support a wife and live in comfort in the way he described.
How could Papa have left his whole estate away from his daughters? Melia supposed it must have been worth some twenty thousand pounds or more—which meant she ought to have had ten thousand pounds, not the measly five that Lord Frant had granted her.
She stared at herself in the dressing mirror, her mouth pulled down in discontent. It was not Adam’s fault that his own father had wasted his inheritance to almost nothing. He’d told her that Lord Frant’s father had done much the same to him.
‘It is all right for Paul,’ he’d said and she’d seen his rueful look of regret. ‘He has the luck of the devil. In India we rescued a young prince from a pack of vengeful tribesmen from the hills—but it was he that received the gratitude and rewards from the Prince’s father. I received almost nothing...’
Melia had been given the impression that Adam had been the principle rescuer and Lord Frant had taken the credit, which had resulted in him becoming the owner of palaces and lands out there in India.
‘You should have spoken out,’ Melia had said, outraged on his behalf. ‘Lord Frant should share the rewards with you.’
‘He was the one who snatched the Prince from a burning building,’ Adam had said. ‘My men and I made it possible by fighting off the tribesmen, but of course the Prince called Frant his saviour. I did not wish to push myself forward—and the Maharaja sent wine, food and one hundred gold coins, which I shared out amongst my men.’
‘Yes, I do see it would be impossible for you to push your claim,’ Melia had said, her heart won by his selflessness in sharing the small reward he’d received with his men. ‘Yet I still think Lord Frant should have given you half of the rewards he received.’
‘I should not wish you to think ill of him,’ Adam had told her. ‘You must not speak of this to anyone, Melia—it was merely that I wished you to understand why I cannot offer marriage to any lady, even if it breaks my heart. I must earn my fortune by hard work and skill.’
Melia changed into an afternoon gown, for she was going out with Viscount Salisbury after luncheon. She was aware that she had once given a careless promise to him, but she’d never said that she loved him or that she would marry him, merely that she would wish to get to know him better before answering his question.
Melia did like both Jane and Will very much; they were her friends and she would not shame them or hurt them for the world—but she’d discovered a new and exciting world here in London and meant to make the most of her chances while she was here.
Her heart was given to Adam, but he was set against marriage until he could earn enough to keep his wife in style. Only if Melia could persuade her guardian to give her a larger portion might she be able to persuade him to think better of his noble sacrifice. A man who would not speak out when he was cheated of a fortune would not marry just for money—and yet she believed that he’d been telling her he loved her. If she had ten thousand, perhaps he would marry her...
* * *
Jane was about to change for the evening when she heard the rattle of carriage wheels outside the house; the sounds of postilions shouting and a loud rapping at the door made her throw on a silk wrap and hurry to the top of the stairs. Hearing a commotion in the hall and then the sound of a young woman’s voice, she gave a glad cry and looked down. Cousin Sarah had arrived some hours early and her arrival had thrown the servants into disarray.
‘Come up to me, Sarah,’ she called down. ‘I am changing and may not come down, but please do come up to me. You were expected tomorrow but your room is prepared and we shall have some tea in my sitting room while they carry up your bags.’
‘Jane...’ A tall girl with dark eyes and a pale complexion started up the stairs towards her. ‘I am sorry to throw your arrangements
How could Papa have left his whole estate away from his daughters? Melia supposed it must have been worth some twenty thousand pounds or more—which meant she ought to have had ten thousand pounds, not the measly five that Lord Frant had granted her.
She stared at herself in the dressing mirror, her mouth pulled down in discontent. It was not Adam’s fault that his own father had wasted his inheritance to almost nothing. He’d told her that Lord Frant’s father had done much the same to him.
‘It is all right for Paul,’ he’d said and she’d seen his rueful look of regret. ‘He has the luck of the devil. In India we rescued a young prince from a pack of vengeful tribesmen from the hills—but it was he that received the gratitude and rewards from the Prince’s father. I received almost nothing...’
Melia had been given the impression that Adam had been the principle rescuer and Lord Frant had taken the credit, which had resulted in him becoming the owner of palaces and lands out there in India.
‘You should have spoken out,’ Melia had said, outraged on his behalf. ‘Lord Frant should share the rewards with you.’
‘He was the one who snatched the Prince from a burning building,’ Adam had said. ‘My men and I made it possible by fighting off the tribesmen, but of course the Prince called Frant his saviour. I did not wish to push myself forward—and the Maharaja sent wine, food and one hundred gold coins, which I shared out amongst my men.’
‘Yes, I do see it would be impossible for you to push your claim,’ Melia had said, her heart won by his selflessness in sharing the small reward he’d received with his men. ‘Yet I still think Lord Frant should have given you half of the rewards he received.’
‘I should not wish you to think ill of him,’ Adam had told her. ‘You must not speak of this to anyone, Melia—it was merely that I wished you to understand why I cannot offer marriage to any lady, even if it breaks my heart. I must earn my fortune by hard work and skill.’
Melia changed into an afternoon gown, for she was going out with Viscount Salisbury after luncheon. She was aware that she had once given a careless promise to him, but she’d never said that she loved him or that she would marry him, merely that she would wish to get to know him better before answering his question.
Melia did like both Jane and Will very much; they were her friends and she would not shame them or hurt them for the world—but she’d discovered a new and exciting world here in London and meant to make the most of her chances while she was here.
Her heart was given to Adam, but he was set against marriage until he could earn enough to keep his wife in style. Only if Melia could persuade her guardian to give her a larger portion might she be able to persuade him to think better of his noble sacrifice. A man who would not speak out when he was cheated of a fortune would not marry just for money—and yet she believed that he’d been telling her he loved her. If she had ten thousand, perhaps he would marry her...
* * *
Jane was about to change for the evening when she heard the rattle of carriage wheels outside the house; the sounds of postilions shouting and a loud rapping at the door made her throw on a silk wrap and hurry to the top of the stairs. Hearing a commotion in the hall and then the sound of a young woman’s voice, she gave a glad cry and looked down. Cousin Sarah had arrived some hours early and her arrival had thrown the servants into disarray.
‘Come up to me, Sarah,’ she called down. ‘I am changing and may not come down, but please do come up to me. You were expected tomorrow but your room is prepared and we shall have some tea in my sitting room while they carry up your bags.’
‘Jane...’ A tall girl with dark eyes and a pale complexion started up the stairs towards her. ‘I am sorry to throw your arrangements
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