Lady Griffith's Second Chance

Chapter Twenty-One

She stopped at the look on Miss Kennett's face, pale and wide-eyed. "Oh, my lady. I do not think... I mean..." She swallowed, her gaze darting from side to side. "I mean, considering my situation..."

"Your situation?" Regan leaned back and looked towards Katharine's back, still bent over her letter. "You are young, yes," she said carefully. "And I am sure you still carry much grief over the recent loss of your... husband." She cleared her throat. "But if you are worried that your son will be a distraction from your duties, or that I do not believe you to be qualified for such a task, then please do not fret. I think you would do a commendable job, but I will give you time to consider it, if you wish."

Miss Kennett's eyes remained wide-open, but she nodded once. "Thank you, my lady," she said. And swallowed again before returning to the beginning of her embroidery work in front of her.

Regan blew out a breath in a long, slow sigh. She wondered at what she had just done. If Miss Kennett accepted, and she could not yet be certain that she would, it meant that Miss Kennett - and the risk of scandal if the truth of her son's parentage was discovered - would be a part of her life and household for years to come.

It had not been a hasty decision, though. For the last few days, she had asked herself how best she could help Miss Kennett. Miss Kennett who was intelligent, well-educated, who had a son to raise and a tremendous secret to keep. It had been a foolhardy offer, wrought with danger. What if it was discovered that Miss Kennett was an unwed mother, and that Regan had knowingly invited her into her home, to live among her family? The scandal would taint both Katharine and Maria, and even herself.

But Miss Kennett needed help, and she had neither the status nor the money to purchase her way out of ruin. Maria and Katharine both had sizeable dowries, and they were the granddaughters of an earl. There would be talk if the truth were to come out, but they would not be banished from society because of it.

Miss Kennett, on the other hand...

Yes, Regan was glad she had made the offer. Even if Miss Kennett did not accept, Regan wanted the young woman to know that she was not bereft of champions, that Thomas would not be the only person willing to help her.

"If you two ladies will excuse me," Regan said, standing up and smoothing the wrinkles out of her skirt. "I have some business to tend to this afternoon. If either of you need me, I plan on being in the study until supper."

She smiled at each of them, picked up her book, and departed. Her smile faltered as she left the drawing room, the corners of her mouth descending into a tight line by the time she arrived at her study. There was work to be done. There was always work to be done. She was not sure if it would make her a better or worse mistress should she turn over every aspect of the running of her estate and the tenants' farms to her steward. Other women did. Other men did, as well. But she rather liked having a hand in the decisions that ultimately affected the daily lives of herself and her children. She wanted to be busy. She wanted to have something to do. It kept her mind from burrowing too deep into itself, and some days, that was a blessed thing.

Her work took up several hours, her neck aching from looking over too many tidily written sums, along with the reports from her steward of what repairs the various tenant farms would need before winter. The Bannons would need a new roof, as the attics had developed a leak, and the portion of road leading to the Gendry's was so pockmarked that it had caused damage to Mr. Gendry's wagon, another repair or replacement that would no doubt need to be reimbursed.

She was still sorting through a mass of letters she had put off dealing with - more social than business, though the business of keeping up with social matters when an eldest daughter was on her way to be married was at least as stressful as any work the estate left on her lap - when a knock sounded on the door.