enthusiasm before resuming his search.
Holland cleared his throat. “Why the urgency for a Wiltshire property?”
Merrick clapped his hand to his half brother’s shoulder and squeezed. He could have a little fun at Holland’s expense by knowing something before the other man did. “All in good time, Holland. Just wait and see what you find for sale.”
CHAPTER TEN
As Arabella had foreseen, Farnsworth was enraged by the elopement of his only daughter for the embarrassment it inflicted on him and the stain to the family reputation. What she couldn’t fathom was why he had not set off in pursuit of the lovers to Scotland to prevent the match from taking place at all.
“I wash my hands of them and rue the day I ever came to London,” he said sourly as he poured another drink, his fifth since Arabella had been summoned to dinner this evening. “He’ll not get a penny of her dowry.”
She winced. A lieutenant made little enough from his commission to support a family without denying them the dowry. She hoped her niece had considered that. After returning from her walk, Arabella had been on tenterhooks because Cecily’s elopement was still unknown. An hour later, Farnsworth discovered the situation. His bellow of outrage, heard clearly through the floor of her bedchamber from below, alerted her to be ready for his anger and made her tremble. She had been questioned harshly until he had received a note he wouldn’t share the contents of.
At first, she had assumed it was about Cecily, yet Farnsworth was still in their Half Moon Street residence, complaining at every opportunity. The butler appeared and delivered yet another note to Farnsworth. When he picked it up and read it, his eyes darted in her direction. He smiled, yet kept the details to himself again.
Arabella began to feel distinctly uncomfortable.
“What will you do?” She posed her question carefully, uncertain of whether she wanted his answer or not. Rothwell had eased her mind of Cecily being abandoned when the idea of elopement lost its appeal to Lieutenant Ford. As far as Rothwell was concerned, Cecily would marry without a shadow of a doubt and she had to believe it would be so.
Farnsworth sighed. “There is little to be done. She left very early last night. She has a whole night of travel between us, and according to my reports, this Ford fellow has disappeared without a trace. He’ll not stop long on the way to the border. Only a fool would attempt a recovery, and I am not dancing to that tune. It will take time for the stain to be forgotten by society, but Parker will overlook the impropriety and that is all that matters.”
Farnsworth was so wrong she wanted to laugh at him. They were in Town and everyone they met with would soon know exactly what had befallen the house of Farnsworth. The man had been obsessed with keeping up appearances prior to Cecily’s elopement. He was always throwing out little remarks about how a lady should conduct herself in public. No matter how much money changed hands or what apologies were made to Parker, the scandal would not subside for some time and would remain a black spot on the family’s reputation.
A tap on the front door reverberated through the house. Although Arabella strained her ears, she could not discern who it might be. When the butler interrupted their dinner yet again a few moments later, he went directly to Farnsworth, holding his little silver tray before him. A single note rested on the silver surface and he read it quickly. Farnsworth met her gaze. “You must excuse me. A matter of business has arisen that must be dealt with.”
“Do the notes concern Cecily?”
“No.” Farnsworth slipped the note into his pocket, his expression thoughtful. “You would do well to forget her and focus on the future. I’ll need a few minutes to conclude my business, and then I will join you in the drawing room.”
He retreated and rudely left Arabella seated at the dining table amid a
Holland cleared his throat. “Why the urgency for a Wiltshire property?”
Merrick clapped his hand to his half brother’s shoulder and squeezed. He could have a little fun at Holland’s expense by knowing something before the other man did. “All in good time, Holland. Just wait and see what you find for sale.”
CHAPTER TEN
As Arabella had foreseen, Farnsworth was enraged by the elopement of his only daughter for the embarrassment it inflicted on him and the stain to the family reputation. What she couldn’t fathom was why he had not set off in pursuit of the lovers to Scotland to prevent the match from taking place at all.
“I wash my hands of them and rue the day I ever came to London,” he said sourly as he poured another drink, his fifth since Arabella had been summoned to dinner this evening. “He’ll not get a penny of her dowry.”
She winced. A lieutenant made little enough from his commission to support a family without denying them the dowry. She hoped her niece had considered that. After returning from her walk, Arabella had been on tenterhooks because Cecily’s elopement was still unknown. An hour later, Farnsworth discovered the situation. His bellow of outrage, heard clearly through the floor of her bedchamber from below, alerted her to be ready for his anger and made her tremble. She had been questioned harshly until he had received a note he wouldn’t share the contents of.
At first, she had assumed it was about Cecily, yet Farnsworth was still in their Half Moon Street residence, complaining at every opportunity. The butler appeared and delivered yet another note to Farnsworth. When he picked it up and read it, his eyes darted in her direction. He smiled, yet kept the details to himself again.
Arabella began to feel distinctly uncomfortable.
“What will you do?” She posed her question carefully, uncertain of whether she wanted his answer or not. Rothwell had eased her mind of Cecily being abandoned when the idea of elopement lost its appeal to Lieutenant Ford. As far as Rothwell was concerned, Cecily would marry without a shadow of a doubt and she had to believe it would be so.
Farnsworth sighed. “There is little to be done. She left very early last night. She has a whole night of travel between us, and according to my reports, this Ford fellow has disappeared without a trace. He’ll not stop long on the way to the border. Only a fool would attempt a recovery, and I am not dancing to that tune. It will take time for the stain to be forgotten by society, but Parker will overlook the impropriety and that is all that matters.”
Farnsworth was so wrong she wanted to laugh at him. They were in Town and everyone they met with would soon know exactly what had befallen the house of Farnsworth. The man had been obsessed with keeping up appearances prior to Cecily’s elopement. He was always throwing out little remarks about how a lady should conduct herself in public. No matter how much money changed hands or what apologies were made to Parker, the scandal would not subside for some time and would remain a black spot on the family’s reputation.
A tap on the front door reverberated through the house. Although Arabella strained her ears, she could not discern who it might be. When the butler interrupted their dinner yet again a few moments later, he went directly to Farnsworth, holding his little silver tray before him. A single note rested on the silver surface and he read it quickly. Farnsworth met her gaze. “You must excuse me. A matter of business has arisen that must be dealt with.”
“Do the notes concern Cecily?”
“No.” Farnsworth slipped the note into his pocket, his expression thoughtful. “You would do well to forget her and focus on the future. I’ll need a few minutes to conclude my business, and then I will join you in the drawing room.”
He retreated and rudely left Arabella seated at the dining table amid a
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