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“You didn’t need to leave the theatre early just to avoid me,” he chided softly. “I know how it looked, but it wasn’t what it seemed. I can assure you that there is no intimate connection with Serena. She is my friend’s sister, that’s all. Most people who know her are aware of her drinking problems. They call either me or Hugo if she gets drunk. It has just become habit to help her, I suppose.”
Ursula nodded. “I hope she gets the help she needs,” she whispered.
“What did you think of the play?” he asked wryly when they had travelled for several moments in loving silence.
“It was awful,” she admitted with a wry smile. “Aunt couldn’t stand it after the first half an hour, and I was bored so we decided to leave.”
“I didn’t mean to keep secrets from you,” he assured her again. “It was just a spur of the moment thing.”
“It’s all right,” she assured him with a smile, and indeed meant it. Now that she knew what had happened and why, she felt slightly foolish for not having faith in him.
“Here we are,” Trenton said moments later when the carriage pulled to a stop outside of Adelaide’s house.
He could feel the fine tremors in her hand, and put it down to nerves at meeting her father. Giving he hand a gentle squeeze, he smiled at her and held his elbow out. “I am sure it won’t be as bad as you think.”
“You don’t know my father,” Ursula cautioned with a dour look. She waited while Trenton thanked and paid the coachman before they both turned toward the house.
“Ready?” Trenton asked with a grin. “Nothing can be as bad as this morning.”
She had to concede that point and nodded thoughtfully. At that moment, Isaac opened the front door to allow them in, and it was too late to ask Trenton to take her to his house instead.
“How is Molly, Isaac?” Ursula demanded as soon as she stepped into the hallway.
“She is fine, thank you, miss. The doctor has seen to her. She has a bump on the head, but will be fully recovered after some rest,” Isaac reported. “I am so glad that you are alright, miss.”
“Thank you, Isaac,” Ursula said as she removed her shawl. “I take it my father is here?”
Isa
ac was spared having to respond when the sitting room door was suddenly yanked open and her father strode into the hallway.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Before she could speak, she was swept into a fierce hug that stole the air from her lungs. She was released just as quickly and stood back in astonishment to watch Jeremiah pump Trenton’s hand enthusiastically.
“Thank you for getting her back to us. When Molly returned and explained what had happened, we just didn’t know what to do. We sent for the magistrate, but were told he had been called to someone who had been run over so would be awhile. All we have been able to do is sit here and wait because nobody knew which way you had gone,” Jeremiah gasped, clearly traumatised at having to sit at home and do nothing.
Ursula shared a look with Trenton who escorted them both into the sitting room where equally effusive greetings were exchanged with Adelaide. Once everyone was seated, both Ursula and Trenton explained what had happened.
“Good Lord, I forgot about my conversation with my friends,” Adelaide declared in surprise. “I didn’t think stop to consider that somebody might overhear us. I apologise, my dear. If I had kept quiet about it nobody would have been any the wiser.”
“It’s alright,” Ursula assured her. “You weren’t to know.”
By the time the explanations were over, curiosity was plaguing her so much that she just had to find out about the inheritance. She pierced her father with a look that warned him she wasn’t happy, and lifted her brows.
“Alfred mentioned something about my receiving an inheritance when I reached five and twenty.”
“Your birthday is in two weeks, my dear,” Jeremiah told her unnecessarily.
Ursula sighed. “Yes, I know that. I shall be five and twenty. What inheritance? Why haven’t you told me? I had to learn of it from Alfred Sinnerton and Trenton. Why did you not tell me yourself before I left Yorkshire?”
“I know now that I should have done,” Jeremiah replied. He stood and stared thoughtfully into the fire for a moment before he turned to face her. “Your Grandmama left you and your sister quite large sums of money. It wasn’t part of your grandfather’s estate, of course. That went to me. Grandmama’s personal estate was divided between you and Caroline. However, she decreed that neither of you should not receive it until you reached five and twenty.”
“Why five and twenty?” Ursula asked with a frown.
“It is the age where most woman of marriageable age have either married, or decided not to marry at all,” Jeremiah replied. “If you reached five and twenty and were not married then you would receive the entire amount to use as you wish. Although it was never discussed openly, Grandmama was forced into an arranged marriage with Grandpapa which, although reasonably happy, wasn’t her first choice. She was determined that should you not wish to wed, you should not be forced to. So she provided a way for you to decide for yourself what you wanted to do, and support yourself should you decide never to marry.”
“So, why did you force me to come to London and find a husband within a month?” Ursula retorted.
