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‘That would be best, I expect Besides, he is also brother to the wife of Sir Edward Greaves, and after that unfortunate incident last spring, I should not wish to do anything that ht offend Sir Edward’
Amanda felt her face flush ‘I am sorry about that, Papa’
S fondly, her father patted her arm ‘Never you mind, puss You can’t help that you are just naturally too lovely and charentleman to resist’
Though Auilt, she didn’t correct her papa The truth was, she had quite deliberately sought to be at herat Holkhaht ho one of the entleht to flirt a bit, seizing one of the few opportunities that caentleman of noble birth
Who could have iy Sir Edward, who had barely spoken to her of anything beyond a boring narration about crops and fields, would have possessed sufficient sensibility to become smitten?
She’d been surprised—and a bit ashamed—when Papa told her, after Sir Edward’s sudden departure, that the baronet hadwell that the very last thing she wanted was to buckle herself to soentleman farmer and spend the rest of her years im necessity of refusing him
However, she reassured herself pragmatically, since Sir Edward had married within six months of his departure from Ashton Grove, she could not have wounded his heart too severely
Still, she could not help but regret that her flirtation had put a rub in her father’s friendship with the man
‘Of course, Papa, I’m as anxious as you to …aardness Have you any idea how long Mr Anders is to be our guest? And…surely I am not called upon to nurse him?’
‘Of course not!’ her father assured her ‘Even if it were notso expressly designed to bring back…unfortunate memories’
Abruptly, they both fell silent Despite her papa’s hope to avoid it, she found her thoughts sucked inexorably back to the terrible spring and suhtmarish visions chased across herin delirium; both faces fixed in the still, cold pallor of death
Shaking her head to dislodge the ies, she turned to Papa and saw, fro, too Anxiety instantly replaced grief; Papa’s own health had nearly broken under the strain of losing both wife and sister, and he was still, she feared, far from recovered
Before she could hit upon soht distract hi as he may need Should it turn out that he requires further care, I shall consult with Dr Wendell in the village to obtain a suitable practitioner But do not worry, puss…’ he reached out to pat her hand ‘…however long our visitor tarries, I pro else delay the Season for which you’ve waited so long and so patiently’
Amanda smiled her thanks and tried to refocus her ! Dare she even hope this time that it would finally happen? The Season, which she and her , had been delayed by such a series of unfortunate events that so to prevent her having any opportunity to realise her dreams
Still, with her last breath, Mao this year, come what may So perhaps the visit would take place after all
Oh, to finally be in London, that greatest of English cities, where she would not have to pore over accounts of events already days or weeks old by the time the newspapers reached them London, where her future husband, a man of substance and influence in his party, would sit in the Lords and help direct the affairs of the nation Supported, of course, by his lovely wife, whose dinners, soirées and balls would bring together all the influential people of the realm, where policy would be discussed and settled over brandy and whispered about behind fans
If no further disaster occurred to prevent it, in a few short weeks, she would be there She could hardly wait
Suddenly the study door opened on a draught of cold air and her cousin Althea dashed in ‘Is he here yet? Have I missed him?’ she demanded
A to her lips about the decoru a room As she’d learned all too swiftly after Althea joined the just before the death of her mother, Amanda’s Aunt Felicia, the cousin who had once followed her about like an adoring puppy now seemed to resent every word she uttered
Ignoring, as usual, the girl’s rudeness, Papa only said mildly, ‘Missed who, my dear?’