AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lord, no!” exclaimed Bertram. “He’d at least wait until tomorrow. Or until he’d spoke to you. Besides, Miss Huntindgon doesn’t hold a candle to you, and that’s the truth!”
Thea hiccupped on a sob. “That’s hardly of any account, but thank you, Bertram. Miss Huntingdon has a handsome dowry and is mad for him, and of course Mr Grayling is no different from me in wanting to make a decent match that will secure his future. I just can’t offer him what he needs to make him happy.”
“Oh, Thea, if I only had the means to change it, I would.” It was rare for Fanny to feel so helpless. “Do you really think he’d be so unheroic as to speak to Miss Huntingdon so quickly?”
Thea nodded. “I told him that’s what he must do.”
“What?” Fanny and Bertram looked at her in horror.
“What else could I say?” Thea choked on another little sob. “He might love me but I’d be a drain on his purse. He was very chivalrous in the carriage when his passions were aroused that he would get an answer from his man of business. But in the clear light of day one must be persuaded by practicalities. Certainly, Mr Grayling would be able to provide for me, but he couldn’t for the rest of his relatives and if he and I had a large family. And you know how much I long for a large family. Yet how cruel it would be to put a daughter into the situation I’m in. I realised that and so I told him he should ask for Miss Huntingdon’s hand if it wasn’t practical to marry me.” She pointed to the pair, deep in conversation by the bushes. “Yes, I’m certain that’s what he’s doing right now, though I confess that when that note was delivered late last night, my heart did leap with the hope that it might be from Mr Grayling and that he might be telling me he’d changed his mind and that he’d propose to me, instead. After all, I don’t mind if we don’t have money. I’m used to it.”
She would have gone on, only Fanny stopped her. “What note, Thea? Did someone deliver you a note?”
“No, not to me, it was to Aunt Minerva. I don’t know what was in it but it was addressed to her, and she would have me believe that Mr Granville had invited her to meet him for some secret assignation, which is why she’ll soon no longer be able to offer me a home and I therefore must accept Dr Horne’s marriage offer.” Tearfully she added, “So that is what I’m going to do. I’m going to accept Dr Horne tonight, as Aunt Minerva has invited him to attend to her after the christening celebrations are over and that is what she’s said I must do if Mr Grayling hasn’t proposed—which, I have now accepted, he will not.”
“You will do nothing of the sort!” Fanny and Bertram spoke in emphatic unison.
Fanny pushed back her shoulders. “It’s one thing to lose out on the love of your life but quite another to marry someone you have absolutely no feelings for.” She bit her lip, before adding thoughtfully, “This note, though, sounds awfully odd. Are you sure it was from Mr Granville? I thought
I saw him earlier talking to a young lady and her mother. Mr Granville is very dashing, I admit, but I have never seen anything to suggest he has a secret tendre for Aunt Minerva.”
“No, but she’s received letters from him before that make her go very flushed in the cheeks, so it must be true.” Thea turned. “I really don’t think I can bear watching Mr Grayling and his soon-to-be betrothed for much longer. Do you mind if I make my excuses and retire to my room, or…?” Her face lit up. “Perhaps I could go to the nursery and play with little Katherine and George?”
“That sounds an excellent idea!” Fanny looked at Bertram. “You must go with Thea, just to make sure she gets there safely.”
“Of course I’ll get there safely. I know exactly where the nursery is.”
Fanny hesitated, unsure whether to say more. “I’m just a little worried about George Bramley,” she finally confessed. “He likes his revenge and I believe you slapped his face the other night?” When Thea, shamefaced, nodded, Fanny went on, “In that case, he will definitely be seeking retribution. Promise me you’ll not venture anywhere near him.”
Thea shook her head vehemently. “Of course not! But I think I saw him on his way to the Oriental Pavilion not far from where the balloon is going to take off. As I’m off to the nursery to play with the babies, I’ll be quite safe.”
