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"If Graham Tyler was too talkative, what did you think of Stuart Harnett? Did you like him better?"
Startled by Melissa's abrupt change of subject, Alanna looked but toward the river. The current was brisk, but her cousins were as at home in a bateau as they were on land, and she wasn't worried about them either. As for Hunter, she had never been so happy to see a guest depart. Now, if she could only banish the wretched memories he had stirred, her life would regain the tranquility she craved. It took her a moment to recall what Melissa had asked.
"He's very quiet, but whether he's shy, or merely unimpressed with me, I can't say. Whatever his reason, it really doesn't matter, because I'm not interested in him."
Melissa called upon whatever store of patience she possessed in an attempt to deal with her cousin. Rather than scold her, she grew flippant. "I think you actually enjoyed yourself last night, and you're just too stubborn to admit you had fun."
Alanna smoothed out her apron, then began to fidget. "I wasn't miserably unhappy, that's true, but there's a difference between attempting to be polite to our guests, and having fun."
"All you need is more practice," Melissa insisted. "It's such a lovely morning, let's sit out here by the river and talk for a while." She led the way onto the lawn, seated herself in a graceful heap of petticoats and lace, and patted the grass at her side.
"The morning is bright and clear," Alanna agreed, "but I don't think I'm going to like your topic of conversation."
"Nonsense. Let's talk about the young men we know. It isn't too soon for either of us to begin thinking about marriage. It's a shame Jonathan Frederick didn't wait for me. I loved him dearly, when I was a little girl."
"I remember that," Alanna said, and hoping to keep Melissa talking about herself, she joined her on the lawn. "How many children do he and his wife have now?"
"Four at last count," Melissa replied, "but they'll probably have a dozen in as many years." She named several other young men, friends of her brothers that she had known all her life. At one time or another she had kissed them all, but none of those brief infatuations had deepened into love. "Do any of them appeal to you?"
"I don't believe they even know I exist."
"Then you do like them? Or one of them at least? Tell me which one, and I'll make certain he and his whole family are invited to supper soon."
"That would be a waste of everyone's time. I like them all, but not in a romantic way."
Melissa reached over to pluck Alanna's cap from her curls. "Perhaps you'd prefer an older man. What about Randolph O'Neil? Whenever we see him at church, he always greets you far more warmly than he does me."
While flattered by that observation, Alanna disagreed. "I'm sure you're mistaken, besides, Mr. O'Neil must be in his forties, isn't he?"
"So what? He has beautiful blue eyes, and he's as trim as a man half his age. He's a successful merchant, and owns a fine home. He was widowed several years ago, so he must be lonely. I think he'd make a fine husband for you."
Alanna grabbed her cap back, but kept hold of it rather than again cover her hair. "Doesn't he have a da
ughter older than we are?"
"I'd forgotten all about her," Melissa mused thoughtfully, "but she needn't concern you, since she's married with a home of her own. What was her name? Sharon? Karen? Well, whatever it was, I believe she lives in Maryland, so she'd give you no trouble if you married her father."
"Melissa, I'm not going to marry Randolph O'Neil!" Alanna couldn't help but laugh at the thought, although she considered Mr. O'Neil a very nice man. She really didn't believe that he went out of his way to speak to her every Sunday, but even if he did, it was undoubtedly because he was being kind. "Why don't you consider him for yourself, if he'd make such a fine husband?"
"It's not such a bad idea," Melissa agreed. "I'm sure he'd treat me well, and he can afford to buy me whatever I want. A woman would be wise to consider those assets, when selecting a husband."
"Well, of course, no one would encourage you to wed a man who was impoverished, or one who would treat you badly," Alanna replied. "What about Ian? You've not grown bored with him these few weeks, the way you usually do with your beaus. Isn't he a good prospect?"
Melissa could not hide her admiration for the British officer, and this time her smile was sincere. "Yes, Ian's so charming I can't help but like him. He has fine manners and appears to be from a respectable family, but he can't hope to come into a large inheritance, or he'd not have gone into the military."
"Perhaps not, but he could always leave the Army, and your father would loan him the money to buy land or invest in a business, if you asked for his help. Shouldn't marrying the man you love be your first concern?"
The possibility she might be viewed as no longer worthy of a fine man's love brought a renewed threat of tears, and Melissa rose to her feet to hide them. By the time she had arranged her skirt and petticoats into flattering folds, she had shoved all thought of her regrettable affair from her mind, and overcame them. "Yes," she finally cautioned, "but a woman ought to take care to choose the right man to love."
Alanna coiled her hair atop her head, and covered it with her cap before rising. "Is it possible to choose whom to love?"
"It has to be," Melissa replied. Determined to find Alanna a beau, she was seized with the sudden inspiration to request Ian's help in the matter. After all, he liked Alanna, and it would be a wonderful—and totally selfless—excuse to see him. Charmed by the cleverness of her idea, she guided Alanna up to their room, where they discussed the much needed additions to her wardrobe. For a few hours at least, Hunter actually was forgotten.
Chapter 5
In Newport News, Hunter and the Barclays left their small bateau, and along with other members of the militia boarded a sailing ship bound for Alexandria. The voyage north through the Chesapeake Bay and then up the Potomac River was neither long nor difficult, but Hunter did not enjoy the company he was forced to keep. The Barclays were officers, intelligent, educated men who were able to appreciate people of different cultures, and he had been proud to be their friend. Sadly, the recent recruits traveling with them to join the Virginia regiment were unsophisticated country boys. Most kept their distance, as Alanna had, but a few taunted him with insults they believed him too stupid to comprehend.
Once they began their journey over land, Hunter's duties as a scout would keep him constantly moving ahead of the regiment. That fact had at first prompted him to simply ignore the jokes told at his expense, but he had paid close attention to those telling them. He soon learned Vernon Avey wasted no opportunity to make others look foolish. He was a surly fellow, mean-spirited and belligerent. In his late twenties, he was one of the older recruits, but made no effort to set a good example for the younger men.
