No Choice but Seduction (23 page)

“They were never very sociable here in the country,” he told her, then added with a grin, “Not that we’ve ever been a whirl of parties out here. But they weren’t part of the London circle either. Neither was I, but my younger brothers all were, and I don’t recall them ever mentioning the Millards being part of that crowd. I think the Millards favored Gloucester, at least that’s where I heard your grandmother Sophie was from, before she married the earl, so they did most of their socializing in that city.”

“Did you know my mother, Adeline?”

“I’m afraid I can’t recall ever meeting Lady Adeline. There was a rumor that she’d married some baron on the Continent. Not so?”

“No.”

“Her older sister, Letitia, I vaguely recall seeing in Havers Town from time to time when I was much younger. Actually, now that I think of it, I used to see her there quite often. Seemed like every time I went to town back then, there she was, doing some sort of shopping or other. She used to be a friendly girl. Always stopped to have a few words with me.”

“Used to be?”

“If I happen to come across her these days, she completely snubs me. For whatever reason, she never married. It turned her quite disagreeable, or that seems to be the general consensus. Oddly, I have few memories of the friendly girl, but the bitter one I recall clearly. I suppose an unpleasant person tends to stand out in one’s mind.”

That little bit of information was more than Katey’s mother had ever given her, including the names of her relatives. “My father” or “the earl” or “my mother” was how Adeline had always referred to them, and she’d never even mentioned a sister! And Katey would meet them tomorrow. Hopefully.

Chapter Twenty-Four

K
ATEY HADN’T PLANNED
on taking Grace with her to the Millard estate. Her maid had a way of either attempting to bolster Katey’s courage with her sarcastic remarks, which could goad Katey into showing her maid that she was wrong, or adding to any nervousness that was besetting her. But Boyd’s appearance at Haverston changed Katey’s mind about leaving Grace behind. Returning to the marquis’s estate after her visit to the Millards’ just to collect her maid was the worse of two evils—with Boyd still there.

But Grace surprised her. She barely said a word on the short drive to the Millard home, and it really was a short drive. Haverston was in the country on one side of the small town of Havers, and the Millards lived out in the country on the other side. The drive between the two estates was less than twenty minutes. It seemed odd to Katey that with such proximity the two families didn’t know each other better, but as Jason had said, this part of Gloucestershire wasn’t known for much socializing.

“I’ll wait here in the coach,” Grace said when they pulled up in front of the stately country manor. “Just don’t forget I’m out here if you plan on a long visit.”

Grace’s reticence was almost palpable now. She had pretty much pushed this visit down Katey’s throat, but now she was obviously just as worried about the outcome as Katey. If it didn’t go well, Grace would be blaming herself.

But that was only in the back of Katey’s mind as she stood at the front door of the large country manor. The estate wasn’t nearly as big as Haverston, but it was still imposing, and in the forefront of her mind was a fear she’d never known. No, that wasn’t so. She’d felt the same fear the first time she’d come to Havers Town. She’d succumbed to it then and hadn’t got this far, right to her relatives’ door. She was about to do the same thing again, to turn around and race off in any direction other than here…

“Can I help you, miss?”

The door had opened. An old fellow stood there in the kind of meticulous black suit that servants usually wore. The Millard butler? No, her
family’s
butler. Damnit, it was
her
family who lived here. They might have disowned her mother, but that didn’t negate her being a part of them. And that disowning had happened long ago. Adeline might never have forgiven them for it, but perhaps her family now regreted their actions. And Katey would never know either way if she didn’t tell them who she was.

“I’m Katey Tyler.”

The old fellow’s look was completely blank. He didn’t recognize the name Tyler at all. Well, perhaps he was new to the household, or more likely, perhaps the family didn’t discuss personal matters with their servants. Or perhaps a name like Tyler simply wouldn’t be remembered twenty-three years later.

“I would like to speak to the lady of the house, if she’s available?”

“Come inside, miss.” He extended an arm. “That wind is a bit chilly.”

She hadn’t noticed the wind until he mentioned it. The rain had stopped at some point in the night, but a solid bank of clouds kept the sun from shining this morning.

The butler showed her to a large room furnished as a parlor. That she’d even been let inside meant that her grandmother must be at home. And her queasy stomach worsened. But mixed in with that uncomfortable feeling was a good deal of awe that tightened her throat with emotion. This was the house her mother had grown up in! Had she sat on that brown and rose brocaded sofa? Had she warmed her hands at the fireplace? Who was the man in the portrait above the cherrywood mantel? Brown-haired and distinguished-looking, he was not tall, but was quite handsome. Adeline’s father? Her grandfather? An even older ancestor?

God, how much family history must be in this house! And the stories. Would they tell them to her? Would they share their memories?

“My mother is sleeping. She hasn’t been feeling well. Can I help you?”

Katey swung around. The woman was middle-aged with faded brown hair and emerald eyes. Katey’s eyes. Her mother’s eyes. She could feel some moisture gathering in her own. This had to be her aunt. She had only a vague facial resemblance to Adeline, but those eyes…

“Letitia?”

The woman frowned. It changed her appearance dramatically, adding a sternness that was actually intimidating. At least Katey found it so. Someone else might not be impressed at all, but this was Katey’s aunt, one of her few remaining relatives, and the woman didn’t know that yet.

“It’s Lady Letitia,” the woman said with a heavy dose of condescension, as if she were speaking to someone she was sure was far below her own class. “Do I know you?”

“Not yet, but—I’m Katey Tyler.”

“And?”

No open arms. No delighted cries. No joyful tears of welcome. Like the butler, her aunt didn’t recognize the Tyler name.

Katey had been sure the Millards would at least remember the name of the man they had refused to allow into the family. Surely the two sisters must have discussed her father at some point. They weren’t that far apart in age, perhaps five or six years. But Katey was making assumptions based on little information.

And the best way to get beyond that, before her nerve completely deserted her, was to say, “I’m your niece. Adeline was my mother.”

Letitia’s expression didn’t change. Not even a little. But it had already been twisted sour, apparently at the realization that she was dealing with someone from the lower classes.

“Get out.”

Katey questioned her hearing. Surely she was mistaken. But if she wasn’t, perhaps young Judith’s idea might be useful after all. Anything was worth trying at that point, if there was nothing wrong with her ears.

“I’ve come a very long way to meet you,” Katey said, trying to ignore the desperation in her own tone. “The Malorys of Haverston were nice enough to—”

“How
dare
you mention those scandalmongers!” Letitia cut in, her voice rising angrily. “How
dare
you presume you’d find welcome here, you little bastard!
Get out
!”

Katey bit her lip to stop it from trembling. She couldn’t stop the tears though, or the pain that rose up to choke her. She ran out of that room, and out of that house.

Chapter Twenty-Five

W
HAT DO YOU MEAN IT SAILED!”
Katey shouted at the dockhand who’d just told her she’d missed her ship.

“Cast off with the morning tide,” the fellow said with barely a glance her way as he went about loading crates into a wagon. “Most ships do.”