Antoinette took Thea’s wrist to stay her. “First we must interrupt Mr Grayling’s romantic overtures.” She looked determined. “We might not be able to stop him from marrying the wrong woman but we can at least make things a little harder for him.”
Thea’s heart felt ready to break in two. This was the worst evening of her life for it was true, she now realised, that she’d honestly held out hope, believing that if Mr Grayling really did love her he’d somehow find a means to marry her. Unable to extricate her fingers from Antoinette’s, she allowed herself to be hurried down to the gravel path.
Antoinette greeted the couple, gaily. “I’m so glad to see you at darling baby George’s birthday celebration, Mr Grayling, Miss Huntingdon. Do you plan to take a ride in the hot-air balloon?”
Thea noticed the discomfort on the faces of both young people as they were descended upon by all four Brightwells who’d clearly interrupted something of importance.
Antoinette giggled and Fanny sent her a sharp look which did nothing to temper her next piece of outrageous behavior. Fixing the young man with an intense look, she tapped him on the shoulder with her fan. “Thea’s going to marry George Bramley, did you know?”
Thea was pleased by the shock on Mr Grayling’s face. He looked confused as he stared at her then towards the Pavilion.
“But I thought—” He broke off, shrugged, then after a long look at Thea, said, “I’m expecting my man of business to arrive here any moment—” He turned to Miss Huntingdon whose expression, which had been equally bleak, was suddenly transformed by hope. However, receiving no answering flare in Mr Grayling’s expression her mouth turned downwards once more.
“At least,” Antoinette went on as if she hadn’t heard him, “Mr Bramley has wagered Lord Darington seven hundred pounds that he’ll take Miss Brightwell up in the hot-air balloon to propose to her and as Thea has received no other offers to consider and her aunt will soon no longer be in a position to offer her a home, what choice does poor Thea have?”
Bertram, who’d been swaying on his feet while he downed the last of his second bottle of Madeira that night, interjected dolefully, “And he’s wagered that nine months later Miss Brightwell will give birth to a beautiful—”
“Bertram!” his sisters cried out in horror though surely their horror was nothing compared with Thea’s. Seeing Mr Grayling’s anxious, then shocked expression, and aware also of Miss Huntgindon’s doleful demeanour, she declared roundly, “Whatever my plans regarding matrimony, I would not get into a hot air balloon with Mr Bramley if he was the last man alive!”
Bertram looked at her approvingly. “Yes, well, I’m mighty glad to hear that, Thea, because of course Mr Bramley might be plump enough in the pocket after winning those bets to make him a likely prospect but I do agree that you’ll be much better off marrying Dr Horne.” He was about to add more when Mr Grayling interjected hurriedly, “I say, please excuse me, for there’s Clunes, my man of business now.” He took a step forward, stopped, then put his hand on Thea’s shoulder, adding, as he bent his face close to hers, “Promise you’ll not get into any hot air balloon or accept any doctor’s proposals while I’m gone? I know you’re angry with me, which is perhaps why you gave me no answer, but promise me you’ll wait?”
“Wait?” Thea repeated as she closed her eyes briefly and savoured the feel of his sweet breath upon her cheek. He did care for her. Yes, she realised she had been angry. No, more disappointed, but perhaps he really had not yet given her an answer because he did not have one to give. With a jolt of fear—but of hope and anticipation too—she realised that the outcome of Mr Grayling’s imminent meeting with Mr Clunes would be the decider of her fate. Both their fates. With beating heart she watched him cross the lawn as Miss Huntingdon murmured, “Congratulations, Miss Brightwell. So you are to marry Dr Horne? That is a surprise.”
“Poor Thea’s got little choice,” Antoinette replied, a touch tartly. “Aunt Minerva is expecting a marriage proposal tonight and says she isn’t able to offer Thea a home after Mr Granville becomes my formidable aunt’s husband. I expect their little assignation at the Pavilion is to arrange the final details.”
Miss Huntingdon looked surprised. “Mr Granville intends to propose to Miss Brightwell? Miss Minerva Brightwell? I did not think they knew one another.”
