The Headmistress of Rosemere (40 page)
William chuckled as he thought of the promise he had made to Lewis. Yes, he would take good care of this animal. And with the other broodmare ready to deliver any day, it appeared that his plans for horse breeding might grow legs after all.
He hurried to the stable and to one of the back stalls. There was Delilah, surrounded by Emma, Patience, and Charlie.
“Look, Papa!” exclaimed Emma as she finished tying a pink ribbon around Delilah’s neck. “Isn’t she lovely?”
William swept the child up in his arms, and she giggled with delight. He looked down at the animal. “Well, it is an improvement, I suppose.”
He planted a kiss on the girl’s soft cheek before she wiggled
back to the ground. “I brought a blue ribbon for the baby horse. Where is he?”
William laughed and jerked his thumb toward the door. “He’s out in the pen.”
He stepped back to avoid being run over by the two excited children.
“Mind the mud!” Patience called as she watched the children run from the stable. She placed a hand on his arm.
Her presence and the openness of her affection made his heart swell with unending joy. He took her warm hand in his cold one and tucked it in the crook of his arm.
Patience leaned into her betrothed. His presence made her feel safe and warm, wanted and loved. He smiled down at her. The tenderness in his eyes, the sincerity in his smile, brought a heat to her cheeks on this cold March morn.
“Perhaps we had better go see what they are up to,” he said and nodded toward the door. “Besides, I am sure the last place you would want to spend time is in a stable.”
How she wanted to tell him that she didn’t care where she was as long as she was by his side, but instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked into the fresh morning air.
Outside, the children were at the fence, trying to call the foal over, with no success.
William’s rich laugh rumbled from his chest. “They can try all they want, but that one is stubborn.”
The sight of Emma laughing and playing brought Patience a sense of peace. “Emma seems at home here, William.”
He covered her hand with his as they walked the path to Eastmore Hall. “I am glad, for it is her home. And it will be yours soon.”
The intimacy in his expression brought a tremor to her heart, and she drew a deep breath. She looked up at Eastmore Hall, so large, so intricate. In the time she had spent here in the past few days, it had become less intimidating. Less daunting.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Home.”
“Will you be sad to leave Rosemere?”
Patience thought about how she did feel. She had recently believed that the school was her calling. Her mission in life. She had thought she could never leave the school. But her brother was in charge, and his plans for the school and for his growing family were solid. And with the school so close and the girls so dear to her, they would never be far away.
It was as her mother said. She had completed her part in her father’s dream. And now she would have dreams of her own.
Patience drew a deep breath and looked up at William. “No, I am not sad. For I know where I belong.”
William cocked an eyebrow. “And that is?”
She smiled. “Right here at Eastmore Hall. With Emma. And with you.”
William pressed a kiss on her forehead. “And I with you, Patience. And I with you.”
1. Mr. Hammond knew that William was Emma’s father for many years, but he chose not to divulge this information to William until he felt the time was right. Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Hammond’s decision to keep Isabelle’s secret? Why or why not? How do you think William’s actions would have been different if he’d known the truth earlier?
2. During the Regency period, if a woman was not married by the age of twenty-five or so, she was already considered a spinster. Does this surprise you? Patience believes herself to be a spinster and thinks the opportunity for a husband and children of her own has passed her by. How do you think this belief affects her decisions through the course of the story?
3. Which character (male or female) in the book do you identify with the most? In what ways are you similar to that character?
4. When Lydia arrives at Rosemere, Patience initially resents her new sister-in-law’s presence. Over time, however, Patience begins to feel friendship for Lydia and eventually enjoys her
company and accepts her as family. Have you ever had a relationship that you initially resented but that ended up being a very positive one?
5. Do you think William will be a good father to Emma?
6. William finds it difficult to forgive himself for his past mistakes, and over the course of the story he works hard to redeem himself. What do you think William learned through the course of the story? How has he changed by the end?
7. How would the story have been different if Rawdon never returned from London?
8. When Cassandra learns that Rawdon has married another, she decides to leave Rosemere, the only home she has ever known. If you were Cassandra, would you have made the same choice? Why or why not?
9. In what ways is Patience different at the end of the novel than she was at the beginning? In what ways does she remain the same?
10. Now it’s your turn . . . what’s the next chapter of this story? Does Patience continue to teach at Rosemere after she and William marry, or does she leave the running of the school to Rawdon? Do Patience and William start a family right away? Are William’s plans to become a horse breeder successful, and if so, what impact does this have on their family? If you were the author, what would be next for William and Patience?
M
y writing journey would not be possible without the support of some truly amazing people.
To my husband, Scott, and my daughter . . . thank you both for going on every step of this journey with me. Your daily encouragement, enthusiasm, and love inspire and motivate me.
To my parents, Ann and Wayne—you have prayed for me, cheered for me, and you have always believed in me and my dreams. Thank you.
To my mom, Ann, and my sister Sally, who are my wonderfully insightful “first readers”—thank you for taking the plunge with me and sharing my passion for stories!
To my editor, Sue Brower, and my copy editor, Jane Haradine—you ladies challenged me to stretch beyond my comfort zone, and this story is stronger because of it. And to the marketing, design, editorial, and sales teams at Thomas Nelson . . . you guys constantly amaze me.
To Tamela Hancock Murray—I am so blessed to be able to call you not only my agent, but my friend. Thank you for being my cheerleader!
To my dear writing accountability partners, Carrie, Melanie, and Julie—thank you for your daily encouragement and friendship. And to my writing “sister,” Kim—I am so grateful for you and for fun brainstorming sessions, solid advice, and good laughs.
Each one of you is a blessing to me!
Photo by Forever Smiling Photography
S
arah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for
The Heiress of Winterwood
. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.