Identical looks of disapproval turned on Mary. “There you are. You know you are not to be in here.” Alice held out her hand. “Come along.”
Mary shifted closer to him. “But he’s my friend.”
Eleanor heaved a dramatic sigh, and Alice gave her a look of long suffering.
“Matt wants to marry Grace.” The mulish chin made another appearance.
Alice rolled her eyes. “And she refused.”
“How do you know?” Mary’s eyes grew wide. “Oooh, you were listening at the door.”
Tapping her foot, Eleanor pressed her lips together. “Yes, now come with us.”
Fascinated, Matt asked, “Do you all eavesdrop?”
Alice turned to him. “Well, how else are we to know what is going on? No one tells us childrenanything.Mary, comenow.”
Before Mary could obey, the door opened once more to admit, he counted them, three more, including the eldest girl—Ah yes, there was the eldest boy at school.
“What are you still doing here, sir?” a boy asked. Matt placed him as Walter. “I thought my sister turned you down. Though I don’t know why she did when she’s made herself deuced unhappy.”
The only pair of eyes not staring at him was Mary’s. Interesting. This is what it’s like to be a circus freak. He wondered how it would be to live with such an embarrassing and outspoken group of children. He had not a doubt that if he married their sister, that would be his lot.
“If you ask me, I think Grace does want to marry him.” That was Philip. “Except we’re rather a lot to swallow.”
This was Matt’s cue. He could either leave now and lose her forever, or attempt to enlist Grace’s brothers and sisters to aid him in securing her hand.
Walter’s brows furrowed. “If you’ll take my advice, sir, you’ll think on it. You can send us word if you still want to marry Grace.”
“And how, pray, is he to do that?” Lady Charlotte gave her brother an exasperated glance. “Grace would find out the instant a note came. No, we shall have to be cleverer than that.” She pressed her lips together in thought.
It occurred to Matt that they all shared not only their distinctive hair color and eyes, but determined chins as well.
Charlotte glanced at him. “Is one of your sisters out this year?”
“Yes. Lady Louisa Vivers.” What had that to do with anything?
She smiled, pleased with herself. “I thought so. There is a resemblance. I met her last evening. You may send a message through her.” Charlotte glanced out the door. “Now you must go before someone finds us all in here with you and tells Grace.”
“Is she a hard task mistress?”
Shooing the younger children out, Charlotte turned back to him. “She is the best of sisters. If it was not for her, we’d not be together.”
Maybe now he’d discover what’s going on. “Why is that?”
Charlotte stared at him for a few moments. “When Mama died, none of our relations would take all of us. We were to be piecemealed out. Grace promised Mama that wouldn’t happen, and she fought to keep us together.” She glanced out the door again. “Now you really must go.”
Matt stood. “I’ll send word.”
A sad smile appeared on her lips. “We don’t really expect you to and won’t hold it against you. Grace said no man would want to be saddled with seven children, and she wouldn’t trust it anyway.” Charlotte bit her lip. “I think it is very sad, because she’s given up everything for us.”
Putting her hand over her mouth, Charlotte turned and walked quickly away.
He couldn’t imagine life without Grace. Still, he would be responsible for eleven children including his four sisters. It was not a decision to make lightly, though it was one he would have to make soon.
Chapter Ten
Grace ran into her room and threw herself upon her bed. At least it was out. Now Worthington knew why she couldn’t marry him. And he’d seen the children. He’d let her go easily enough after she’d told him she was their guardian, which proved he didn’t truly want her. Or at least not with her brothers and sisters.
