The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh

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Book: The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh Read Free
Author: Ella Quinn
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bookshelf. Anna found a couple of novels before leaving the room and, after some hesitation, took Harry’s book as well. If nothing else, it would make her feel closer to him.
    October 26th, 1814, London
    Rutherford decided not to tell either Anna or Lady Marsh he would accompany Anna to Marsh Hill. She’d accepted his escort, albeit unwillingly, to Charteries, Marcus’s family’s estate. Rutherford had no desire to push his luck any further until he had to. Miss Marsh would discover he intended to escort her to Kent when he did not turn off the post road to London, and by then it would be too late for her to object.
    Arriving the next morning shortly after eight o’clock, he discovered that early was a relative term. Anna was ready at eight o’clock. Lady Marsh had not yet come down.
    He paced the entry hall and checked his pocket watch, again, before addressing Anna. “Do you think she’ll be much longer?”
    â€œI’ll send someone to fetch her. It’s not good to keep the horses waiting like this.” Anna hailed a maid and gave her instructions.
    Thirty minutes later, Lady Marsh appeared on the stairs. “Good morning, Lord Rutherford. I do hope I have not kept you waiting.”
    He took the offered hand and bowed. “No, my lady. Not at all.”
    Anna glanced up at the ceiling. “Mama, we must depart if we are to reach Charteries by noon.”
    Lady Marsh fluttered over Anna like a hen over a chick. “Do you have everything you need?”
    â€œYes, Mama.”
    Anna turned to go out the front door, and her mother embraced her. “My dear, child. How I will miss you.”
    Anna returned the hug. “I will miss you as well. We must leave.”
    Tears sprang into Lady Marsh’s eyes. “Yes, of course. How silly of me.”
    She stood in the door weeping and mopping her eyes with a lace-trimmed handkerchief as Rutherford helped Anna into the coach. You’d have thought Anna was going to Russia and Lady Marsh would never see her daughter again. “I don’t remember your mother being like this.”
    Anna frowned slightly. “Ever since Harry died she has been.”
    â€œLady Marsh has never recovered?”
    â€œNo. Not really,” Anna said sadly.
    Rutherford couldn’t imagine how painful losing a child would be. The death of his friend had been hard enough to bear. Rutherford closed the door and gave the coachman the signal to start. He mounted his horse, waiting until the outriders Lady Marsh had hired flanked the carriage, before following after them. They made their way through London’s morning traffic, then on to the post road without incident.
    The trip would take approximately three hours. They stopped midway to refresh themselves. It would be a good time to start getting back into Anna’s good graces.
    He handed her down from the coach. “I’ve reserved a private parlor, if you’d like it?”
    She glanced around. “Thank you, but I think I’d prefer to stand for a while.”
    â€œVery understandable. Would you like hot cider?”
    â€œYes, please.”
    He found a servant to bring their drinks. “Anna, it’s occurred to me that I could have been of more help since Harry died. I’m sorry I was not.”
    She glanced suddenly at him, her brows drawn together. “It wasn’t your fault you kept being called away to your other estates.”
    â€œI might have left it in my steward’s hands.” He should have quit going on missions and paid more attention to Anna.
    â€œThat is never the answer. You owe a duty to your dependents.”
    This conversation was not going at all how he wanted it to. While he was trying to think of what else to say, the coachman came up.
    â€œMiss, it’s time we were going again.”
    Anna put her cup down on a bench. “I’ll be right there.”
    When Rutherford and Anna arrived at Charteries, Lord

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