AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Sixteen
Connie was vacillating between misery and delight. She was trying very hard not to be consumed with jealousy as she watched her friend and companion become affianced to Viscount Merton. But her stomach was beginning to cramp from the effort. Lady Adelaide was evidently not divided in her affections. She was thrilled by the coup that was her house party. Two betrothals in a week. The viscountess would be crowned the most successful hostess at her very first effort. From the corner of her eye, Connie could see her ladyship trying valiantly not to crow with delight.
Merton had at least had the sense not to propose to Peggy in front of everyone but had done so quickly and privately before returning to the group milling about the ruins, both of them wreathed in smiles that could not be hidden.
Everyone had immediately congratulated the pair even while some of the other young women had cast Peggy jealous glances, prompting Connie to step forward and offer her full support to her impoverished relative. While she might be a little envious of her companion’s happiness, she didn’t actually begrudge it to her and could not allow anyone to dampen it.
But now Connie would be forced to make decisions she didn’t want to face. Even though she had suspected this might be the direction things would go, now that it was upon her and her companion was truly going to leave her, Connie was dreading all the changes.
And this on top of the accusatory expression in the handsome Mr. Alcott’s eyes that morning over breakfast, it was a wonder she had been able to keep the contents of her stomach settled as well as she had. Not to say that her insides were at all settled, but at least she had managed not to share them with the others.
She couldn’t even enjoy the likely quite delightful remnants of the ancient building left by some long ago Northcott ancestors. Under usual circumstances, Connie quite delighted in exploring old ruins but today their charm was completely lost on her. All she wanted to do was curl up in some corner on a comfortable chair with a soft cat and a good book and escape from her troubles for a couple of hours. Just enough to get some distance from her raw feelings of abandonment.
Connie called herself to task. No one was abandoning her. Mr. Alcott didn’t owe her any sort of loyalty. The fact that she had inexplicably developed warm and trusting feelings toward him did not obligate him in any way toward her. And he really hadn’t harmed her in any way. At least not physically. The fact that he suspected her of involvement in the smuggling was ludicrous and would be proven wrong in short order. It should also make his suspicions no longer hurtful because he was clearly not of sound mind so she shouldn’t care what he thought of her. But her heart was a stubborn organ and wouldn’t listen to her mind.
Peggy was also not abandoning her, Connie reminded herself. She had never made a secret of the fact that she wished for marriage. It was part of why Connie had agreed to attend the house party. They had both understood it was a possibility. And Connie was happy for the woman, she insisted. But she was sad for herself and bereft of where that might leave her in the future.
But she was being a selfish beast. And so, she smiled pleasantly as she was handed up into the carriage she had arrived in, this time, the return to Everleigh would be a much lighter ride. Peggy was to accompany Lord Merton in his fine high carriage and Mr. Foster Northcott had elected to ride one of the horses the grooms had brought for just that sort of eventuality.
“How cozy it will be with just the two of us,” Miss Alcott had enthused when she was handed in after Connie.
Connie was proud to note that her smile didn’t waver over her travel companion’s words. But really the last place she wished to be was holed up in a closed carriage with Florent Alcott’s sister.
“Tell me what you think of my brother,” Daisy ordered as soon as their carriage began rolling. Connie grabbed the strap by her head both to steady herself from the sudden movement and to steady her nerves to endure the conversation.
“He seems to be a pleasant fellow.”
“Damned by faint praise,” Daisy crowed, seemingly delighted by the response. “He would be devasted were he to hear you.”
“No, why would he?” Connie asked, hoping she sounded barely interested.
“I think you caught his eye.”
“Not for the reasons you might think,” Connie countered. “He seems to be labouring under the misapprehension that I am involved with Mr. Wagner.”
“Never say so. He isn’t that stupid.”
“He actually said as much to me over breakfast this morning.”
That silenced Daisy as she sat back in her seat, stunned at the thought of her brother’s misinformation.
A few moments later she rallied.
“We will just have to set him straight, in that case.”
“Do not trouble yourself on my account, my dear Miss Alcott. You have your own future to see to, you needn’t spare anyone else’s a thought at this time.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Daisy waved away Connie’s words. “I have always thought Florent one of the best fellows I know. I would like to see him happy.”
Connie’s throat tightened at the kind words the other woman had for her brother. Uninterested in sinking into melancholy, Connie struck up a rather inane conversation that kept them preoccupied for several minutes. And so, they didn’t notice the commotion outside their carriage until they were already moving quicker and starting to bounce over a rougher road.
“Whatever is happening?” Daisy demanded as she and Connie exchanged questioning looks. Connie once more grabbed hold of the strap by her head, this time to steady herself as she stood in the swaying carriage so that she could reach to pound on the roof.
Her clear demand to stop was evidently ignored by their driver. The occupants of the carriage again exchanged looks, but this time they were filled with more than questions.
“Hold on tight, Daisy,” Connie called out to her friend as she peered through the window trying to see what might be going on. Did she dare to open the window and stick her head out to get a better idea what was happening? At this speed, it might not be safe. But she wasn’t sure if she could bear to just sit quietly.
With a sudden jolt that would have sent them both to the floor if they weren’t holding on, their carriage came to a lurching stop, and the wild ride was over as abruptly as it had begun. Connie couldn’t even fathom how much time had passed. It had felt like an eon had passed while the carriage had bounded over bumps and ruts in the road, but it was possible that it hadn’t been nearly as long as it had felt.
