My Wayward Lady Read Online Free PDF

hoped to marry and have a farm of your own someday. London is quite a long way from that."
    Bessie's eyes filled with tears. "And so I meant to, my lady. Do not be too hard on me, I beg of you. Things—things happen to a girl that ... that change her mind, so to speak."
    "What things?" Harriet fixed her with an intensely questioning gaze. After all, she was not one to sit idly by and watch someone give up her dreams.
    "Oh, a girl grows up, learns about life, and changes her mind." Bessie gave a toss of her head trying for a tone of airy insouciance that failed miserably.
    It did not fool Harriet in the least. Laying a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder she smiled sympathetically. "Now, Bessie, you know as well as I do that this is so much nonsense. Do tell me what went wrong."
    "Oh, my lady," the young woman whispered. She gulped several times, fighting for control. "I was that much a fool. I—
    I mean it was ... it was Mr. George," she blurted out at last.
    "What? Squire Westcott's son? I suppose I am not surprised," Harriet responded dryly. "He certainly has an unsavory reputation where women are concerned. But I am 35
    My Wayward Lady
    by Evelyn Richardson
    surprised at you, Bessie. I would not have thought you would fall for his empty promises."
    "Oh no," Bessie hastened to assure her. "I did not. I would never believe such things and I have always done my best to ignore him though he does put himself in one's way, if you understand me."
    Harriet nodded grimly. George Westcott's reputation as a predator on attractive young women was well known in the surrounding countryside. Certainly someone as pretty as Bessie would have caught his eye long ago. "Go on," she commanded grimly.
    "It was last Midsummer's Eve during the festivities and I was walking home across the fields. He was drunk and kept asking me to give him a kiss. I tried to laugh it off and keep going, but he would not let me. At last he grabbed me. I managed to break free from him and I ran. I would have escaped because he was too drunk to chase me very far, but my foot got stuck in a rabbit hole. I stumbled and fell and he caught me." She finished with chilling finality. "There was nothing to do. I hoped and prayed that nothing would come of it, but—"
    "But did you not tell someone, complain to your family?" Harriet interrupted.
    "Who would I tell? What would they do? They could do nothing and they would blame me. Everyone knows what George Westcott is. They would say I should have known better and stayed out of his reach and the fact that I did not must have meant that I wished for it," Bessie replied simply.
    "When my father found out I was with child, he threw me out. 36
    My Wayward Lady
    by Evelyn Richardson
    What was I to do except what I have done? I could not work as a maid or a seamstress for I had no references, so I came to London. I was alone here on the streets picking up what work I could before I was too far along when Mrs. Lovington found me. She guessed my story—it is common enough after all—and made me come home with her. I did sewing and light work for her until my time came and since then I have done all that I could to repay her for her kindness." Harriet, who had sat quietly during this sad recital suddenly found her voice. "What ... what happened to the baby?"
    "It never drew breath, poor little thing. It was born blue and so tiny it was a mercy it died." Bessie replied softly. "Mrs. saw that I was well taken care of and that it got a proper funeral."
    "Could you not have gone home then? Surely your father would have forgiven you."
    Bessie shook her head firmly. "No. He said I was no longer a child of his and that I was never to see any of them again." The resignation in her voice made Harriet want to cry out, or, at the very least, murder both Bessie's father and George Westcott. "I miss the little ones," Bessie continued, "and I wish I could get word to my mother that I am well cared for."
    "I will write a letter for you," Harriet