Clara
Wakefield arrived at her aunt’s residence earlier in the day after having
received a rather urgent request the day before. She knew from Amelia's
demeanor that something was terribly wrong; otherwise, she’d never have asked
Clara to help with a rather delicate situation.
Taking
a deep breath, she walked down the stairs and into the dining room where her
aunt waited for her.
“Ah,
there you are,” Amelia said, as if she had been waiting and watching for hours
for Clara to appear. “Fitz, you may serve lunch now.”
“Yes,
ma’am.” Fitz waved unspoken instructions to the only footman left to service
the household.
“A
dear friend of mine is in dire need of your skill and services.” Amelia
started, her words a bit shaky.
“Who
is this dear friend?” Clara looked at her aunt, shocked at seeing fear running
through her eyes. Unafraid of anything or anyone, the obvious distress coursing
through Amelia Wakefield gave Clara a cause of concern.
“Please,
Clara, sit down. It will be so much easier for me to tell you what the
situation is,” Amelia suggested, with that familiar tone of authority lacing
her request.
Clara
did as her aunt asked, taking the seat to the left of her. She sat quietly and
waited as Fitz served lunch, then left them until needed. Clara knew her aunt
well enough that Amelia carefully weighed her words before speaking. It had
been how she was brought up, and although Clara was quite the opposite, she
gave Amelia the respect she deserved.
“Oscar
Dawson,” Amelia divulged softly.
“The
Lion of 5th Avenue needs my assistance? What has he done? Murdered someone and
is looking to get away with it?” Clara asked, only to be hushed by the look on
her aunt’s face. Always a mystery to her, Amelia Wakefield was Clara’s father’s
sister and shrouded in stories. Stories that had her thinking she may be a
deeply wounded woman for what another family had done to their father, Clara’s
grandfather, among a list of other things Clara’s mother didn’t go into. Could
Oscar Dawson also be behind her aunt’s pain?
~ ~ ~
Amazon
US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPGL6NCT
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FPGL6NCT
Add to "Want to Read" List / Review / Recommend
Goodreads: Deceitful Promises by Maxine Douglas | Goodreads
No comments:
Post a Comment