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Left to Ourselves; or, John Headley's Promise. by Catharine Shaw
Left to Ourselves; or, John Headley's Promise. by Catharine Shaw
other, I'm sure you may trust me!"
"My child, I trust you for all that you know; but there are things which no one but a mother can know."
"Of course there are. Oh, I don't for a moment mean that I shall do as well as you, mother, only--"
"Yes," answered Mrs. Headley, thoughtfully, "you see, Agnes, your dear grandmother in America is pronounced to be failing very fast. I have not seen her for twenty years, and if I do not go now I may never see her again in this world."
"And father's having to go there on business now makes it so easy."
"Easy all but leaving you children."
"But I am nineteen now, mother-quite old enough to be trusted; besides, grandmama and aunt Phyllis live next door, and if anything happened I could run in to them."
Mrs. Headley smiled, looking half convinced.
"Who is it you are afraid to leave?" asked Agnes coaxingly. "Is it me, mother?"
"You?" echoed Mrs. Headley, stroking her face tenderly. "No, not you, dear."
"Then it is John."
"No, no; John is a good boy, he will help you I am sure."
"Then is it Hugh?"
"No; Hugh is steady, and very fond of his lessons; and he will be sure to do as you wish him, if he promises beforehand."
"Then is it Alice?"
Mrs. Headley shook her head.
"Then it must be Minnie, for there's no one else. And as to Minnie, you know I love her exactly as if she were my own child."
Mrs. Headley laughed a little, though bright tears filled her eyes and fell down into her lap.
"Don't you think I do?" asked Agnes soberly-not half liking the little laugh, or the tears either for that matter.
"You love her as much as you possibly can, dearest, but that does not give you my experience. No, Agnes, it is not Minnie or any one in particular, but it is the five of you all together that I'm afraid to leave. I am so afraid they might get tired of doing as you said."
"They never have yet, mother. You ask them, and see."
Mrs. Headley looked thoughtfully into the fire, and was silent for a long time. So was Agnes, till at last she roused up suddenly and put her hand into her mother's.
"There's one Friend I shall always have near, nearer than next door; always at hand to help and counsel-eh, mother dear? We had not forgotten Him, only we did not say anything actually about Him."
"Yes, my child, I do not forget; and if I were more trustful I should not be so afraid."
Mrs. Headley rose and left the room just as the door opened, and John came in.
"Holloa, Agnes, all alone in the dark," he exclaimed, stumbling over the stools and chairs. "Why don't you have a light?"
"Mother and I were talking, and we did not want any."
"About America? Don't I wish it was me instead of her, that's all!"
"But, you see, that is not the question," said Agnes, watching her brother lean back against the mantelpiece with nervous eyes. "John, you'll knock something down."
"Not I. Of course it isn't the question; but why doesn't mother want to go?"
"She does want to go; only, you see, John, she's afraid we shall not all get on together."
"Is she afraid we shall quarrel?"
Agnes nodded.
"I shan't."
"Perhaps not."
"But Hugh will?" he asked, smiling.
"Hugh and John together," answered Agnes, smiling too.
"Very likely."
"Do you think you will?" asked his sister, drawing back.
"What a frightened question! Agnes, look here; I'll promise you--"
"What?"
"It takes two to make a quarrel, doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll promise you to walk out of the room at the first indication of a squabble. Will that make things straight?"
"If you will not forget."
"If I do, you look at me, and I'll fly, or be 'mum'!"
"All right, I will," answered Agnes soberly. "John, I believe mother thinks she ought to go, and so I am sure we ought to make it easy."
"I mean to."
Agnes kissed him gratefully, but did not speak, yet John understood, and when she had gone out of the room he fancied he felt a tear left on his coat.
He roused himself up, and turned round to poke the fire into a blaze.
"My eye!" he ejaculated, half audibly, "it will be a go to do without mother for three months."
* * *
Camille Lewis was the forgotten daughter, the unloved wife, the woman discarded like yesterday's news. Betrayed by her husband, cast aside by her own family, and left for dead by the sister who stole everything, she vanished without a trace. But the weak, naive Camille died the night her car was forced off that bridge. A year later, she returns as Camille Kane, richer, colder, and more powerful than anyone could have imagined. Armed with wealth, intelligence, and a hunger for vengeance, she is no longer the woman they once trampled on. She is the storm that will tear their world apart. Her ex-husband begs for forgiveness. Her sister's perfect life crumbles. Her parents regret the daughter they cast aside. But Camille didn't come back for apologies, she came back to watch them burn. But as her enemies fall at her feet, one question remains: when the revenge is over, what's left? A mysterious trillionaire Alexander Pierce steps into her path, offering something she thought she lost forever, a future. But can a woman built on ashes learn to love again? She rose from the fire to destroy those who betrayed her. Now, she must decide if she'll rule alone... or let someone melt the ice in her heart.
Mira found herself sold to her greatest enemies, who turned out to be her mates. She never expected to feel so much desire toward them, battling the bond while uncovering secrets that would shatter her world. The Lycan brothers-Rowan, Damien, Lucian, and Kai-are cursed, and the only cure lies in Mira's death. But how can they sacrifice the one woman they're bound to love?
Gabriela learned her boyfriend had been two-timing her and writing her off as a brainless bimbo, so she drowned her heartache in reckless adventure. One sultry blackout night she tumbled into bed with a stranger, then slunk away at dawn, convinced she'd succumbed to a notorious playboy. She prayed she'd never see him again. Yet the man beneath those sheets was actually Wesley, the decisive, ice-cool, unshakeable CEO who signed her paychecks. Assuming her heart was elsewhere, Wesley returned to the office cloaked in calm, but every polite smile masked a dark surge of possessive jealousy.
Livia Shelby, 19, is forced into marriage with Damian Alexander - a ruthless CEO with a cold heart. Hate simmers beneath the surface, and sometimes it blurs the line between resentment and desire. But what happens when the love that grows between them is bound by a contract... and forbidden to be spoken? Author's Note: This book has been previously published on several platforms. This version is a revised and improved edition.
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
Heiress to a crime syndicate, Avery had hunted her father's killer for years. Disguised as a boy, she slipped into the Hudson household as their youngest "son," expecting a den of wolves, yet finding open arms. An eldest brother who ruled boardrooms, a second who breathed textbooks, and a third who commanded the cameras. She juggled lies, outsmarting them all-until her mask was tore away. "Avery's a girl?" "She owns a thousand cars and billions?" "She's not even family?" As love closed around her, she realized the murderer was her supposed "best bud." Her brothers bristled. "Back off, punk. Not our Avery!"
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