Read Online Mr. Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston - Free Book Online Page B

Miniver.
    Betsy was quick to catch the unspoken message. She went over to the door, which was a little ajar, and shut it firmly.
    Miniver lowered her voice to the merest whisper. “Miss Phoebe had an offer, even before this season began. That’s what the trouble is with her.”
    Betsy was agog. “Who was the gentleman? I suppose he was completely unsuitable, and that’s what’s put Miss Phoebe into such a state.”
    â€œNot at all,” said Miniver. “Everything fine about him. He is as handsome a man as you could wish to see, and with a fine income and going to become a lord in due course.”
    â€œSo what was there about that to cause Miss Phoebe to fall into the dismals? And if there was an engagement, why didn’t I hear about it? Surely the family would be the first to know.”
    â€œMiss Phoebe is very reserved. She keeps her feelings to herself, as you know. What I do know is that she came homefrom a party in seventh heaven, and the gentleman called on her father the very next morning, to ask for her hand.”
    â€œAnd?” said Betsy, all ears.
    â€œAnd nothing. One moment she’s tripping downstairs to see her father, looking like a young lady ought to when she’s met Mr. Right, and the next she’s back up sitting down with a face like the crack of doom and writing a letter to the gentleman.” Miniver saw no reason to mention the hackney cab. “She was in floods of tears, but all she’d say to me was that she couldn’t marry him. Her father refused his consent, that’s what it was. The second footman happened to be passing Sir Giles’s study, and he heard it all.”
    â€œWhy ever would Sir Giles say him nay, if the man was as fine as you say, and if he was in love with Miss Phoebe, and she with him?”
    â€œWho’s to know? That’s what’s amiss with her, in any case, it’s all on account of her falling in love with a man her family don’t approve of.”
    â€œLove,” said Betsy scornfully. “There’s a great deal too much said about love and falling in love by these young ladies if you ask me. In her grandparents’ time, marriages were arranged by the family, and I don’t see that they were any the less happy for that. I dare say she accepted him before he’d asked her father, and then to be writing to him, and her an unmarried young lady. What behaviour!”
    â€œNo worse than three seasons without an offer.” Miniver hung the dress up, a rigid back expressive of the disapproval she felt for Betsy’s remarks.
    â€œWho said there hadn’t been offers? I’m sure I never did. However, no man ever caused Miss Louisa any distress, and I must say I’m sorry to see Miss Phoebe in such a way, merely because of an unfortunate proposal!”
    Somewhat mollified, Miniver tucked the skirts of the dress into place, and went over to the door. “There’s breakfast being set on the table, by the sound of it,” she said. “Drat this stain, I don’t believe I’m ever going to get it out. And I’ll have to be quick, or the young ladies will have finished their breakfast, and Miss Phoebe and Miss Louisa will be off outside, never thinking of their clothes.”
    Miniver was quite right. The clouds were still present, but a wind had got up, and was driving them across the sky, and it wasn’t, Phoebe said persuasively, precisely raining.
    â€œIf this is not precisely rain dripping down the windowpanes, then I wonder what it is,” said Louisa.
    â€œWe could order a carriage to be brought round.”
    Louisa was firm. “The last thing I want to do today or tomorrow or the day after is to drive anywhere in any kind of a coach. And it’s no good you telling me that the fresh air will do me good. When the weather becomes more spring-like, then it will be a different matter, but at the moment I can think of nothing drearier