Yearning Heart Read Online Free PDF

wealth or land or both. Why did he choose a plain, sixteen-year-old daughter of a landholder as his wife? He must be more than twice her age, but wives die young, Lady Elizabeth had said. Childbirth, disease, beatings ...
    According to her stolen manuscripts, there was love and romance to be found with men. According to Lady Elizabeth, such things were hard to come by. Standing there in the strange house, staring down at a strange soon-to-be husband, Rebecca thought her mother more right.
    Malvina moved ahead of her and entered a room at the end of the long hallway. Rebecca followed to stand just inside the door, her gaze taking in the mellow warmth of the room. The oil wick in a milk glass lamp gave off enough light so she could see the bed cover of pale orchid with green sprigs laced in tiny white blossoms. The heavy chest was covered with a matching cloth, and two milk glass lamps sat on each side of the beveled mirror.
    Malvina opened the clothes case and pulled out the ugly garments, one by one. Rebecca watched her, tempted to laugh at the disapproval on the older woman's face.
    “Will my lady sleep in this?” she said, holding up the rose-colored gown.
    “I suppose my lady will, Malvina, since that is all my lady has.”
    Rebecca sat on the bed, running her hand across the rich material.
    “Tell me, Malvina. Why has your master chosen me as his bride? I bring nothing, not a dowry, not even knowledge of what a bride does with a husband.”
    Malvina stared.
    “You are married to Sir Stephen?”
    “Not yet.”
    “Oh.”
    Malvina turned away to hang dresses in the closet, which ran the width of the room. The maid worked quickly, not looking at Rebecca, and when her task was completed, the clothing took up a pitiful amount of the generous space.
    “Oh, what? Oh, what in the world does Sir Stephen want with this ugly child? Oh, how could Sir Stephen be taken in by such innocence? Oh, she must be with child and Sir Stephen is a true gentleman and has taken the blame?”
    Rebecca slid off the bed and walked across the room so when her newly assigned personal maid turned, she was directly in her path.
    “Oh, what, Malvina?” Her head reached only to Malvina's straight nose, so she had to tilt her head backwards to see the other's expression.
    “I, I'm sorry, my lady, I meant no harm.”
    They stared at each other, and then Rebecca smiled and retreated to the bed. It was none of Malvina's affair what her master did. Like Rebecca, she had no say in the matter. Rebecca was so tired, she did not care what Malvina thought, cared not what Sir Stephen would do with her, did not care if they dumped her over the cliff into the waters below them, did not care ...
    She flung herself on the bed, buried her face beneath the ruffles on one of the plump pillows. As she lay there, she felt the dusty slippers being removed and her woolen hose pulled from stiff legs.
    “I will pour my lady's bath,” Malvina said. Her footsteps moved away.
    After a moment, Rebecca gave a shuddering breath, got up and followed Malvina into the anteroom. Mayhap a bath would rid her of grime, but would it ease a sore and uncertain heart?
    The enamel on the tub matched the bed cover, pale orchid with green sprigged leaves. She shrugged out of the scratchy wool skirt and white high-necked blouse, and stood still as Malvina unfastened the chemise and slid it away, pulling the next layer of clothing off along with it, leaving her thin body completely exposed.
    Rebecca had never undressed before anyone save Lady Elizabeth, but she offered no objection, as Malvina looked her over. What difference? Next, it would be Sir Stephen ...
    Tears tightened her throat, but she swallowed over them, refusing to let her maid see she wished she were back at Grinwold even with papa's disapproval.
    The water, bubbling with something Malvina sprinkled into it, was hot. Thankfully Rebecca sank beneath it, leaning her head back over the curved edge of the tub. She kept her eyes