Filed To Story: Alessia Mistaken as Mistress Book PDF Free
He grinned and backed from the room.
Alessia turned and stared at Claire’s mother in abject horror. Now what?
By late afternoon, the woman still hadn’t awakened, and Nicholas’s other guests began arriving. The Gallamores arrived first: Monty and Ellen, a couple in their sixties. Alessia had them settled just as Mrs. Pratt announced the Kleymanns. Quinn was several years older than Kathryn, and they were expecting their first child.
Monty Gallamore and Quinn Kleymann ensconced themselves in Nicholas’s study, and their wives rested from their trips.
Alessia was in the kitchen double-checking on dinner when Nicholas arrived unannounced.
“Evenin’, Mr. Halliday,” Mrs. Pratt and Penelope chorused. They’d hired extra help for the week, and two new women studied Nicholas surreptitiously. He obviously held a reputation in his town.
“Good evening. Have the guests all arrived?” he asked Alessia.
“The McCauls aren’t here yet, but the others are settled. The gentlemen have been in your study most of the afternoon.”
“And your mother?”
She tasted the soup and complimented Mrs. Pratt before replying. “I’m afraid she’s under the weather.”
“She’s ill? Is it something contagious?”
“No. It’s not contagious. She should be fine by tomorrow. Or at the very least the next day.”
“Is she prone to these spells?”
“Lord, I hope not.”
“What?”
“No. She’ll be just fine. It’s just that-she doesn’t travel well. See to your guests. I have everything under control.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Dinner will be served precisely at eight.”
He glanced around the kitchen. “
Nothing had better go wrong.”
“Your confidence is rewarding.”
He shot her one last glance and left.
Alessia turned to Penelope. “I’d like to leave a tray in my mother’s room in case she wakes. Perhaps just biscuits and jam or something that will keep. And coffee. Lots of black coffee. I’ll take it up.”
Penelope fixed the tray.
“Did Gruver tell you about my mother?” she asked from close beside her.
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t tell Mr. Halliday.”
“Thank you. Will you check on her from time to time, then?”
“I will. I’ll have a headache powder for her, too.”
Alessia gave her a grateful smile and took the tray.
Mrs. Patrick hadn’t moved a muscle that she could tell. Alessia set the tray nearby, added a log to the fire and hurried to her room to get ready.
The extra maids had brought hot water and towels to all the occupied rooms, so she spared the time for a quick bath, hoping to feel refreshed. She’d only seen poor William long enough to feed him all day, and took a few minutes to cuddle and talk to him.
“Did Leda visit William today?” she asked Mrs. Trent.
“Mrs. Halliday never misses a morning or an afternoon,” she replied. “He will be the most spoiled child in all of Ohio.”
“Good.” She dressed in one of her loveliest bustled fashions, sick to tears of black, and wishing she had something to relieve the tediousness. She clasped on her emerald bracelet and pinned a lacy white handkerchief to her breast in a fan shape.
Hurrying to Leda’s door, she rapped and at the soft reply, entered. “I’ve missed you,” she said honestly.
Leda was just slipping on her shoes. “Did you have a grand reunion with your mother?” she asked, accepting Alessia’s brief hug.
“I’m afraid not. She’s quite ill.”
“Oh, dear. Here I left you both alone to visit I should have seen if there was anything I could do.”
“No, there wasn’t. There isn’t. She’ll be better tomorrow.”
“Whatever do you think is wrong?”
“Probably the train ride. I know I get sick just hearing the steam or a whistle now.”
“That fear will pass with time,” Leda assured her. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with her care. I won’t have you working yourself sick. I’ve already warned you. Do you like this dress? I am sick of wearing drab colors,” she admitted. “I wore black for ever so long after Templeton died, and now again.”
“It’s a lovely dress.”
“I don’t carry off black quite like you do, though I can’t wait to see you in something else. Isn’t it strange the things we do for the sake of appearance? I have a rebellious streak,” she whispered, leaning into Alessia. “See?”
Leda raised her black skirt to expose a bright red petticoat. “Shocked?”
Alessia laughed. “Not at all. I am wondering, though, why we didn’t order one of those for me. Shall we greet our guests?”
Alessia locked her arm through Leda’s and they strolled downstairs to the formal parlor where drinks and appetizers had been laid out
The Kleymanns were already seated on a divan. Quinn stood. “Good evening, ladies.”
Leda and Kathryn had met before and exchanged pleasantries.
“We haven’t had a chance to tell you before how sorry we are about your son,” Quinn said, and then turning to Alessia, “and your husband.”
“Yes, none of us is quite the same,” Leda replied. “It’s as if a part of me is missing. Just like when my Templeton passed on. But then that pain lessened with time…I’m sure this one will, too.”
No one spoke for a few minutes.
“I do hope we’ll get to meet your son soon,” Kathryn said, and Alessia looked over to see she was speaking to her. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”
“We’ll have his nurse bring him down after dinner,” Leda said. “He is a handsome fellow. He will make you eager for your little one.”
“Oh, I know that,” Kathryn replied with a smile. “I’m already eager.”