Living in the Pages (Pirates #1.5)

Confession

It had been months since Lydia had seen either of her parents. They'd sent her away to travel and learn, or so they'd claimed. Really it had been to get rid of another mouth to feed, another expense. But that day, the day before her wedding, both her parents had arrived at Springriver Manor. Lady Springton was well aware of the Halls financial state and had graciously offered to host the wedding in her home, which undoubtedly gave Lady Springton more joy than she would ever care to admit.

Her father and mother had greeted her with bright smiles and warm hugs, and she hadn't realized just how much she had missed them until that very moment. In their arms, Lydia let her eyes drift closed and squeezed them back with all the might she possessed. They had carried on as they always had, talking about this and that. The servants at home were doing well; their dog, Midas, missed her terribly; had she heard the news about Lady Meg who somehow found herself married to a pauper? Never mind the fact that Lydia had never heard of a Lady Meg before in her life. She smiled widely as her parents jabbered on, more gleeful than she'd been in a long time to hear mindless conversation.

It was strange, then, for Lydia to be standing outside her parents' room and feel her stomach curdle like sour milk. She had never been afraid of her parents. She supposed even now she wasn't afraid of them so much as what their reactions would be to the words she was about to say.

She had debated it heavily for the last week. Though her decision had fluctuated as constantly as a twig caught in a summer breeze, she had decided she had to tell someone. The secret was eating her alive, and if she married that man tomorrow, if she really truly had to lie beside him every night for the rest of her life without so much as a single soul knowing what had happened, she thought she would burst.

With a deep breath, Lydia raised her trembling hand to rap softly on the door. There was no answer, so she knocked louder, glancing over her shoulder as she did. She wondered where Hugh was. If he stumbled across her now, what would he do to her? Surely there was nothing suspicious about her speaking with her parents? Even so, sweat began to gather above her lip and she tapped her foot anxiously as she waited for the door to open.

Gratefully, it did, and her father's surprised face stared back at her. He tied the string around his robe tighter as he said, "Hello, darling. What are you doing up this late at night? You've a big day tomorrow and you really should be in—"

"There is something I must speak with you about," she said in a rush, forcing her way into the room and shutting the door firmly behind her.

Her father stumbled out of her way quickly with a nod, sputtering. "Yes, yes, of course, darling, you can tell me anything."

Lydia scanned the room. "Where is Mamma?"

"Oh, gossiping with Mary, I suspect. This whole Lady Meg business has really gotten her twisted up—"

"Perhaps you ought to sit down."

Her father blinked at her. "Are you unwell?"

"No—I mean, yes—I mean—could you please just sit?"

With another blink, he did so, staring up at her expectantly.

Lydia's father is what she imagined St. Nicholas to look like without the beard. The kindest, jolliest, most welcoming face in the world, with a roundness to it that lended to the St. Nicholas comparison, though his hair was gray instead of white. His bright blue eyes, the same blue eyes she had, shone above his gleaming red cheeks.

As she struggled to speak, he smiled up at her encouragingly. Her mother was the one she had turned to when she needed to vent or gossip, but sound advice she always sought from her father. Where her mother was quick to judge, her father listened. He weighed everything that was said before he developed any opinion. She was relying on that now as she gathered the nerve to tell him.