Unforgiven (The Horsemen Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page A

arrival at Penwith was still eagerly anticipated and speculation was rife on the purpose of his visit at this particular time of year. Would he offer for dear Miss Hayes? And would Miss Hayes accept if he did? They had all been deeply shocked when she had refused Mr. Deverall four years before. But then, everyone knew that Miss Hayes had a mind of her own and could sometimes be just a little too independent for her own good.
    Some of the ladies turned to Mrs. Harriet Lincoln for her opinion since she was a particular friend of Miss Hayes. But Mrs. Lincoln would say only that if Sir Edwin did indeed make an offer and if Moira Hayes accepted it, then doubtless they would all hear about it soon enough.
    There was another question that consumed the curiosity of everyone. What would happen between Penwith and Dunbarton when Sir Edwin Baillie arrived? Would the feud continue for yet another generation?
    All these topics of conversation had to be avoided, of course, whenever Lady Hayes or Moira Hayes was part of the company. Then the weather and everyone’s health were discussed in long-familiar detail.
    “Poor Miss Hayes,” Miss Pitt commented on one occasion when that young lady was not present. “And Lady Hayes too, Idaresay. If the feud is to continue, they will not be able to attend the Christmas ball at Dunbarton. If there is a ball, of course.”
    “There will certainly be a ball,” Mrs. Finley-Evans said firmly. “The Reverend Finley-Evans has agreed to speak to his lordship about it.”
    “Poor Miss Hayes,” Miss Pitt said.
    *   *   *
    SIR Edwin Baillie came alone to Penwith Manor one week and one day after the Earl of Haverford returned to Dunbarton Hall. Sir Edwin took tea with Lady Hayes and Moira in the sitting room before retiring to the master suite—Lady Hayes had vacated it in deference to the new master—to supervise the unpacking of his bags. He never allowed anyone, even his valet, to perform the task without him, he explained. But apart from that brief explanation, he spent the half hour of tea apologizing to Lady Hayes for the absence of his mother, who of course would have accompanied him on such an important occasion—he inclined his head in Moira’s direction—had it not been for the fact that she was suffering from a slight winter chill. It was not a severe attack, Lady Hayes would be relieved to know, but as a precautionary measure he had insisted that she remain at home. Thirty miles of travel might well have been permanently injurious to the delicate health of a lady.
    Lady Hayes assured him that he had made a wise decision and had shown admirable devotion as a son. She would write the next morning to inquire after Cousin Gertrude’s health. She trusted that the Misses Baillie were all in good health?
    The Misses Baillie were indeed, it seemed, though Annabelle,the youngest, had suffered from earache a mere few weeks earlier after going out in the carriage on a particularly windy day. They would all be waiting anxiously for word that their brother had arrived safely at Penwith Manor. All had advised him against traveling such a distance during December, but such had been his eagerness to bring about a happy settlement of his affairs—another bow in Moira’s direction—that he had taken the risk of traversing winter roads. His mother, of course, had understood and had urged him not to stay at home merely on account of her health. If he was a devoted son—a bow to Lady Hayes—then he had merely learned from a devoted mother.
    Moira watched him and listened to him without participating to any active degree in the conversation, but then, an occasional word or smile of encouragement was all Sir Edwin needed to keep the conversation in happy progress. At least, Moira thought, she would have a husband for whom family was a high priority. She might have done worse.
    During dinner Sir Edwin announced his intention of remaining at Penwith Manor until after Christmas, although it would be a