The Apothecary's Daughter Read Online Free Page B

a young lady ought to use her given name,” her aunt said.
“You are too old for pet names, do you not think?”
    Lilly felt her smile waver. “Well, you must be tired and hungry
from your journey. Will you have tea?” She gestured toward the tea
service and tray of assorted tarts, scones, and biscuits.
    “You employ a cook, then?” Aunt Elliott asked.
    Lilly nodded. “Mrs. Fowler cooks and cleans, but these were provided by a kindly neighbor. An old friend of Mother’s, actually. Here,
let me pour the tea.” Lilly began to serve, hoping to put into practice
all that her mother had taught her long ago. She had even rehearsed
yesterday, heeding Mrs. Mimpurse’s gentle admonitions, but still her
hands shook now.
    She felt her aunt’s gaze upon her every move as she handed her
the first cup.
    “And where is the boy?” Uncle Elliott asked. “A young Charles,
I believe, you mentioned in your letter?”
    “Yes,” her father answered, accepting a cup from Lilly. “I expect
him any moment.”
     
    “And young Charles is what age now?” Jonathan Elliott asked.
“Thirteen? Fourteen?”
    When Father hesitated, Lilly supplied, “Fifteen.”
    “Fifteen,” Uncle Elliott repeated. “And do you plan for him to
take over your shop one day?”
    Charles Haswell studied his teacup. “I had hoped, but now I am
not certain.”
    The Elliotts glanced at one another, and Jonathan Elliott smiled.
“Well, that is good to hear.”
    Her father frowned. “Why on earth would it be?”
    “Well, Haswell. We need to meet the boy first, of course, see
how we three get on, but I can say that it has occurred to Mrs. Elliott
and myself that it might be time to adopt an heir. Providence has not
blessed us with a child of our own, and I at least” he smiled at his
wife “am getting up in years. One must think of the future.”
    Lilly nearly spilled her tea. “But Charlie has a family,” she said
quickly. “Us.”
    “Of course he has, my dear,” Aunt Elliott soothed. “And that
would not change.”
    “It is done, you know,” Uncle Elliott said. “Legal adoption for
inheritance purposes. Quite common.”
    Lilly murmured, “I had not realized.”
    “It is not as if we would take him from you completely,” Aunt Elliott
assured her, then shifted her gaze to her brother-in-law. “Between us,
we could determine a visiting arrangement that suits us all. Assuming
you and young Charles are amenable, of course.”
    “Have you no other close relatives?” Lilly asked, feeling panic
begin to rise.
    Uncle Elliott shifted uncomfortably on the saggy settee. “I do have
one young cousin who might suit if he were not such a despicable
character. But a nephew would be my first choice. And, well, Charles
is my sister’s son.” He beamed at them both, as if this would dissolve
their disbelief and despair.
    As Lilly looked at the smiling face of Jonathan Elliott, she thought
how odd it was that this portly man of middle years was her own mother’s brother. He appeared years older, for Rosamond Haswell had
always been so youthful, slender and pretty. Beyond the man’s dark
hair and brown eyes, she could find no resemblance to the portrait
nor her memory of her mother.
     
    The thought of Charlie leaving them, visits home not withstanding, filled Lilly with dread. Her little brother living in London without
their father? Without Mary or Mrs. Mimpurse? Without her?
    She looked to her father for help, expecting at any moment for
him to refuse the Elliotts in no uncertain terms. Hoping he would.
But then another line of thought presented itself. Might this be the
opportunity she had prayed about for Charlie? With her aunt and
uncle’s resources, could they not find a specially equipped school,
although Father insisted none existed for boys like Charlie? Or even
a learned tutor who might help Charlie grasp new ideas, adapt to his
limitations, and, well … grow up?
    Lilly stood. “Father, might