Читать книгу When Marrying a Duke... - Хелен Диксон, Хелен Диксон, Helen Dickson - Страница 9

After days of watching her father’s health deteriorate and becoming extremely despondent, Marietta went into the garden to collect her thoughts, sitting on the circular bench beneath the tree. She felt as if the peace and security of her world was somehow threatened by her father’s illness, as if she were being plunged from the secure haven of childhood into a cold and terrifying reality.

A shadow fell over her. Resentful of the intrusion, she continued to stare straight ahead.

‘I thought I would find you here,’ Teddy said softly, moving to stand beside her. ‘You’re upset about your father, I can see.’

‘Yes, it—it’s just so sudden, that’s all.’ She cast him a sideways glance. He was smoking a cigarette and she couldn’t be sure, but she thought he was slightly drunk. ‘He’s been ill for a long time and I should have expected this—only I—I suppose I didn’t want to face it.’

‘Of course you didn’t. Neither did he, but it had to come. You have always been his main concern. He didn’t want to worry you. When the time comes, nothing will be able to alleviate the pain of losing him. It’s a deprivation which cannot but raise compassion in any person of feeling. But as some small consolation to your grief, I humbly offer my best services I can provide.’

‘Thank you, Teddy. Like you say—when anything happens … All my father’s things, the house—what am I to do with them?’

‘I’ll take care of everything. Anything you wish to keep, set aside.’

‘Where the business is concerned, as you know I know very little about that side of things. I do know that the trade in tea and cotton is not what it was, but apart from that I am quite ignorant. Of course when Father—’ She bit her lip, finding it extremely hard to contemplate being without him. ‘When anything happens, I think I would like to learn more about the business.’