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Chapter Seven
With her father absent from the house, Jenny had no choice but to use her morning to search the science volumes in the library for the geology handbook that she’d forgotten there last season. When she couldn’t find it, she returned to her room to study an odd-looking piece of rock she’d found at the park some days ago.
It was late morning before she put her work down to seek out her father. She found the butler, Gunther, in the foyer, instructing a new footman. “Gunther, has my father returned?”
“Yes, my lady. He is in his study but—”
She turned and began down the hallway that led to the study without waiting for him to finish his sentence. Many a time, her father did not wish to be disturbed in his study. Today was different, however. She had an urgent matter to discuss with him.
“Does your daughter know about your debts, Lord Hanover?” a voice streamed out through the closed door and Jenny’s hand paused on the doorknob as she recognized it. Instead of going in, she leaned against the door to listen.
“I keep no secrets from my daughter, Your Grace. She knows everything,” her father, Adolf, replied.
“Does she know the extent of the debts?” the dowager duchess asked.
“She does not need to know that.” Jenny’s heart sank at that.
If her father’s debts were so much, then he might have no choice but to makehermarry Nicholas.
“You are cheating that girl. Her future needs to be secured and you are no longer capable of providing for her.”
Jenny closed her eyes, her heart twisting in her chest. She loved her father more than life and she grieved for the mistakes he’d made.
“I am not going to force my daughter to marry. It is not her responsibility to pay my debts,” Adolf defended.
“I am not asking that of you, Hanover. I am only asking that you secure her future. His Grace has the means to help you settle your debts.”
“I repeat, Your Grace.” His voice was more forceful. “My daughter will not marry to satisfy the caprices and ambitions of an old woman.”
“You have quite the nerve, Hanover. I do know that she has no better prospects.” The dowager was right. She didn’t have better prospects. She looked fair enough to tempt a man but her financial situation made her looks dissolve into thin air. She was also a bluestocking which never worked in a woman’s favor.
“And I wonder what she would think years from now when she looks back at the opportunity her father squandered for her.”
“Who is to say she wouldn’t find a better opportunity?”
The dowager laughed. “Oh, chances like this do not come often and you know it.”
A chair creaked against the floorboard and Jenny straightened. It sounded like someone was rising. “Those debts are not going to pay themselves,” she pointed out, “and the longer you delay, the fatter they will become. Good luck.”
As the dowager’s cane preceded her steps, Jenny stepped away from the door and darted down the hall. She could not be caught eavesdropping again. She ran up the stairs and stopped halfway, waiting for the dowager to emerge. When she did, Jenny descended the stairs.
“There is the girl I was looking for,” the dowager said on sighting her.
“Your Grace,” Jenny greeted, curtsying when she reached the base of the stairs. “I did not expect your visit today.”
“Well, I do have the habit of being where I am least expected.” She beckoned for Jenny to follow her into the drawing room. “Come, I wish to speak with you.”
Jenny followed, unsurprised that the dowager was leadingherto the drawing room instead of the other way around.
“You look better this morning. I take it your illness was nothing serious.” She sat down.
Jenny could not decide whether to reveal the true cause of her condition last night but as she saw an opportunity he thought more about it. The dowager wanted a strong and healthy woman for Nicholas. If Jenny could claim to be sickly, perhaps it would change her mind.
“I…became nervous, Your Grace. I get sick when I am nervous.”
The dowager's brows rose. “Is that so? I do not recall you being that way when you were a child.”
Jenny sat down in one of the chairs in the room and folded her hands on her lap. “It is something that developed recently. It hinders me in a lot of ways.”
