her talking with the housekeeper, directing Mrs. Smythe to prepare rooms for the Turner ladies. Then Julia hurried off, calling to their mother. Her voice rang with confidence and delight. They were coming.

He didn’t want to think too closely about what had happened. Alec was not sure his actions, let alone his motives, would stand up to any sort of scrutiny. It was mere chance that he’d overheard a man in Marston mention the