loved someone, but the match was denied me?’ Susannah nodded. ‘Well, it caused a rift between Michael and my self, a rift that has never quite healed—and there was my aunt’s fortune. I stayed with her for more than two years before she died. She loved me and I loved her and she left almost everything to me. My brother resented the fact that he did not receive a share. He has tried to…persuade me to give him a substantial share, but it does not stop there. He wishes to rule my life. It was for precisely this reason that my aunt made me in de pen dent. Michael cannot touch my money, nor can I give him what he asks for, because it is tied up in property and trust funds. I should not even if I could—but I cannot give away large amounts of capital. However, my income is many times larger than I require and I am able to give smaller sums now and then. I am in no danger from my brother, for I am strong enough to resist…his arguments. It is some times unpleasant, but there is nothing more to cause you concern.’
‘I see…’ Susannah looked at her. ‘Thank you for telling me, Amelia. I am honoured by your trust. I have known that your brother is unkind to you and I know how generous you are…have been to me…’
‘I give what I wish to give. Both my nephews have had small in comes from me, which I can easily afford, but I shall do nothing for my brother, because he does not deserve it. Unfortunately, he believes he is entitled to control my fortune and that will cause friction at times.’
‘I wish you had someone to protect you,’ Susannah said. ‘If you were married, you would have a husband to care for you and look after your fortune.’
‘Yes, I should, but I have good friends. I have not asked them for help, because as yet I do not need it—but they are there if I should need them.’
‘I am so glad,’ Susannah said. ‘Forgive me if I am impertinent to ask—but is there no one you like enough to marry?’
‘Perhaps there may be one day,’ Amelia told her and smiled. ‘I hope your mind is at rest now, my love?’
‘Yes, it is,’ Susannah said. She stood up and went to kiss Amelia’s cheek. ‘It was good of you to tell me, for I know it was not easy for you.’
‘No, it is never easy to speak of these things, but I wanted to set your mind at rest, Susannah—and now we shall forget it. Tell me, is there a gentleman you feel you like more than the others?’
‘There might be,’ Susannah confessed. ‘I was not sure that I liked him, but of late I have begun to change my mind.’
‘I think I might guess,’ Amelia said. ‘But I shall not guess for you have not yet made up your mind and I do not wish to influence you—and now we really must ring for tea. Your mother should be home at any moment—she went to fetch some thing I needed…’ She smiled as the door opened and Mrs Hampton entered, as if to order. ‘We were just about to have tea. Susannah has some interesting news…’ She got up to ring the bell for tea.
‘You look so lovely this evening,’ Harry Pendleton said, taking Susannah’s hand and lifting it to his lips to kiss it when they met at a soirée that evening.
Susannah blushed faintly but did not remove her hand from his grasp immediately. She had tried to avoid him when they met for the first time after that disastrous affair at the Duchess of Morland’s ball. However, he had made a point of seeking her out and was so charming that she had overcome her feeling of awkwardness. Since then they had met everywhere. He had formed a habit of seeking her out, and Susannah could not doubt that he liked her. She had believed he must have a disgust of her for her foolish be ha vi our, but it was not so. No one seemed any the wiser about the incident with the marquis and she suspected that she had Lord Pendleton to thank for it. The Marquis of Northaven had not been present at any of the affairs she had attended with her mother and Amelia, and someone had told her
‘I see…’ Susannah looked at her. ‘Thank you for telling me, Amelia. I am honoured by your trust. I have known that your brother is unkind to you and I know how generous you are…have been to me…’
‘I give what I wish to give. Both my nephews have had small in comes from me, which I can easily afford, but I shall do nothing for my brother, because he does not deserve it. Unfortunately, he believes he is entitled to control my fortune and that will cause friction at times.’
‘I wish you had someone to protect you,’ Susannah said. ‘If you were married, you would have a husband to care for you and look after your fortune.’
‘Yes, I should, but I have good friends. I have not asked them for help, because as yet I do not need it—but they are there if I should need them.’
‘I am so glad,’ Susannah said. ‘Forgive me if I am impertinent to ask—but is there no one you like enough to marry?’
‘Perhaps there may be one day,’ Amelia told her and smiled. ‘I hope your mind is at rest now, my love?’
‘Yes, it is,’ Susannah said. She stood up and went to kiss Amelia’s cheek. ‘It was good of you to tell me, for I know it was not easy for you.’
‘No, it is never easy to speak of these things, but I wanted to set your mind at rest, Susannah—and now we shall forget it. Tell me, is there a gentleman you feel you like more than the others?’
‘There might be,’ Susannah confessed. ‘I was not sure that I liked him, but of late I have begun to change my mind.’
‘I think I might guess,’ Amelia said. ‘But I shall not guess for you have not yet made up your mind and I do not wish to influence you—and now we really must ring for tea. Your mother should be home at any moment—she went to fetch some thing I needed…’ She smiled as the door opened and Mrs Hampton entered, as if to order. ‘We were just about to have tea. Susannah has some interesting news…’ She got up to ring the bell for tea.
‘You look so lovely this evening,’ Harry Pendleton said, taking Susannah’s hand and lifting it to his lips to kiss it when they met at a soirée that evening.
Susannah blushed faintly but did not remove her hand from his grasp immediately. She had tried to avoid him when they met for the first time after that disastrous affair at the Duchess of Morland’s ball. However, he had made a point of seeking her out and was so charming that she had overcome her feeling of awkwardness. Since then they had met everywhere. He had formed a habit of seeking her out, and Susannah could not doubt that he liked her. She had believed he must have a disgust of her for her foolish be ha vi our, but it was not so. No one seemed any the wiser about the incident with the marquis and she suspected that she had Lord Pendleton to thank for it. The Marquis of Northaven had not been present at any of the affairs she had attended with her mother and Amelia, and someone had told her
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