nothing like the depth of feeling he
felt for Fenbridge.
Recalling the result of speaking of the
subject before, he could not risk saying something and being wrong. The thought
of Fenbridge looking at him with disgust and dislike made him feel ill. On the
other hand, the idea that Fenbridge might indeed feel the same way…
This uncertainty could drive a man mad. He
nudged his horse into a trot, leading the animal towards an area of countryside
where he could gallop freely and work off some of his agitation.
* * *
Amelia stared out of the sewing room
window, the view of the garden outside a lovely one, but her mind on a view of
the future that was not lovely at all.
It was only after Lottie left that Amelia
remembered that Mr Alexander Fenbridge’s estate was in some part of England
countless miles away. Lottie would always have family in Edinburgh so Amelia
had told herself Lottie would often visit them so Amelia would see her then. However,
aside from a visit of perhaps a month per year Amelia would not see her; she
would lose her best friend. Amelia might be able to visit Lottie’s new home at
first but would it be possible to continue doing so after she herself married,
assuming that that ever happened?
Amelia used to fantasise about travelling
with her husband to exotic places such as London and Paris and all the
fashionable luxuries she would be able to buy, but she had never once
considered what she might have to give up as an adult. She had known Lottie for
virtually her whole life and the thought of suddenly losing her was horrible. Of
course, she thought with a heavy sigh, she herself might never marry then she
could visit Lottie as often as possible until Lottie and Mr Fenbridge were sick
of her.
Amelia made a groan of frustration at her
thoughts and threw down her embroidery. She would take Walker to the shops and
spend more money than was prudent and then she would feel better.
Satisfied with this decision, she put it
into effect, although by the time she got to the shops they had lost much of
their appeal. Still, she found some French lace which she bought as an
engagement gift for Lottie and called at Mr Harrington’s house to give it to
her.
She walked into Lottie’s room and, before
she could say so much as a greeting, Lottie burst out, “What if Mr Fenbridge
jilts me?”
Amelia stared at her in surprise that
changed to dismay at how badly Lottie was still affected by Mr Saverney’s
treatment of her. “That is impossible.”
“Is it?” Lottie paced up and down the small
space between her four-poster bed and large oak wardrobe. “What if the fault
was not with Mr Saverney but with me? Perhaps I am just not loveable.”
“Nonsense! Mr Saverney was a weak man who
behaved abominably to you, but it could never happen again…”
“…I am not so certain…”
“… Well, I am. How did Mr Fenbridge seem
when you accepted his proposal? Happy?”
“Yes.” Lottie paused and her expression
became calmer. “He was pleased and happy.”
“There, then. Your fear was understandable
but it was also wrong, I promise you.”
Lottie smiled. “What would I do without
your friendship?”
“We will both find out when you are living
all the way down in some distant part of England,” Amelia blurted out in what
she was sure was a self-pitying tone.
“Now who is talking nonsense,” Lottie said
calmly. “I will spend half my time here visiting my family and you will spend
half your time staying with me and we will see each other just as often as we
do now.”
Amelia nodded, allowing herself to be
comforted by the idea and denying the doubts at the back of her mind.
Chapter Twelve
IT WAS EARLY morning and Mr Brightford viewed the chests
being loaded onto Mr Wrackley’s coach with concern then walked back inside to
find him. Wrackley was in the dining room taking his leave of Nathan and Alex.
“I thought you had intended to stay here
until the end of the season,” Brightford said, with an
felt for Fenbridge.
Recalling the result of speaking of the
subject before, he could not risk saying something and being wrong. The thought
of Fenbridge looking at him with disgust and dislike made him feel ill. On the
other hand, the idea that Fenbridge might indeed feel the same way…
This uncertainty could drive a man mad. He
nudged his horse into a trot, leading the animal towards an area of countryside
where he could gallop freely and work off some of his agitation.
* * *
Amelia stared out of the sewing room
window, the view of the garden outside a lovely one, but her mind on a view of
the future that was not lovely at all.
It was only after Lottie left that Amelia
remembered that Mr Alexander Fenbridge’s estate was in some part of England
countless miles away. Lottie would always have family in Edinburgh so Amelia
had told herself Lottie would often visit them so Amelia would see her then. However,
aside from a visit of perhaps a month per year Amelia would not see her; she
would lose her best friend. Amelia might be able to visit Lottie’s new home at
first but would it be possible to continue doing so after she herself married,
assuming that that ever happened?
Amelia used to fantasise about travelling
with her husband to exotic places such as London and Paris and all the
fashionable luxuries she would be able to buy, but she had never once
considered what she might have to give up as an adult. She had known Lottie for
virtually her whole life and the thought of suddenly losing her was horrible. Of
course, she thought with a heavy sigh, she herself might never marry then she
could visit Lottie as often as possible until Lottie and Mr Fenbridge were sick
of her.
Amelia made a groan of frustration at her
thoughts and threw down her embroidery. She would take Walker to the shops and
spend more money than was prudent and then she would feel better.
Satisfied with this decision, she put it
into effect, although by the time she got to the shops they had lost much of
their appeal. Still, she found some French lace which she bought as an
engagement gift for Lottie and called at Mr Harrington’s house to give it to
her.
She walked into Lottie’s room and, before
she could say so much as a greeting, Lottie burst out, “What if Mr Fenbridge
jilts me?”
Amelia stared at her in surprise that
changed to dismay at how badly Lottie was still affected by Mr Saverney’s
treatment of her. “That is impossible.”
“Is it?” Lottie paced up and down the small
space between her four-poster bed and large oak wardrobe. “What if the fault
was not with Mr Saverney but with me? Perhaps I am just not loveable.”
“Nonsense! Mr Saverney was a weak man who
behaved abominably to you, but it could never happen again…”
“…I am not so certain…”
“… Well, I am. How did Mr Fenbridge seem
when you accepted his proposal? Happy?”
“Yes.” Lottie paused and her expression
became calmer. “He was pleased and happy.”
“There, then. Your fear was understandable
but it was also wrong, I promise you.”
Lottie smiled. “What would I do without
your friendship?”
“We will both find out when you are living
all the way down in some distant part of England,” Amelia blurted out in what
she was sure was a self-pitying tone.
“Now who is talking nonsense,” Lottie said
calmly. “I will spend half my time here visiting my family and you will spend
half your time staying with me and we will see each other just as often as we
do now.”
Amelia nodded, allowing herself to be
comforted by the idea and denying the doubts at the back of her mind.
Chapter Twelve
IT WAS EARLY morning and Mr Brightford viewed the chests
being loaded onto Mr Wrackley’s coach with concern then walked back inside to
find him. Wrackley was in the dining room taking his leave of Nathan and Alex.
“I thought you had intended to stay here
until the end of the season,” Brightford said, with an
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