Cross the Ocean Read Online Free PDF

“I’m going to visit Lady Elizabeth.”
    The door closed behind Briggs and Melinda. Blake sat up straight in his chair. Melinda would reveal everything to Elizabeth. Blake walked a fast clip, a stilted run rather and pulled the door open to see Briggs’ shocked face.
    “Stop the carriage,” Blake shouted.
    Briggs turned and called to a footman. “You there. Stop the carriage.”
    The livered young man ran but to no avail. Briggs turned to him. “Terribly sorry, Your Grace. Shall I call for your horse to be saddled?”
    Blake’s shoulders slumped and he scratched his head.
    “Your Grace, is anything amiss? Lady Melinda...” Briggs asked.
    “Never mind, Briggs. I’ll speak to Lady Melinda when she returns.”
    Blake wandered to his study and plopped in the soft confines of the leather chair behind the desk. What had upset him so to race down the hall, like Donald moreover, and reveal his distress to Briggs? He didn’t relish the thought of Elizabeth knowing about Helena. Blake turned in his chair and propped his feet on the desk. But certainly Anthony had told her everything by now. He was sure Elizabeth had seen him at some time before her marriage to Tony, squiring Helena about town. Elizabeth was not stupid, to be sure. She had certainly put together Helena and Blake’s association. Then why the simpleton’s flight down the hall? Why the rolling in the stomach, he now was experiencing? Damn. To admit what came in to his head, even to himself, was baffling, embarrassing, and uncomprehendible. Blake did not want Gertrude Finch to know of his dalliance. Especially from the lips of his daughter.
    The behemoth would laugh at him and the plot of his own making. This would reinforce her bold man-hating claims. “And why do you care,” he said aloud. A footman opened the door.
    “Yes, Your Grace?”
    “Nothing,” Blake said. He took a deep breath as the door closed. Why did he care? The question could not be answered rationally nor diminished for lack of one. And one fact remained. In truth, this unsolvable piece of him was the dilemma. He did care.

Chapter Three
    “Melinda, how good to see you,” Elizabeth said smiling.
    Gert saw the young woman at the door of the morning room and her heart clenched. She was close to tears. A torment was revealed on the girl’s stunning face.
    “I wanted to … mother and I wanted to know … to know,” Melinda stuttered. She composed herself with a deep breath. “How are you feeling, Lady Elizabeth?”
    “Fine, dear. Come sit down. I want to introduce you to my cousin.” Elizabeth turned in her chair. “Lady Melinda Sanders, Miss Gertrude Finch.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” Melinda said.
    “My God, Elizabeth,” Gert said in awe. “You were right.” Melinda’s eyes darted and Gert realized her gaffe. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Gawking like a coal miner at gold. You are beautiful. More so than Elizabeth described. And I hear you are the picture of your mother.”
    Melinda’s lip trembled. “Thank you.”
    Elizabeth stood and reseated herself next to the nervous young woman. “Are you alright, Melinda?”
    Elizabeth asked softly.
    Melinda whimpered.
    Gert stood. “I’ve been thinking of touring the stables. Excuse me.”
    Melinda shook her head. “You needn’t leave. I’m fine,” she said stiffly as Elizabeth’s arm reached around her.
    The tortured look on the girl’s face tugged at Gert’s heart. “My father left me at my Uncle Fred’s when I was about your brother’s age.” Melinda’s head came up as she continued. “I had a hard time of it that first year.”
    “What happened?” she asked.
    Gert smiled ruefully as she remembered. “I was mad at the world. Mad at my father for leaving. And my mother for dying. Aunt Mavis finally sat me down and gave me a talking to.”
    “What did she say?” Melinda asked.
    Gert smiled at Melinda. “She told me to say whatever was on my mind. Let it all spill out. The good and the bad. That