Page 2 of An Unforeseen Kiss (Captivating Kisses #4)

“While your father remains in excellent health, you never know when an accident or sudden death might occur. That would leave Edgar as the viscount, and he has only been interested in himself. Though he would be charged to care for the two of us once he becomes the viscount, I doubt he would do so in a proper fashion, Eden. Because of that, I want you protected. If you are wed, you will have your husband to look after you and your interests. Then it will not matter who the viscount is once your father is gone.”

“But you said so yourself, Mama. Papa has robust health.”

Her mother’s expression grew solemn. “As I did before I took that fall from my horse.”

She gazed at her mother, who suddenly appeared more fragile than she had only yesterday.

“Mama, are you well?”

Mama gave her a rueful smile. “As well as one who is bedridden can be, my dearest. But I am serious. Do this for me. Find yourself a husband. Marry him. And then bring him here to Brownstone to meet me.”

Eden swallowed. It hurt to know that her mother would not be able to attend her only child’s wedding. That her world was confined to this one room.

“I will do as you ask, Mama. I will be diligent in regard to finding a husband, and I will have Papa get to know the gentlemen I am especially interested in. He can help guide me through the Season and into a marriage.”

Her mother took Eden’s hands, kissing them tenderly. “Thank you for doing this, dearest.” Her eyes bright with tears, sparkled. “Oh, I cannot wait to receive letters from you, telling me of all the wonderful balls and garden parties.”

“Do not forget card parties,” she said, smiling.

Her mother had taught her how to play various card games, as well as chess, and they had passed many hours engaged in both.

“You are rather clever when it comes to games,” Mama praised. “Gentlemen will be flocking to partner with you. Go. Your father is waiting for you.”

She rose, brushing a kiss against her mother’s cheek. “Rest for now, Mama. I will be back to see you soon.”

Eden went downstairs and claimed her father, thinking over what Mama had said. If Cousin Edgar could not be trusted to look after her, she worried about what might happen to Mama. She determined to find a generous man who would allow Mama to be brought into their household once her father passed.

They headed to the stables, where a groom saddled their horses for them.

“Where shall we ride today?” Papa asked.

“Let us go to the top of the ridge,” she suggested.

They did as she requested and dismounted, walking to the edge and gazing out over Brownstone.

“I will miss home and the country while we are in town,” she said wistfully. “And Mama.”

Papa’s fingers closed around hers. “We both will be a little bit lonely without your mother’s calming presence in our lives.”

After several minutes spent in peaceful silence, looking over the land, they returned to their horses. Papa tossed her into the saddle and mounted himself.

They cantered down the hill and through a valley, and Eden cried, “I will race you!”

She took off, tearing across the field, Papa’s horse galloping close behind.

Then she heard a sudden cry and wheeled about.

Her father’s horse was collapsing, and Papa sailed over the horse.

Her heart was in her throat as he hit the ground hard.

The horse was in distress, making terrible noises, but Eden blocked out the sounds, leaping from her horse and racing to her father.

He lay at an awkward angle, his neck twisted. She turned him over gently and saw his eyes wild with fright. His breath rattled loudly.

“Papa!” she cried, clasping his shoulders, feeling helpless.

The light began fading from his eyes, and she begged, “Papa. Please. Don’t leave me. Please.”

With his dying breath, he managed to say, “Tell Mary . . . I . . . love her.”

Then he ceased breathing.

Eden let out a howl of hurt, falling atop his prostrate body, clutching him, pleading for him to open his eyes. To come back to her.

She pushed to her feet, hearing the weak cries of his mount. Going to the animal, she stroked the horse’s side, seeing that its leg was broken, its eyes full of pain.

Knowing she needed to put the horse out of its misery, she returned to Papa. He always carried a pistol with him when he left the house, a habit he had picked up from his own father.

Eden’s fingers found the weapon, and with tears streaming down her face, she went to his horse. Bending, she kissed its snout.

“I am so sorry. So very sorry.”

The single gunshot erupted, disturbing the peace of the country day. She knew it would bring others to them. She stroked the horse a final time, the pistol falling from her hand. Returning to her father, she lifted his head and placed it in her lap, sobbing quietly.

A few minutes later, their steward and one of their tenants arrived on horseback. The two men quickly assessed the situation, and the steward asked her to come with him, saying that her father’s body would be cared for.

“No,” she said resolutely. “I must stay with him. Place him atop my horse. I will take Papa home.”

She lifted her father’s head and eased away from him, placing his head back on the ground. Eden watched as the two men lifted him and placed Papa face down over her saddle. She took up the reins and slowly walked the horse back to the stables. The tenant rode ahead to let others know to expect her.

And their dead master.

By the time she entered the house, the doctor met her. She had forgotten this was his usual day to call upon her mother and supposed he had come from upstairs.

“Are you all right, my lady?” he asked, concern in his voice.

She shrugged, feeling all the life had gone out of her, as well.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“Papa’s horse suffered a broken leg,” she said dully. “It stumbled, and Papa was unexpectedly thrown from the saddle. I think... his neck was broken.” She began weeping, adding, “I had to shoot the horse. It was suffering so much.”

“I will go and examine his lordship,” the doctor said gently. “I would like to give you something to help you sleep.”

“Not yet. I must go and tell Mama what has happened.”

Feeling ancient, Eden climbed the stairs slowly, wondering how she would break the news to Mama. She couldn’t help but think how ironic it was that both her parents had suffered falls from their horses. One had been left unable to use her legs, while the other had lost his life.

