Read Online Miss Hartwell's Dilemma by Carola Dunn - Free Book Online
Authors: Carola Dunn
Tags: Regency Romance
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passed a thicket of brambles and the blackberries would be ripe.
Miss Hartwell set off across the fields with five energetic young ladies. The hedgerows were laden with scarlet rosehips, crimson haws and the pink and orange fruit of the spindle tree; a hare darted through the stubble fields at their approach, chased by the shadows of puffy clouds racing across the sky. She returned to the house two hours later tousled and pink-cheeked, the gusty wind having blown away her megrims.
Daisy met her at the door with the news that Lord Daniel and Miss Winterborne had returned and were awaiting her in the office. Miss Hartwell was delighted. She put off her bonnet and pelisse and with no thought for her appearance went straight to see them. Lord Daniel was sitting in a chair with Isabel perched on the arm. She smiled at the charming picture they made. He rose to greet her, smiling in return.
“I hope I have not kept you waiting long,” she said, suddenly breathless.
“Not at all, ma’am. A few minutes. I see you have been out walking. The exercise suits you.”
“Oh dear, am I so windswept?” She consulted a mirror and patted uselessly at her copper locks. “Heavens, positively dishevelled! I do beg your pardon, my lord. Still, I daresay you will not wish me to go away now and tidy myself. Isabel has decided to stay with us?”
“If you please, ma’am,” Isabel confirmed anxiously.
“Of course you shall. We are very happy to have you.”
“Now come and kiss me good-bye, love, for I must have a few words with Miss Hartwell. I shall come again next Sunday, without fail.”
She put her arms round his neck, kissed him on both cheeks, and whispered, “I love you, Papa, and I do miss you, but it is such fun here and very interesting besides.”
He hugged her with one arm and kissed her forehead. She curtsied to Miss Hartwell, her curtsy already much improved, before closing the door carefully behind her.
“I miss her abominably,” confessed Lord Daniel, “but I gather she already has a new friend. You will not object to telling me a little about this Louise, whom she quotes endlessly?”
“Louise is the daughter of Lord Carfax. It is a perfectly unexceptionable friendship and I believe it is doing Isabel a great deal of good. She is a somewhat retiring child, as I am sure you have realised, while Louise is a merry, outgoing creature.”
“Thank you, you have set my mind at rest. All that remains, then, is to give you this.” He handed her a piece of paper.
It was a bank draught, drawn in the amount of one term’s school fees.
“Oh no, my lord,” she exclaimed, “you have already paid in full.”
“I told you I should double the sum if Isabel decided to stay.”
“That was not why I decided to accept her. I hope you do not think that you could buy my compliance with your conditions!”
“It has been my experience that most things can be bought. I shall leave it with you to do with as you please,” he said with utter indifference, then turned on his heel and walked out.
That odious wretch, fumed Miss Hartwell. Just when she was at last feeling in charity with him he chose to insult her. She nearly ran after him to force the draught on him, but that would certainly lead to a public and undignified scene. She was about to tear it into little pieces. Instead she locked it in her drawer.
She would return it next time she saw him. Otherwise, he might never notice that it had not been cashed, and he would continue to suppose her a mercenary female just like his unfortunate lightskirts. For that, she felt sure, was what he had meant, and it was unthinkable that she should not disabuse him of the notion.
Shortly thereafter, Lord Pomeroy brought his niece back to school. It was a little after five o’clock, so Miss Hartwell told Louise to run upstairs and change for dinner.
“I will,” she answered gaily, “but I shall not eat a thing. Uncle Bertram gave me tea at the Falcon and he has promised to
Miss Hartwell set off across the fields with five energetic young ladies. The hedgerows were laden with scarlet rosehips, crimson haws and the pink and orange fruit of the spindle tree; a hare darted through the stubble fields at their approach, chased by the shadows of puffy clouds racing across the sky. She returned to the house two hours later tousled and pink-cheeked, the gusty wind having blown away her megrims.
Daisy met her at the door with the news that Lord Daniel and Miss Winterborne had returned and were awaiting her in the office. Miss Hartwell was delighted. She put off her bonnet and pelisse and with no thought for her appearance went straight to see them. Lord Daniel was sitting in a chair with Isabel perched on the arm. She smiled at the charming picture they made. He rose to greet her, smiling in return.
“I hope I have not kept you waiting long,” she said, suddenly breathless.
“Not at all, ma’am. A few minutes. I see you have been out walking. The exercise suits you.”
“Oh dear, am I so windswept?” She consulted a mirror and patted uselessly at her copper locks. “Heavens, positively dishevelled! I do beg your pardon, my lord. Still, I daresay you will not wish me to go away now and tidy myself. Isabel has decided to stay with us?”
“If you please, ma’am,” Isabel confirmed anxiously.
“Of course you shall. We are very happy to have you.”
“Now come and kiss me good-bye, love, for I must have a few words with Miss Hartwell. I shall come again next Sunday, without fail.”
She put her arms round his neck, kissed him on both cheeks, and whispered, “I love you, Papa, and I do miss you, but it is such fun here and very interesting besides.”
He hugged her with one arm and kissed her forehead. She curtsied to Miss Hartwell, her curtsy already much improved, before closing the door carefully behind her.
“I miss her abominably,” confessed Lord Daniel, “but I gather she already has a new friend. You will not object to telling me a little about this Louise, whom she quotes endlessly?”
“Louise is the daughter of Lord Carfax. It is a perfectly unexceptionable friendship and I believe it is doing Isabel a great deal of good. She is a somewhat retiring child, as I am sure you have realised, while Louise is a merry, outgoing creature.”
“Thank you, you have set my mind at rest. All that remains, then, is to give you this.” He handed her a piece of paper.
It was a bank draught, drawn in the amount of one term’s school fees.
“Oh no, my lord,” she exclaimed, “you have already paid in full.”
“I told you I should double the sum if Isabel decided to stay.”
“That was not why I decided to accept her. I hope you do not think that you could buy my compliance with your conditions!”
“It has been my experience that most things can be bought. I shall leave it with you to do with as you please,” he said with utter indifference, then turned on his heel and walked out.
That odious wretch, fumed Miss Hartwell. Just when she was at last feeling in charity with him he chose to insult her. She nearly ran after him to force the draught on him, but that would certainly lead to a public and undignified scene. She was about to tear it into little pieces. Instead she locked it in her drawer.
She would return it next time she saw him. Otherwise, he might never notice that it had not been cashed, and he would continue to suppose her a mercenary female just like his unfortunate lightskirts. For that, she felt sure, was what he had meant, and it was unthinkable that she should not disabuse him of the notion.
Shortly thereafter, Lord Pomeroy brought his niece back to school. It was a little after five o’clock, so Miss Hartwell told Louise to run upstairs and change for dinner.
“I will,” she answered gaily, “but I shall not eat a thing. Uncle Bertram gave me tea at the Falcon and he has promised to
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