us to be
friends, but you seem to have decided this is not possible. Can you tell me
why? What is it about me that offends you?"
Chloe drew in a deep breath. Perhaps never again would the
captain be so approachable. This at last was her opening to explain about Emma,
an opportunity that must be handled with much delicacy and tact.
"I don't want you to marry my sister," she blurted
out, then winced. So much for tact.
"Why not?" Trent asked, equally as blunt. "Do
you find me that repulsive?"
"No. But you only just met Emma today. You don't even
know her except through her letters."
"That is true. I admit the circumstances surrounding
our engagement are unique. But I often wonder: How much better acquainted are
couples who have a more conventional courtship? They meet a few times at balls,
dinner parties, walks in the park." Trent gave an expressive shrug.
"I believe Emma and I have as good a chance of achieving a felicitous
marriage as they do."
"Even if Emma is already in love with someone
else?"
There now, Chloe had said it. She braced herself for Trent's
reaction—shock, disappointment, perhaps even anger. She was prepared for
anything but how calmly he received her announcement.
"Oh, that!" he said, with a dismissive wave of his
hand.
"You mean to say that you already knew? And you still
mean to make Emma marry you!"
"Let us get one thing straight, Chloe. I am not making
Emma do anything. She accepted my proposal freely. She did inform me of a
previous attachment to another young man, but circumstances rendered any marriage
between them impossible. I honor your sister for her frankness. If she can put
the past behind her, I see no reason not to do the same."
"Love cannot be so easily discarded, Captain, like it
was last year's fashion. Emma still cares deeply for this other young man
and—"
"She mentioned none of this to me," Trent
interrupted. "Nor any desire to be released from our engagement."
"Of course she wouldn't, but—"
"Then don't you think you are taking a deal too much
upon yourself to speak for her?"
"Well, I ... I ..." Chloe floundered, not able to
argue that point as strongly as she would have liked.
"I understand that you are feeling a natural anxiety on
your sister's behalf. But Emma is older, and, if you will excuse my saying so,
wiser than you. I think you had best let Emma make her own decisions without
trying to interfere."
His tone was kind but very final. He accompanied this speech
with a condescending pat on her shoulder that made Chloe grit her teeth.
"Now I shall send Mr. Doughty back to help get these
decorations up. I am glad we had this little talk, my dear. I am sure we
understand each other far better now."
"But Captain Trent—" Chloe protested.
It was of no use. The man had already bowed and was moving
toward the door. If he realized how Chloe seethed with frustration, he was
determined to ignore it.
"Oh yes, I understand you perfectly," she
muttered, waiting until the door clicked shut behind him before adding,
"Blackbeard!"
Except for last Christmas, when her heart had yet been breaking
for her father, Chloe could not remember a holiday that she had enjoyed less
than this one. The infamous Captain Trent was to blame for that.
He raised no further objections to the manner of their
celebrations at Windhaven. He even joined in after his own grave fashion,
helping to haul in the Yule log, bussing Emma's cheek underneath the mistletoe
with all due solemnity.
Not because he took any great joy in the customs, but
because he had been told this was the proper way to celebrate on Christmas Eve.
And so he did it with the same precision with which he must have charted his
course at sea or carried out the Admiralty's orders.
No one but Chloe seemed to find anything lacking in him. He
was courtesy itself and very attentive to Emma, just as a prospective
bridegroom should be. But Chloe detected no real warmth in his manner, no true
delight in Emma's company. Oh, it was
friends, but you seem to have decided this is not possible. Can you tell me
why? What is it about me that offends you?"
Chloe drew in a deep breath. Perhaps never again would the
captain be so approachable. This at last was her opening to explain about Emma,
an opportunity that must be handled with much delicacy and tact.
"I don't want you to marry my sister," she blurted
out, then winced. So much for tact.
"Why not?" Trent asked, equally as blunt. "Do
you find me that repulsive?"
"No. But you only just met Emma today. You don't even
know her except through her letters."
"That is true. I admit the circumstances surrounding
our engagement are unique. But I often wonder: How much better acquainted are
couples who have a more conventional courtship? They meet a few times at balls,
dinner parties, walks in the park." Trent gave an expressive shrug.
"I believe Emma and I have as good a chance of achieving a felicitous
marriage as they do."
"Even if Emma is already in love with someone
else?"
There now, Chloe had said it. She braced herself for Trent's
reaction—shock, disappointment, perhaps even anger. She was prepared for
anything but how calmly he received her announcement.
"Oh, that!" he said, with a dismissive wave of his
hand.
"You mean to say that you already knew? And you still
mean to make Emma marry you!"
"Let us get one thing straight, Chloe. I am not making
Emma do anything. She accepted my proposal freely. She did inform me of a
previous attachment to another young man, but circumstances rendered any marriage
between them impossible. I honor your sister for her frankness. If she can put
the past behind her, I see no reason not to do the same."
"Love cannot be so easily discarded, Captain, like it
was last year's fashion. Emma still cares deeply for this other young man
and—"
"She mentioned none of this to me," Trent
interrupted. "Nor any desire to be released from our engagement."
"Of course she wouldn't, but—"
"Then don't you think you are taking a deal too much
upon yourself to speak for her?"
"Well, I ... I ..." Chloe floundered, not able to
argue that point as strongly as she would have liked.
"I understand that you are feeling a natural anxiety on
your sister's behalf. But Emma is older, and, if you will excuse my saying so,
wiser than you. I think you had best let Emma make her own decisions without
trying to interfere."
His tone was kind but very final. He accompanied this speech
with a condescending pat on her shoulder that made Chloe grit her teeth.
"Now I shall send Mr. Doughty back to help get these
decorations up. I am glad we had this little talk, my dear. I am sure we
understand each other far better now."
"But Captain Trent—" Chloe protested.
It was of no use. The man had already bowed and was moving
toward the door. If he realized how Chloe seethed with frustration, he was
determined to ignore it.
"Oh yes, I understand you perfectly," she
muttered, waiting until the door clicked shut behind him before adding,
"Blackbeard!"
Except for last Christmas, when her heart had yet been breaking
for her father, Chloe could not remember a holiday that she had enjoyed less
than this one. The infamous Captain Trent was to blame for that.
He raised no further objections to the manner of their
celebrations at Windhaven. He even joined in after his own grave fashion,
helping to haul in the Yule log, bussing Emma's cheek underneath the mistletoe
with all due solemnity.
Not because he took any great joy in the customs, but
because he had been told this was the proper way to celebrate on Christmas Eve.
And so he did it with the same precision with which he must have charted his
course at sea or carried out the Admiralty's orders.
No one but Chloe seemed to find anything lacking in him. He
was courtesy itself and very attentive to Emma, just as a prospective
bridegroom should be. But Chloe detected no real warmth in his manner, no true
delight in Emma's company. Oh, it was
Similar Books
