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Her sister sighed. “He is a very lovely man, but I fear he wants more from me than I want from him.”
“Louisa, I believe he wants to marry you.” Tessa shook her head in disbelief.
“Yes, but I do not wish to marry him,” Louisa whispered harshly. “He is so concerned about living up to his father’s legacy in Society. But don’t worry I will inquire about Mr. Raynerson for you.”
“Thank you.”
Their walk led them straight to the one person Tessa would have preferred not to see tonight. “Good evening, Mamma.”
“Theresa,” she replied with a stiff nod. “Thank you for coming, although you must realize how you have stoked the flames of gossip with that gown. You do know better. I can only assume you decided to flaunt your wickedness by wearing green instead of gray. Or perhaps you cannot let your sister have her one night.”
For once in her life, Tessa decided to stand up to her mother. “No, Mamma. My gray gown was dirty from all the other balls I attended during my mourning period. Perhaps I should have arrived wearing nothing so all the men would pay attention to me.”
“Theresa! Do not speak to me in such a manner.”
Louisa choked back a giggle.
Tessa smiled as a sense of relief washed over her. She was finished doing her mother’s bidding. Until now, she hadn’t truly realized what Stanhope’s fortune meant for her—she was free. No longer would she have to listen to her mother telling her who she should and should not entertain, or where she could go, or most importantly whom she should marry next. “I am sorry, Mamma. I decided nine months of mourning for a man I did not love, and to whom I was married to for exactly one week, was more than enough time. I am putting away my black and gray.”
“It’s about time,” Louisa mumbled.
“Scandalous!” her mother exclaimed. “And it will bring shame down on this entire family. Think of Louisa and Emma.”
“That is all I have thought about for the past five years since you and the duke convinced me to marry Langley. I believe my sisters shall be fine, as will you.” Tessa yanked Louisa’s arm. “Come along, Louisa. We have not finished our turn about the room, scandalizing everyone.”
Louisa glanced back at their mother’s face while Tessa marched forward. “Tessa, I cannot believe you finally told Mamma how you really felt. I never wanted you to marry a man for position or money. I’m sure Emma feels the same.”
“Thank you.” She squeezed her sister’s hand. “It finally occurred to me that I am wealthy in my own right now. I do not need to marry again, nor do I need to listen to Mamma’s advice on men.”
“I have been telling you that for months.” A long sigh escaped Louisa. “I have to admit a certain amount of envy, sister dear. Mamma will have my head if I don’t accept someone this Season.”
“Of course she will,” Tessa commented. “She wants you and Emma married and out of the house so she can finally have her freedom.”
“I don’t want to marry just any man,” Louisa said wistfully.
“You could come live with me,” Tessa said with a grin. “Think how that would upset her.”
Louisa giggled softly. “She might never speak to either one of us again.” She stopped walking and pulled back on Tessa’s arm. “If you are not interested in marriage again, why all the worrying over Mr. Raynerson?”
Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. “I am concerned about his interest in me. It might be unseemly.”
“Unseemly? You are a widow. You can do whatever...” She paused and stared at Tessa for a long moment. “You’re not considering,” she moved closer and whispered in Tessa’s ear, “an affair, are you?”
“Louisa, I only just met the man tonight!”
“True,” she replied slowly. “But he is quite handsome. It certainly appeared as if you were attracted to him while dancing the waltz.”
Tessa’s mouth gaped open. “What do you mean?”
“I cannot remember the last time you smiled at a man that way while dancing with him. And you stared at him the entire dance.”
Was her attraction to
the man so obvious? “I am not attracted to him. You forget that I haven’t danced with a man since before my marriage to Stanhope. All you saw was my excitement to be out amongst people again.”
Louisa only shook her head. “If you remember, I had to force you to come to your own sister’s ball.”
Drat, she had forgotten that point. “Just ask Blakely about him...please.”
