Read A Second Spring for Free Online Page B

they had come to an understanding. Had he proposed, a kiss would not make Letty cry. She was no inexperienced maiden.
    Catriona struggled to calm herself and to gather her scattered wits. Letty, still sniffling and with an occasional hiccup, awaited comfort. “I cannot believe he is dishonourable. He must have meant to make an offer. Did you give him a chance?”
    “I ran away...”
    “There you are, then. He had to leave in the morning—he had appointments with several influential men. He will ask for your hand when he returns. Such matters are not to be entrusted to a letter.”
    “He left me a letter, Mama. He does want to marry me.”
    Catriona was baffled. “Then why are you unhappy, darling? Surely I am not mistaken. You are fond of Sir Gideon, are you not?”
    “Oh yes, I am, but it was Harry—Mr Talgarth who kissed me.”
    “But...but...” The weight that lifted from her was quite out of proportion to the discovery that Sir Gideon had not, after all, taken advantage of Letty. “Oh dear, and you have always disliked Mr Talgarth, though I must say I have come to like him very well, and to respect him. However, I have frequently noticed that you are uncomfortable with him. My poor child, no wonder you are overwrought.”
    “I do not dislike him, Mama.” Letty’s voice was so soft as to be almost inaudible. “I...I hold him in great esteem. If he makes me uneasy, it is because...I think...I think I wanted him to kiss me.”
    “Gracious heaven, then why—?”
    “I don’t want to marry him!” A huge sob shook her and tears again began to flow.
    Catriona held her again, but she said quite severely, “You cannot marry Sir Gideon while you yearn for Harry Talgarth’s kisses.”
    “I don’t want to marry Sir Gideon. I don’t want to m-marry anyone. I h-hated being married.”
    As light began to dawn, Catriona felt a terrible guilt. Why had she never guessed? She had failed Letty when she was most needed. Was it too late to heal the hurt? She held her close, rocking her and murmuring nursery words of comfort.
    “I love him, Mama,” Letty whispered into her shoulder, “but if I married him, he would...would expect to...to share my bed, wouldn’t he?”
    Once she started, the sorry story poured out. Bart Rosebay, nineteen years old and off on a great adventure, had come drunk to his marriage bed. For Letty, losing her virginity had been painful and humiliating enough to make her cry. Bart had cursed her for a watering-pot and gone to sleep.
    Every day of the three weeks before his departure, he had spent carousing with the friends who admired and envied his smart new uniform. His bewildered bride was left to face the curiosity and pity of his sisters, the polite indifference of his parents. If he came home at all at night, he was foxed and the dreadful experience repeated itself.
    “I was going to kill myself before he came back from Spain,” Letty blurted out. “But then there were the twins. And then he was killed. I was glad when he was killed, Mama. It was almost the worst of all, being happy that he was dead because I’d never have to...to let him do that again. Only the twins have made it bearable. Was I...was having me enough for you?”
    “Oh, my darling, you would have been, had I needed compensation. You were an added joy. Your papa was the gentlest, most considerate, most loving of lovers, and from the first I...” Her throat was too tight for speech. It was her turn to weep, for Jeremy and for the tender, passionate intimacy she would never know again.
    Shocked, Letty put her arm around Catriona’s shoulders and said helplessly, “Papa was different. Papa was the dearest man in the world.”
    Catriona fought for composure. What she said now might alter the entire course of her daughter’s life. She took Letty’s hands in hers.
    “Papa was special, Letty, but not, I am certain, unique. You must not judge all men by your husband. He was young and heedless and in a ferment over going