believe we are all equal, Mama. Why should that not work upward, as it were? And as for age, well, you were just as young when you married my father, so you could hardly object to that.”
“I have raised you in those beliefs, my young radical, but I doubt very much that Lady Lavinia feels the same. Jeremy’s mother expects him to marry some young woman whose birth and fortune are equal to his own. I cannot see her welcoming as a daughter-in-law an obscure young girl from Hampstead.”
Miranda’s eyes began to shine with the righteous anger of idealistic youth, and Nora knew she was right in her advice to the viscount. “Did the countess send the viscount here to warn me off?”
“No, nothing like that. But you can’t imagine she wouldn’t want to know something about her son’s fiancée . ”
“Then she won’t forbid the match!” The battle light faded as Miranda’s eyes grew soft with happiness.
“Neither of us would forbid a marriage if the young people concerned are sincerely attached to one another. But both of us would like to wait for a formal announcement until our families become better acquainted.”
“Why, that is just what we were hoping, Mother. Jeremy said he was going to tell his mama soon so that before the Season was over we could meet her. And how could she fail to approve of you, Mother? You are a lovely, intelligent woman and the match for any countess!”
“Thank you, my dear. Your objectivity does you credit,” Nora said ironically, and they both laughed.
“No, seriously, Mother, I believe once we all get to know one another, there will be no doubts is anyone’s mind. How did you like the viscount, by the way? He sounds splendid, from the way Jeremy talks about him.”
“I didn’t spend much time with him, but he seems nice enough. I assume we will see more of him this summer, for he seems quite a confidant of the countess’s.”
“Jeremy says he was one of her old suitors, but she fell in love with his father, and that was that. He thinks his mother would be happy to reattach the viscount, but his godfather seems content to remain just that.”
Nora was aware of a fleeting sense of disappointment. Despite her anger this morning, she had not gotten the feeling that the viscount was as much of a snob as Jeremy’s mother would seem to be. To be sure, she had only her own picture in her mind, which, writer-fashion, she was making more and more detailed, of a vain, frivolous woman whose only concern for her son was material and superficial. The man she had met did not seem like the sort to be attracted to her imaginary countess…but what business was it of hers, after all? After this summer, they would never see one another again.
“We will, no doubt, hear from her soon. Should we invite them here first, do you think?”
“Oh, yes. Jeremy says his mother hardly ever gets out of town during the Season. What about a short walk and a picnic on the Heath?”
“I think that would do very well,” Nora responded, feeling more and more like a hypocrite. It would do very well, she was sure, to show the two young people that their families’ ideas of entertainment and enjoyment were quite opposite. And here she was, berating her daughter for deception, while she was embarked upon a much more serious one, which could eventually cause pain to someone who was dearer to her than herself. But the heartache will soon pass, she thought. And she cannot marry Jeremy, or much greater heartache will follow.
Chapter 5
The day following his visit to Hampstead, the viscount was again interrupted, this time by Jeremy himself. The earl apologized for the disturbance, but said he had something of the greatest importance to speak to his godfather about. Sam invited Jeremy to take a seat and looked over at him expectantly. The young man stopped nervously smoothing his trousers and began.
“I have some news, Sam, which I know you have received unofficially from my
“I have raised you in those beliefs, my young radical, but I doubt very much that Lady Lavinia feels the same. Jeremy’s mother expects him to marry some young woman whose birth and fortune are equal to his own. I cannot see her welcoming as a daughter-in-law an obscure young girl from Hampstead.”
Miranda’s eyes began to shine with the righteous anger of idealistic youth, and Nora knew she was right in her advice to the viscount. “Did the countess send the viscount here to warn me off?”
“No, nothing like that. But you can’t imagine she wouldn’t want to know something about her son’s fiancée . ”
“Then she won’t forbid the match!” The battle light faded as Miranda’s eyes grew soft with happiness.
“Neither of us would forbid a marriage if the young people concerned are sincerely attached to one another. But both of us would like to wait for a formal announcement until our families become better acquainted.”
“Why, that is just what we were hoping, Mother. Jeremy said he was going to tell his mama soon so that before the Season was over we could meet her. And how could she fail to approve of you, Mother? You are a lovely, intelligent woman and the match for any countess!”
“Thank you, my dear. Your objectivity does you credit,” Nora said ironically, and they both laughed.
“No, seriously, Mother, I believe once we all get to know one another, there will be no doubts is anyone’s mind. How did you like the viscount, by the way? He sounds splendid, from the way Jeremy talks about him.”
“I didn’t spend much time with him, but he seems nice enough. I assume we will see more of him this summer, for he seems quite a confidant of the countess’s.”
“Jeremy says he was one of her old suitors, but she fell in love with his father, and that was that. He thinks his mother would be happy to reattach the viscount, but his godfather seems content to remain just that.”
Nora was aware of a fleeting sense of disappointment. Despite her anger this morning, she had not gotten the feeling that the viscount was as much of a snob as Jeremy’s mother would seem to be. To be sure, she had only her own picture in her mind, which, writer-fashion, she was making more and more detailed, of a vain, frivolous woman whose only concern for her son was material and superficial. The man she had met did not seem like the sort to be attracted to her imaginary countess…but what business was it of hers, after all? After this summer, they would never see one another again.
“We will, no doubt, hear from her soon. Should we invite them here first, do you think?”
“Oh, yes. Jeremy says his mother hardly ever gets out of town during the Season. What about a short walk and a picnic on the Heath?”
“I think that would do very well,” Nora responded, feeling more and more like a hypocrite. It would do very well, she was sure, to show the two young people that their families’ ideas of entertainment and enjoyment were quite opposite. And here she was, berating her daughter for deception, while she was embarked upon a much more serious one, which could eventually cause pain to someone who was dearer to her than herself. But the heartache will soon pass, she thought. And she cannot marry Jeremy, or much greater heartache will follow.
Chapter 5
The day following his visit to Hampstead, the viscount was again interrupted, this time by Jeremy himself. The earl apologized for the disturbance, but said he had something of the greatest importance to speak to his godfather about. Sam invited Jeremy to take a seat and looked over at him expectantly. The young man stopped nervously smoothing his trousers and began.
“I have some news, Sam, which I know you have received unofficially from my
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