them. Had his mother not been quite seriously indisposed, then Christobel would not have mentioned her health at all. Had his mother not been dangerously ill, then she would have written herself to assure her son that he might enjoy the felicity of his betrothed’s company—he bowed to Moira—without having to spare any anxious thoughts for her or for his sisters.
“And yet, sir,” Kenneth said soothingly, “your mother and your sister surely understand your concerns and would have summoned you if matters were so serious.”
But Sir Edwin, though profuse in his thanks for his lordship’s concern, was not to be consoled. There was a certain intuition about the heart, it seemed, when the health of loved ones was in peril. His lordship had a mother and a sister and even the specialfelicity of a nephew and niece and must know of what Sir Edwin spoke. He had a favor to ask of his lordship and was emboldened to request it only because his lordship had already shown that he was a true neighbor and friend.
Kenneth raised his eyebrows and wondered if he would be able to bear to live only three miles from this man for the rest of his life.
“I must return home without delay,” Sir Edwin said. “I would consider it an unpardonable dereliction of my duty as a son if I delayed one moment longer. It matters little that I do not have either my valet or my bags with me. It matters only that I return to the bosom of my family before it is too late to clasp my mother in my arms once more. I would ask, my lord, that you provide a carriage and the escort of a maid to convey my betrothed, Miss Hayes, home to Penwith Manor at the end of the evening.”
Moira Hayes rushed into speech. “I shall return home with you now, Sir Edwin,” she said. “I am sure that under the circumstances, the Earl of Haverford will excuse us for leaving early.”
“It would distress me to leave you here without my escort, Miss Hayes, were it not for the fact that you are in the home of a neighbor and friend,” he said, “and surrounded by other neighbors and friends. I would not delay my journey even by the time it would take my carriage to travel to Penwith Manor. I am afraid in my heart that the snow will impede travel before many more hours have passed.”
“Then I shall come with you to your home,” she said, “and his lordship will send word to Mama.”
But Sir Edwin, despite his deep gratitude—and he wouldmake so bold as to assert that he spoke for his mother and his sisters too—for Miss Hayes’s concern over her future mother-in-law, was not so lost to all propriety as to assent to her making such a long journey alone with him.
“I shall, of course, see to it that Miss Hayes is escorted home when the ball is over,” Kenneth said.
For which assurance he was forced to stand listening to a lengthy speech of gratitude from Sir Edwin, who declared that he had not one moment to spare. Though he did afterward spare several more moments in escorting his betrothed into the ballroom to where her particular friend, Mrs. Lincoln, was standing in a group with her husband and several other people.
Kenneth saw him on his way less than half an hour later and assured him yet again that he would see to it that Miss Hayes was delivered home safe and sound. The snow was coming down no more heavily than it had earlier in the day, he noticed. There was no need to alert his outside guests to any need to return home before they found it impossible to do so. The chances were good that the snow would stop altogether within the hour.
7
M OIRA almost enjoyed the ball after Sir Edwin Baillie had taken his leave. She felt guilty admitting to herself that it was more comfortable being with her neighbors and friends without him, but it was nevertheless true. And now that the waltz with the Earl of Haverford was behind her, she no longer had to feel the tension of knowing that there was that yet to face. She danced with gentlemen she had known for years or
“And yet, sir,” Kenneth said soothingly, “your mother and your sister surely understand your concerns and would have summoned you if matters were so serious.”
But Sir Edwin, though profuse in his thanks for his lordship’s concern, was not to be consoled. There was a certain intuition about the heart, it seemed, when the health of loved ones was in peril. His lordship had a mother and a sister and even the specialfelicity of a nephew and niece and must know of what Sir Edwin spoke. He had a favor to ask of his lordship and was emboldened to request it only because his lordship had already shown that he was a true neighbor and friend.
Kenneth raised his eyebrows and wondered if he would be able to bear to live only three miles from this man for the rest of his life.
“I must return home without delay,” Sir Edwin said. “I would consider it an unpardonable dereliction of my duty as a son if I delayed one moment longer. It matters little that I do not have either my valet or my bags with me. It matters only that I return to the bosom of my family before it is too late to clasp my mother in my arms once more. I would ask, my lord, that you provide a carriage and the escort of a maid to convey my betrothed, Miss Hayes, home to Penwith Manor at the end of the evening.”
Moira Hayes rushed into speech. “I shall return home with you now, Sir Edwin,” she said. “I am sure that under the circumstances, the Earl of Haverford will excuse us for leaving early.”
“It would distress me to leave you here without my escort, Miss Hayes, were it not for the fact that you are in the home of a neighbor and friend,” he said, “and surrounded by other neighbors and friends. I would not delay my journey even by the time it would take my carriage to travel to Penwith Manor. I am afraid in my heart that the snow will impede travel before many more hours have passed.”
“Then I shall come with you to your home,” she said, “and his lordship will send word to Mama.”
But Sir Edwin, despite his deep gratitude—and he wouldmake so bold as to assert that he spoke for his mother and his sisters too—for Miss Hayes’s concern over her future mother-in-law, was not so lost to all propriety as to assent to her making such a long journey alone with him.
“I shall, of course, see to it that Miss Hayes is escorted home when the ball is over,” Kenneth said.
For which assurance he was forced to stand listening to a lengthy speech of gratitude from Sir Edwin, who declared that he had not one moment to spare. Though he did afterward spare several more moments in escorting his betrothed into the ballroom to where her particular friend, Mrs. Lincoln, was standing in a group with her husband and several other people.
Kenneth saw him on his way less than half an hour later and assured him yet again that he would see to it that Miss Hayes was delivered home safe and sound. The snow was coming down no more heavily than it had earlier in the day, he noticed. There was no need to alert his outside guests to any need to return home before they found it impossible to do so. The chances were good that the snow would stop altogether within the hour.
7
M OIRA almost enjoyed the ball after Sir Edwin Baillie had taken his leave. She felt guilty admitting to herself that it was more comfortable being with her neighbors and friends without him, but it was nevertheless true. And now that the waltz with the Earl of Haverford was behind her, she no longer had to feel the tension of knowing that there was that yet to face. She danced with gentlemen she had known for years or
Similar Books
