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Nancy glanced from one inquisitive face to the other and she knew she had been found out. There was no evading the truth now. Neither Patricia nor Aurelia would take no for an answer.
‘Well, there is someone,’ Nancy said slowly. ‘But he’s not for me. I know that and I’m not going to see him again.’
‘Who is it, Nancy? Has someone been toying with your emotions?’ Patricia glared at her. ‘I’ll have words to say to that gentleman. It isn’t Gervase, is it?’
Nancy laughed, shaking her head. ‘No, he’s the last man on earth I would want to marry.’
‘You can tell us.’ Aurelia caught hold of Nancy’s hand. ‘We might be able to help.’
‘No, you can’t. No one can. He’s too far above me in every way.’
‘Nonsense.’ Patricia leaned forward. ‘Tell us who it is. We are more experienced in such matters.’
Nancy could see that she was not going to get away without telling them the truth, but if she did it might rebound on her in a catastrophic way. She had no intention of placing Freddie in an awkward situation. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. Please forget about it.’
‘You cannot leave it there, Nancy. Who is this fellow who has been tugging at your heartstrings? You’re very young. Is it someone in the opera company? If so, Mama should have been taking better care of you.’
Aurelia shrugged. ‘Your mama is only interested in one thing, Patsy. Herself.’
‘That is true.’ Patricia acknowledged her words with a sigh. ‘Who is he, Nancy? Don’t suffer heartbreak on your own. Please, tell us who he is.’
Chapter Fifteen
‘Freddie Ashton!’ Patricia stared at Nancy in amazement.
‘Who is Freddie Ashton?’ Aurelia frowned. ‘I don’t think I know him.’
‘Viscount Ashton,’ Patricia said flatly. ‘Only the second wealthiest bachelor in England. He’s the heir to Dorrington Place and a mansion in London, not to mention a huge estate.’
Aurelia shook her head. ‘We are so out of touch these days. I vaguely recall the name.’
‘Please don’t make a fuss,’ Nancy pleaded. ‘I wouldn’t have told you if you hadn’t insisted. Freddie is a wonderful person but he’s not for the likes of me.’
‘Shame on you, Nancy,’ Patricia said passionately. ‘You are good enough for any man alive. I won’t allow you to belittle yourself.’
‘I know you think so, but Lady Dorrington made it perfectly clear that Freddie could not marry a nobody, and I have to agree with her.’
Patricia rolled her eyes. ‘You don’t have to listen to his mama, Nancy. No one will be good enough for her son. You’ll learn that as you get older.’
‘I can think for myself, and I know she’s right. Anyway, we were only just getting to know each other. I had to get away before it became serious, but I really don’t want to talk about it now, and you have more pressing problems at the moment.’
‘That’s true,’ Aurelia said sadly. She walked over to a side table half hidden in the gloom and returned moments later with a tray and three glasses of wine. ‘My best homemade blackberry. As I said, it’s quite potent, so sip it slowly.’
Lady Pentelow’s eyes opened wide. ‘Thank you, Aurelia. I’ll have a small glass – for medicinal purposes, of course.’
Aurelia and Patricia exchanged amused glances and Nancy turned away to stifle a giggle.
Later that evening, they ate in the grand dining room, although Nancy could see blank spaces on the walls where paintings had once hung, and gaps on the huge sideboard where silver and china had been sent to the sale rooms. Two candles on the vast table were the only source of light in the huge room, but Lady Pentelow took her place at the head as if nothing had changed. Ada placed a tureen of vegetable soup on the table in front of Aurelia, who served it into the second-best china.
‘Peasant food.’ Lady Pentelow broke off a chunk of freshly baked bread and dropped small pieces into her bowl. ‘We used to dine in style. Now look at us.’
‘It’s delicious,’ Nancy said hastily. ‘Really tasty.’
‘You won’t say that when you’ve had the same meal day in and day out for a month or more.’ Aurelia sighed heavily. ‘The captain had better bring good news tomorrow. I don’t know what we’ll do if there isn’t enough money to pay the miners’ wages, let alone to buy supplies.’
‘I just hope that Leo and Alex are on board,’ Patricia said grimly.
‘I’m thinking about the poor miners’ families.’ Aurelia stared down at her plate. ‘This is luxury compared to what some of them have been having. I’ve sent bread to those who are near destitute, but we’re running low on flour and soon there will be none left for us.’