A sudden fear seized her. Only this morning, Mama had voiced her worries regarding the death of her husband—and what it would mean for her and Eden. Her cousin Edgar would now become Viscount Brownley. Would he turn her and Mama out? And what about her come-out?

Her heart pounding, she pushed open the door to her mother’s bedchamber and found Mama sleeping. Eden took the chair beside the bed, worry filling her.

After sitting for some minutes, she could wait no longer and gently shook her mother.

Mama stirred, opening her eyes. “Eden, darling.” She frowned. “What is wrong? You have been crying.”

Her tears had ceased once the dread filled her, but she had always looked terrible for hours after she cried.

“I have some bad news, Mama,” she said quietly. “It is about Papa.”

Her mother sucked in a quick breath. “Oh!” she cried, as understanding clearly filled her. “He is gone, isn’t he? How?”

She nodded. “His horse broke its leg. Papa was not prepared for the suddenness of it. He fell from the horse.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Mama, he broke his neck in the fall. He is... no more.”

Mama turned white and began to tremble all over. “My worst fears have come to pass. Edgar is now Lord Brownley.”

“You do not think he would turn us out, do you?” she asked, afraid of the answer her mother would give.

“I cannot predict what evils lurk in his mind, Eden. But he must be notified at once.”

After her uncle’s death two years ago, Edgar had left Cambridge, where Eden gathered he had not met with much academic success.

Edgar had gone to London and taken over his father’s rented rooms. Her cousin had even made a trip to Brownstone, encouraging his uncle to reopen his shuttered townhouse so he might live there.

It had remained unused in all the years after her mother’s accident.

Papa had refused Cousin Edgar’s request, telling him that the townhouse would come to him in good time.

The townhouse had remained closed until only yesterday, when some of their staff had traveled to town in order to prepare for her and Papa’s arrival next week. They were to air out the place, remove the dustcovers from furniture, and clean everything from windows and rugs to linens.

Now, Edgar would get his wish. He would have the London townhouse and everything else that belonged to the viscountcy.

“I will write to him now and send the message at once,” she told her mother. Kissing her brow, she added, “Try to get some rest.” Then she remembered something important.

“Mama, Papa lived for a few seconds after the fall. He told me to tell you that he loved you. His last thoughts were of you.”

She left the room as her mother began to wail, the news of her husband’s death finally sinking in. Though Eden, too, wished to give in to her own sorrow, she must be the strong one now. Papa had always taken care of her and Mama. It was now up to her to care for her mother.

After composing the brief letter informing Cousin Edgar of her father’s untimely death, she found their butler and asked that a footman ride to town to deliver the note in person.

“Of course, my lady,” the butler said, pity in his eyes.

The doctor entered the house again and asked, “Might we speak in private, Miss Snow?”

“Yes,” she said, leading him to what had once been her mother’s parlor. The room now sat unused.

After they were seated, the physician said, “You were correct. Lord Brownley did break his neck. I do not believe he suffered, though.”

She kept quiet about the last half-minute of her father’s life. Let the man think her father had died instantly. It would do no good to say otherwise.

“My lady?” the doctor asked, looking mournfully at her. “I must share something with you.” He hesitated. “It is not good news.”

A coldness swept through her. Stiffly, she said, “Tell me. Now.”

“Your mother has lost weight recently. I have been worried about her. I have discovered that... well, I will not go into complicated medical terms, but you must be made aware that she hasn’t long to live.”

Her throat tightened, even as acid filled her belly. “How long?” she demanded.

“I would venture between three and six months.”

“I see.”

“I will share this with the new Lord Brownley. Once he takes up his position.”

“Do not do that,” she said firmly. “He may have inherited my father’s title, but he is not family. I do not wish for him to be privy to such information. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“What can be done for her?”

He shrugged. “We can keep her comfortable. Your mother has never been one to complain, but I fear the pain will grow great.”

“You must teach me to do whatever else must be done to care for her,” she said.

“A few drops of laudanum will help ease Lady Brownley’s suffering when the time comes.

It can be placed in a drink or soup.” The physician hesitated.

“A time will come when she may refuse to eat or drink, yet she will still be experiencing pain. Only then will you need to place a drop directly upon her tongue.”

Eden thought she would ask Cousin Edgar if they might move to the dower house.

It would give her mother privacy in which to spend her final days.

In fact, she decided to have the servants ready the dower house immediately.

That way, the manor house would be vacated by the time her cousin arrived at Brownstone.

Surely, Edgar would not toss them from the dower house.

This way, she and Mama would be out of his way. Out of sight, out of mind.

At least Eden told herself that would be the case.

“I will also call every week, as I have. More often if she needs to see me.”

“Thank you. Come to the dower house in the future. I will care for Mama there.”

After he left, she found their butler. The housekeeper had been among those servants who had gone to town to ready the townhouse. Eden explained how she wished for the dower house to be cleaned and readied so that she and her mother might move in promptly.

“I am guessing that my cousin will prefer his privacy,” she explained, but she saw the butler knew why she did what she did.

“I will see to it at once, my lady. As well as to Lord Brownley. I have sent for the vicar. He should be arriving shortly.”

She realized she would need to be the one who planned Papa’s funeral service. It would simply be too much for Mama to handle.

“That was quite thoughtful. Thank you.”

As Eden waited for the clergyman to arrive, she decided to cherish the days she had left with her mother.

And try not to worry about her own future.