your parents in a month’s time. Mr Fenbridge and I will marry, go for our
honeymoon and then return to Edinburgh to bring you back to stay with us again,
if you are willing, and if you are not married yourself by then.”
“I will gladly stay with you on both
occasions,” Amelia said, cheered by this demonstration that she was still an
important part of Lottie’s life. “And it certainly does not seem as if I shall
be married for the foreseeable future.”
“You have not seen Mr Wrackley lately?”
“Not for two weeks. Perhaps he has met
someone else.”
“Then he is a feckless fool,” Lottie
declared, “and you are well rid of him.”
Amelia was just leaving when she once again
ran into Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge, who seemed to spend as much time here as she
did. They paused in the hall to greet each other and she offered her
congratulations on his brother’s marriage.
“I am delighted for him,” he responded
cheerfully. “Miss Harrington is admirable in every way and I am sure the pair
are well suited.”
She nodded, hoping his assessment would
prove correct. Striving for a tone of casual enquiry, she said, “Will Mr
Wrackley be returning home when Mr Alexander Fenbridge leaves or will he remain
in Edinburgh for a while?”
“You have not heard?” Mr Fenbridge frowned.
“Wrackley left two days ago.”
“Oh.” It should not make a difference: he
had clearly changed his mind about her. The blow should not have struck so hard
but, without even knowing it, she had still had hope that all could be resolved
between them.
“Perhaps it is unfair of me to reveal this
but I know he admired you greatly but was persuaded that your interest in him
was entirely mercenary.”
“He believed the gossip of some stranger…”
“It was not a stranger.”
Mr Fenbridge looked uncomfortable and
Amelia returned his gaze blankly. Who would Mr Wrackley trust who knew her at
all? The second blow was just as painful as the first: “Mr Brightford.”
Chapter Thirteen
LOTTIE CAME TO see Amelia on the morning she was due to
leave, dressed in a new grey and blue travelling outfit that made her look like
an elegant stranger.
“I was going to visit you to wave you
goodbye,” Amelia protested as they sat down either side of her bedroom window. She
was only just dressed and her black curls were still around her shoulders.
“I knew if you did that I would burst into
tears and I do not want Mr Fenbridge to see me in such a state, although there
is probably no getting around it as I will still have to say goodbye to Benjy
which will doubtless have the same effect. At least Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge is
staying to keep him company until you all join us at Mr Fenbridge’s estate.”
“It will be your estate as well soon.”
“Yes.” Lottie smiled, bright-eyed in
anticipation of the adventures ahead. “I am so excited to see it. You know how
much I like the countryside - I know I will be happy there.”
“Well, you will be sorely missed here. The
last events of the season will be very dull without your presence.”
“I am sure you will have countless handsome
men to dance with and will enjoy them very well.”
Amelia tried to smile and failed. “I doubt
it.”
“Mr Wrackley is a fool for losing his
chance with you. Perhaps you will meet someone when you come to see us and we
will live close by again.”
“What an excellent notion.” The idea had
appeal even if only for that reason but she no longer had the heart for finding
a husband. Amelia had not told Lottie that it was Mr Brightford who had
sabotaged her relationship with Mr Wrackley. It had not seemed fair since Mr
Brightford and Mr Alexander Fenbridge were related and she did not want a rift
in the family; besides that, it was too painful to talk about.
Lottie took Amelia’s hand in her own gloved
one. “It will all resolve itself for the best. Remember how unhappy I was just
a short time ago and now I could not be in better spirits. When we see
honeymoon and then return to Edinburgh to bring you back to stay with us again,
if you are willing, and if you are not married yourself by then.”
“I will gladly stay with you on both
occasions,” Amelia said, cheered by this demonstration that she was still an
important part of Lottie’s life. “And it certainly does not seem as if I shall
be married for the foreseeable future.”
“You have not seen Mr Wrackley lately?”
“Not for two weeks. Perhaps he has met
someone else.”
“Then he is a feckless fool,” Lottie
declared, “and you are well rid of him.”
Amelia was just leaving when she once again
ran into Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge, who seemed to spend as much time here as she
did. They paused in the hall to greet each other and she offered her
congratulations on his brother’s marriage.
“I am delighted for him,” he responded
cheerfully. “Miss Harrington is admirable in every way and I am sure the pair
are well suited.”
She nodded, hoping his assessment would
prove correct. Striving for a tone of casual enquiry, she said, “Will Mr
Wrackley be returning home when Mr Alexander Fenbridge leaves or will he remain
in Edinburgh for a while?”
“You have not heard?” Mr Fenbridge frowned.
“Wrackley left two days ago.”
“Oh.” It should not make a difference: he
had clearly changed his mind about her. The blow should not have struck so hard
but, without even knowing it, she had still had hope that all could be resolved
between them.
“Perhaps it is unfair of me to reveal this
but I know he admired you greatly but was persuaded that your interest in him
was entirely mercenary.”
“He believed the gossip of some stranger…”
“It was not a stranger.”
Mr Fenbridge looked uncomfortable and
Amelia returned his gaze blankly. Who would Mr Wrackley trust who knew her at
all? The second blow was just as painful as the first: “Mr Brightford.”
Chapter Thirteen
LOTTIE CAME TO see Amelia on the morning she was due to
leave, dressed in a new grey and blue travelling outfit that made her look like
an elegant stranger.
“I was going to visit you to wave you
goodbye,” Amelia protested as they sat down either side of her bedroom window. She
was only just dressed and her black curls were still around her shoulders.
“I knew if you did that I would burst into
tears and I do not want Mr Fenbridge to see me in such a state, although there
is probably no getting around it as I will still have to say goodbye to Benjy
which will doubtless have the same effect. At least Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge is
staying to keep him company until you all join us at Mr Fenbridge’s estate.”
“It will be your estate as well soon.”
“Yes.” Lottie smiled, bright-eyed in
anticipation of the adventures ahead. “I am so excited to see it. You know how
much I like the countryside - I know I will be happy there.”
“Well, you will be sorely missed here. The
last events of the season will be very dull without your presence.”
“I am sure you will have countless handsome
men to dance with and will enjoy them very well.”
Amelia tried to smile and failed. “I doubt
it.”
“Mr Wrackley is a fool for losing his
chance with you. Perhaps you will meet someone when you come to see us and we
will live close by again.”
“What an excellent notion.” The idea had
appeal even if only for that reason but she no longer had the heart for finding
a husband. Amelia had not told Lottie that it was Mr Brightford who had
sabotaged her relationship with Mr Wrackley. It had not seemed fair since Mr
Brightford and Mr Alexander Fenbridge were related and she did not want a rift
in the family; besides that, it was too painful to talk about.
Lottie took Amelia’s hand in her own gloved
one. “It will all resolve itself for the best. Remember how unhappy I was just
a short time ago and now I could not be in better spirits. When we see
Similar Books
