Charming the Vicar's Daughter Read Online Free Page A

afraid this would stir up the old stories about her, so she was prepared to face whatever came this time.
    “Well, I for one am disappointed,” Lady Patience said with a sigh. “I was hoping you had found a grand love.”
    Rebecca adjusted the basket on her arm. She often talked of romance and handsome young men with the twins and their older sister, but never with the object of their discussion so close by. “I do not seek a grand love. Save your sadness. When the gentleman God has intended for me arrives, I shall be quite happy to marry him. Your sister is more deserving of your pity. The poor girl spent an entire Season in London without finding a beau.”
    As she hoped, her words sent the twins into an effervescent flurry of words, none of which had to do with Rebecca or Mr. Harrow. The girls were never mean-spirited, but their lives revolved around the heroes in their books and their imaginations. They wished to see everyone happily wed. In that way, she supposed, they were much like the Widows League.
    “Miss Cookson?” The soft-spoken voice behind her had to be that of Mr. Harrow. He’d approached so quietly she hadn’t noticed him above the twins’ laughter.
    She glanced back, composing her features into a polite mask. “Good day, Mr. Harrow. It’s a fine day for a walk, isn’t it?”
    “Quite fine.” He studied her eyes. “I was hoping to see you today. I wished to apologize.”
    Slowing her pace slightly to let the girls get ahead of them, Rebecca fell into step with Mr. Harrow. “There is no need for apologies. The matter is behind us. I do not accuse you of anything the gossips would have us doing.”
    His hat brim shaded his face, but his blue eyes were bright with some emotion she couldn’t name. She couldn’t look away; they held her trapped. She almost missed his next words.
    He broke their gaze, ducking his head slightly before lifting it with a determined thrust of his chin. “I feel as though I should have done something more to put an end to the talk.”
    “Anything you would have done would only encourage them. You did well to keep your tongue.”
    “How is your father taking it?”
    “Really, Mr. Harrow, you make too much of an innocent accident.” Rebecca adjusted her shawl. “It is best forgotten.”
    His smile relaxed, becoming more natural. More devilishly handsome, if that was possible. She wished he were a plain man. It would have been easier to continue to dislike him. As it was, he wouldn’t be visiting long enough to get to know him well, which might be a good thing. She’d never pined for a gentleman before and had no intention of learning how.
    “I see your basket is empty, and you are walking toward the village, not away from it. You’ve been calling on parishioners?”
    “Yes. Mrs. Upjohn is just now getting her strength back.” They had reached the Benjamin house on the outskirts of the village. Rebecca hoped the widow wasn’t at home.
    Lady Patience turned to speak to her cousin. “Madeleine and I wish to call on Mary Kingston. Will you and the boys find us there when you are ready to return home?”
    “Of course,” Mr. Harrow replied.
    The twins left their group. Rebecca needed to separate herself from the young men before the entire village saw her. “I must hurry back. Father will be wondering where I am.”
    “It was nice—“ Mr. Harrow’s words were cut off as Mrs. Carlyle stepped out of Mrs. Benjamin’s cottage.
    “Miss Cookson. Mr. Harrow, how good to see you. And you boys,” Mrs. Carlyle added, nodding in the Lumley brothers’ direction.
    “Good afternoon.” Rebecca hoped she kept the embarrassment—and irritation—from her voice.
    Mr. Harrow tipped his hat. “We were walking into the village with the twins when we came upon Miss Cookson. We couldn’t let her continue to walk alone, now could we?”
    “Of course not. You are so considerate, Mr. Harrow. Such a gentleman. Has Miss Cookson told you of the assembly next week at the rooms