AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 1
Seaborne, Sussex England, 1812
The sun was high and bright in a clear blue sky as the three ladies strolled the length of the pier. A faint hissing sound, where the waves lapped the beach, permeated the air. Lady Jane Metcalfe sighed before inhaling the familiar scent of salt, letting it fill her lungs. The smell of the ocean was the only thing she enjoyed about promenading.
“Jane! It is not at all ladylike to take such deep breaths, you know,” said the petite lady by her side, disdain evident in her cerulean blue eyes.
Jane just managed to stop herself rolling her own eyes at her cousin Lucy’s reproach. Lucy irritated her beyond measure and always had since they were children. Her cousin constantly found fault in everything she did. Lucy prided herself on being a proper young lady in all ways. In fact, it was all that occupied her mind. That, and making a good matrimonial match. It was Lucy’s life ambition to marry very well indeed.
Jane turned to the lady on Lucy’s left side, catching her eye. Her older sister Marianne stifled a smile. Marianne seemed to tolerate Lucy much better than Jane did, but then, Marianne didn’t see their cousin as much as Jane was forced to.
Her older sister lived in Brighton, thirty miles away, whereas Lucy was only ten miles from Seaborne. Their fathers were brothers, and Jane’s Uncle Ralph took advantage of her father’s hospitality, in Jane’s opinion, sending Lucy to stay with them in Seaborne quite a lot.
Jane’s eyes softened as she gazed at her older sister. Marianne was her closest friend in the world as well as being her sister. She missed her so much since she had married her husband Henry, Viscount Aldridge, a year ago and moved to Brighton.
But at least she had her sister back for most of the summer. Jane was staying with them while Henry was in Scotland on business. It would have been perfect, except that Lucy had descended upon them for a few weeks, as well. Jane turned back to her younger cousin, her eyes narrowing. Lucy was the fly in the ointment. As always.
“I will try to breathe more sedately just for you, dear Cousin,” said Jane, her voice filled with sarcasm.
Marianne stifled a giggle, but Lucy simply blinked. Sarcasm was lost on Lucy, as were all other forms of wit. Lucy might be conventionally beautiful, with her lustrous strawberry blonde corkscrew curls and wide blue eyes, but she had never been known for her wit or intelligence.
“Could you?” Lucy smiled slightly, showing her small, perfectly white teeth. “What a dear you are, Jane.” She twirled her parasol. “I hope you do not mind how many gentlemen callers I had this morning, Cousin. I thought perhaps at leastoneof them might be for you.”
“Take all of them with my blessing, Cousin,” said Jane, her mouth twitching. “They were all blockheads and dullards in my opinion.”
Lucy’s face fell.
“Jane,” said Marianne reproachfully, lightly swatting her arm. “That is not polite. Why, there were many quite respectable callers for Lucy this morning!”
Lucy scowled at Jane. “At least I have gentlemen callers, Jane. You never have any!” Her perfect rosebud lips formed a moue of distaste. “Are youstillresolved to become a spinster?”
Jane nodded. “I am, Cousin. I truly am.”
Lucy shook her head incredulously, her curls swinging from side to side. “How can you admit such a thing? How can you even speak of it? Why,no oneresolves to become a spinster! How odd you are, Cousin.”
“I am most definitely odd,” said Jane, raising her chin defiantly. “And I admit it quite easily. I find it better to be forthright about it. Then no gentlemen can have any doubts about how serious I am on the subject. Why play the game when I have no intention of ever claiming the supposed prize?”
There was an awkward silence. Lucy looked truly bewildered as if Jane were speaking in a strange language, even though this wasn’t the first time she had heard Jane utter these words. Marianne patted Jane’s arm reassuringly before she leaned over, turning her around so that their backs were to Lucy, whispering in her sister’s ear.
“Do not tease her, dearest,” she whispered. “We know how earnest Lucy is on the subject of matrimony.”
Jane turned her sister away, so that Lucy couldn’t hear them. “I am not teasing, Sister. You know how earnest I am on the subject, as well. It is just that our dear cousin and I have wildly differing ideas about it.”
Marianne smiled, a little sadly. They had discussed this subject many times, as well. Marianne knew very well how determined Jane was to remain unmarried.
In the beginning, when Jane had first voiced her intention, her sister had laughed it off, saying she would change her mind. But now Marianne knew how very serious she was. They had even worked out a plan for Jane’s life once Papa was gone.
Jane was going to live with Marianne and Henry in their Brighton townhouse. The spinster sister. She would grow old beside the one who meant the most to her in the world and who would let her be free to pursue her interests.
I am five and twenty now,In a few blessed years, I shall officially be deemed on the shelf, and no gentleman will ever bother me. Ever.
“Be nice,” whispered Marianne. “That is all I am asking.”
Jane rolled her eyes. “I shall try. She is just so vexing, Marianne! I have never met a more vacuous young lady than our dear cousin.” Her nostrils flared. “Why does shealwayshave to stay with us?”
“You know why,” said Marianne in a patient voice. “Because our dear uncle and aunt believe Lucy has better prospects in Seaborne than the tiny village in which they live.”
“Why do you not invite her to Brighton from time to time and take your share of the burden?” said Jane in a furious whisper. “Brighton is much larger than Seaborne. Our cousin will surely find a wonderful match there.”
