With those words, Fredrick made his exit from the townhouse, wondering what had just transpired. Why had he committed himself to taking Emilia to the Royal Menagerie? That was the last thing that he had time for. So why did he find himself looking forward to it?
Chapter Thirteen
Emilia wandered around the ballroom as she tried to envision how it would appear when the time came for her grand ball. The decorations had been ordered and the invitations had been sent out. It was only a matter of days now until she would see if anyone would actually attend.
Anette was insistent that people would come, but Emilia feared it was more for curiosity’s sake than anything else. And she had no desire to be a public spectacle.
What if she tripped on the hem of her ballgown, which was currently being commissioned? Or what if she said something that was intolerably stupid?
Dalby entered the room and announced, “Mr. Rymer has arrived and I showed him to your study.”
“Thank you,” Emilia responded as she made her way across the ballroom.
Once she had arrived at the study, she saw Mr. Rymer was standing in the center of the room, reviewing a piece of paper.
“Mr. Rymer,” she greeted. “Thank you for coming so soon.”
He offered her a kind smile. “It is my pleasure.”
Emilia went to sit on a settee and gestured towards a chair. “Please have a seat,” she encouraged. “I wish to speak to you about Clarissa’s dowry.”
The solicitor’s smile dimmed as he lowered himself onto the proffered chair. “I’m afraid she lost the dowry when she was disinherited by her father.”
“She wasn’t entirely disinherited because he did make some provisions for her and Calvin,” Emilia said.
“Yes, but Miss Clarissa is, and always will be, illegitimate,” Mr. Rymer remarked. “I doubt a dowry will help her find a suitable match.”
“Clarissa is of the mind that she could make a respectable match, on the assumption that she had a dowry,” Emilia said. “Was her dowry truly twenty thousand pounds?”
Mr. Rymer bobbed his head. “It was,” he confirmed, “and Miss Clarissa had no shortage of suitors. In fact, there was a rumor that she had an understanding with Lord Lowesby.”
“Why do you suppose my father didn’t specify her dowry in the will?” Emilia asked.
“I can’t say, but I do know that he was rather frustrated with Miss Clarissa and Calvin towards the end,” Mr. Rymer revealed. “He felt they were entirely too spoiled.”
Emilia sat back in her seat as she pondered Mr. Rymer’s words. There was no denying that Clarissa was entitled, but she was also aware of the harsh realities faced by unmarried women. Emilia had been raised to fend for herself, but Clarissa hadn’t. Everything had been handed to her. How was Clarissa supposed to navigate life without a husband to provide for her?
“I would like to provide Clarissa with a dowry,” Emilia said.
Mr. Rymer’s brow shot up. “If you do so, that money will come out of your own inheritance. You do understand that?”
“I do, but if there is even a chance that Clarissa can marry well, I want to give her that opportunity,” Emilia explained.
“That is most kind of you, but I fear that your generosity would not have been reciprocated if the situation was reversed,” Mr. Rymer remarked.
Emilia laughed. “I have no doubt it wouldn’t have been reciprocated, but Clarissa and Calvin are the only family I have. That may not mean anything to them, but it does to me.”
“I just hope that they don’t take advantage of your generosity,” Mr. Rymer said as he rose. “I will see to the necessary documents. Would you like me to inform Miss Clarissa, or will you see to that?”
Rising, Emilia responded, “I will inform her the next time we visit the boarding school.”
“Miss Clarissa has agreed to go back?” Mr. Rymer asked in disbelief.
“She did,” Emilia confirmed.
“Well, wonders never cease,” he declared. “I wouldn’t have thought Miss Clarissa would have gone anywhere near the boarding school.”
“I do think there is more to Clarissa than she is letting on,” Emilia said.
