A Midsummer Bride Read Online Free

Something that connects you to her?”
    Harriet opened her other trunk to retrieve her mother’s last letter to her. She had read the happy missive several times during her voyage to England, hearing her mother’s cheerful voice and wanting to believe someday they would be reunited.
    “This letter is from my mother.” She handed it to Lord Thornton. She was glad he was here since he seemed to be an impartial judge in the situation. Despite having just met the man, she felt he was someone she could trust.
    Thornton opened it and Langley stood to read the letter beside him.
    “It is signed ‘Your Affectionate Mother,’” accused Langley. “It could be from anyone.”
    “Is this your daughter’s handwriting?” asked Thornton. “Do you have any old letters from her?”
    Lord Langley stilled and his head bowed, as if he had been caught committing a crime. He sighed and went to a wall of books. He pulled out what looked to be some large volumes but actually was a false front. From behind it, he pulled out a locked trunk and placed it on his desk. Everyone in the room stepped closer, wondering what was in it.
    Langley took a key attached by a small chain to his watch fob and unlocked the trunk. He looked up at Harriet for a moment, opening his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again and shook his head. He opened the trunk and stepped back, allowing the others to see what was inside.
    “Unopened letters?” Thornton peered inside.
    “Unopened letters from my mother!” Harriet grabbed a handful and shoved it at her grandfather. “Did you never even read her letters?”
    “As long as the letters kept coming, I knew Beatrice was alive,” Langley said weakly as he lowered himself into his desk chair.
    “You never wrote her one letter and yet all these years she continued to write to you,” Harriet said in a soft voice. “What a good daughter she is to you.”
    Langley took out his handkerchief to wipe his eyes and blow his nose.
    “May we open one of the letters to compare the writing?” asked Thornton, getting back to the business at hand.
    Langley nodded and Thornton opened the most recent letter. He spread out the two letters side by side on the desk.
    “The writing looks the same to my eye,” stated Thornton.
    Langley took a deep breath and nodded.
    “What are these boxes?” Harriet pointed to the small packages stacked neatly in the trunk to the side of the letters.
    “I never opened them,” said Langley in a small voice.
    “Perhaps it is time,” suggested Thornton gently.
    Langley nodded and opened one of the packages. It was a small miniature in a gold frame, featuring a drawing of a young man.
    “Why that is Matthew, my oldest brother,” declared Harriet.
    The next three packages produced miniatures of her other brothers, Mark, Luke, and John. “My mother was influenced by biblical names,” explained Harriet. “I do not know where ‘Harriet’ came from.”
    Langley opened the last package with shaking hands. He looked carefully at the miniature then clasped it to his chest.
    “Is it me?” asked Harriet softly.
    Lord Langley nodded. “Harriet was the name of my mother.”
    ***
    After a heart-wrenching acceptance between Lord Langley and his long-lost granddaughter, Thornton felt it was long past time for him to remove himself from the scene. Harriet’s maid also indicated she should present herself to the servants hall, and everyone walked out into the entryway. Lord Langley excused himself for a moment to find the housekeeper to arrange a bedchamber for Miss Redgrave and Nellie followed him, leaving Thornton momentarily alone in the entryway with Miss Redgrave.
    These were moments he dreaded. Alone with a young lady. Particularly after the emotional exchange he just witnessed, the usual topics of banal conversation seemed even more awkward. Weather? No. Refreshments? No. Politics? Definitely not. General compliment on appearance?
    Thornton searched her person, looking for an easy target