A Night of Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page B

product of her imagination?
    “Don’t overcook the stew this time, Meg,” Hanna warned, always the little chef. Lately she’d been downright bossy about how to cook the meat.
    “Don’t worry, I set aside a pot for you, just the way you like it.”
    Mary Ellen rolled her eyes. She knew her sister thought she spoiled Hanna, but Meg just couldn’t help it. After what Hanna had been through, she needed to be spoiled. Meg focused on the curtains once more. Mary Ellen pressed close to Meg. “What are you looking for?”
    “A man.” Hanna settled atop a chair and bit into an apple. With the back of her hand, she swiped the trail of juice from her chin.
    Mary Ellen sighed and looked dreamily up at the ceiling where dried herbs hung from beams. “Aren’t we all?”
    Leave it to her sister to thrust her back into the world of ridiculousness. Meg jerked her dress over her head. “Tis nothing, really.” Her voice came out muffled through the material, but Mary Ellen managed to make out the words.
    “Nothing? You saw a man? Tell me he didn’t also see you,” Mary Ellen added, looking pointedly at her disheveled attire.
    Glaring at her sister, Meg worked the buttons up the front of her bodice.
    “Come, Meg, you must tell me what happened.”
    Meg tied an apron around her waist and heaved a basket of potatoes from the floor, intent on ignoring her sister’s questions. She was trembling, her breath uneven. God forbid Mary Ellen notice. A potato rolled out of the hole in the bottom of the basket and bounced across the wooden slats. “I told you, nothing.”
    Mary Ellen stopped the potato with the toe of her black boot.
    “Was he the new man?” Hanna asked around a mouthful of apple. “The man from the manor?”
    Mary Ellen’s mouth dropped open and her eyes grew as wide as saucers. Meg almost groaned. Her sister would never allow the subject to rest now.
    “Heard he’s got thirty thousand a year. Thirty thousand. Can you imagine? And not even a titled gentleman.”
    “Certainly wasn’t a gentleman,” Meg mumbled, setting the basket on the table.
    Mary Ellen scooped up the potato and tossed it into the basket. Apparently feeling she’d done her part in making the meal, she plopped down in a seat at the table and focused on Hanna, the only one in the room who had any interest in her silly gossip.
    “No one knows about his past. Some say he came from London and made his fortune in shipping. No family, no wife or children. Nothing. And,” she leaned forward her eyes sparkling with excitement. “He only comes out at night.”
    “Well, that’s not true as he was just now by the stream.” No wife. Why did the words catch Meg’s attention? She paused, knife held high, head quirked unwillingly toward her sister.
    Hanna swallowed, her eyes sparkling with interest. “Came from nowhere?”
    “Of course he comes from somewhere. He’s not a ghost,” Meg said, snapping from her reverie.
    The door burst open and Sally stumbled inside. “You won’t believe it. You won’t believe what I’ve heard.” She brushed a brown lock from her round, flushed face and settled on a chair next to Mary Ellen. At thirteen years of age, she was a miniature version of Meg. “Pease Manor is occupied.”
    Mary Ellen rolled her eyes. “We are quite aware.”
    Sally’s mouth fell open. “Well...well did you know he’s here searching for a wife?”
    “What? No!” Mary Ellen gasped. “It’s not true, I hadn’t heard.”
    “It is true,” Sally cried, tilting her chin high. “At least, that’s what they’re saying in town.”
    Meg gritted her teeth. “Mary Ellen, dear, mind setting the table?”
    Really, she’d taught them better than to gossip. She took her lower lip between her teeth and glanced out the small window above the cutting table. Was he truly looking for a wife? If he was here in search of a spouse, he’d most certainly befriend the town hoping to find eligible women. Wonderful. Just bleedin wonderful. He’d