CHAPTER TWENTY
The Wise Colleen
William Addison returned to his country home some weeks after Jonathan and Lizzy Pierce returned to the Hall.
While he clearly understood that he had no power in the matter of the beautiful Mrs. Pierce, the image of Lizzy’s face rose up with startling clarity, unbidden, on more occasions than he desired. As often as he shook off her specter, it would return to him, becoming a circumstance that was troubling by day and even more troubling at night. He lost more than one night’s sleep worrying about her future with Jonathan Pierce. The man was poison. He was sure of it and Lizzy’s ruination could be predicted with the same certainty as the movement of the stars.
Sometimes his favorite English w***e offered him some comfort. At least she was a place to pour
