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Authors: Otherwise Engaged
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Emma, Charlotte and Hubert. Even at this distance Prudence could sense Hubert's antagonism towards Edward, while she could see the timid glances Charlotte cast up at him. She was very much afraid the determined smile on Lady Mottesford's face concealed a mood of fury, and wondered what had happened to cause it.
'He seems much taken with your cousin,' Prudence ventured, and he looked down at her in amusement.
'Matchmaking?' he asked teasingly, and she flushed.
'It would be better for her than that worm Hubert!' she snapped. 'Even with no money Mr Gregory would be fortunate to win so sweet and gentle a creature!'
'Instead of a termagant,' he said softly, but before she could respond he had seen a gap in the crowd and unerringly guided his phaeton into it. By the time he had cleared it Prudence had recalled the inadvisability of engaging in word battles with him, and she replied in monosyllables during the short drive back to Grosvenor Square.
'Thank you for taking me to see the ascent,' she said, holding out her hand as she prepared to descend from the phaeton, but to her surprise he gave the reins to his groom, perched up behind them, and the man drove off as he escorted her up the steps.
Tanner appeared to expect him, and Prudence, puzzled, heard the butler say Sir Dudley was waiting for him in the library. She escaped to her bedroom, and after taking off her bonnet sat down thoughtfully, wondering what business he could possibly have with her uncle. So far as she knew they were not on especially friendly terms, for her uncle was at least fifteen years older than Lord Mottesford.
She concluded, since they were both interested in politics it must be something to do with that, and picked up the Roman toga, which was almost finished, to make a start on the hem.
Five minutes later there was a tap on the door and Biddy appeared.
'If you please, Miss Prudence, Sir Dudley wishes to see you in the library,' the maid told her, and with a puzzled frown Prudence set aside her sewing and followed the maid downstairs.
Sir Dudley called to her to enter when she tapped on the door of the room he regarded as his own sanctum, but instead of finding him seated in one of the deep leather armchairs beside the fireplace, her uncle was standing in the middle of the room.
'Come in, my dear,' he said with a smile, and then, with a muttered excuse she did not catch, walked past her and out of the door.
'Uncle – ' she began, and stopped in surprise.
'He is being tactful, my dear,' a deep amused voice came from behind her and she spun round, startled. She had not seen Lord Mottesford, standing in shadow beside the heavily curtained windows.
'What are you doing here? What do you mean?' she demanded, her heart beginning to beat rapidly.
'Come and sit down,' he replied, and when she did not move walked across to her.
She was too bewildered to resist as he took her hand in his and drew her across to sit in one of the armchairs. He retained her hand and smiled down at her, and her unpredictable heart seemed about to perform acrobatic feats, leaving her breathless and in some indefinable way, afraid.
'Prudence, my dear, I have your uncle's permission, indeed his blessing, for what I have to say. I do not think it will come as any surprise to you, after my loss of control some nights ago at Vauxhall. I know I offended you greatly then, but I can only plead that I love you so much I was lost to all sense of propriety. Prudence, I love you very dearly, and hope you can return my regard. Will you agree to become my wife?'
She stared at him, utterly astonished. This was not at all what she had expected. Her heart pounded in her breast and threatened to choke her. For a moment she glimpsed paradise, and knew this was what above all else she wanted. Then she recalled the reality and was consumed with a bitter, deep anger which hurt more than anything else she had ever experienced.
'How dare you!' she gasped in the end. 'How dare you make such
'He seems much taken with your cousin,' Prudence ventured, and he looked down at her in amusement.
'Matchmaking?' he asked teasingly, and she flushed.
'It would be better for her than that worm Hubert!' she snapped. 'Even with no money Mr Gregory would be fortunate to win so sweet and gentle a creature!'
'Instead of a termagant,' he said softly, but before she could respond he had seen a gap in the crowd and unerringly guided his phaeton into it. By the time he had cleared it Prudence had recalled the inadvisability of engaging in word battles with him, and she replied in monosyllables during the short drive back to Grosvenor Square.
'Thank you for taking me to see the ascent,' she said, holding out her hand as she prepared to descend from the phaeton, but to her surprise he gave the reins to his groom, perched up behind them, and the man drove off as he escorted her up the steps.
Tanner appeared to expect him, and Prudence, puzzled, heard the butler say Sir Dudley was waiting for him in the library. She escaped to her bedroom, and after taking off her bonnet sat down thoughtfully, wondering what business he could possibly have with her uncle. So far as she knew they were not on especially friendly terms, for her uncle was at least fifteen years older than Lord Mottesford.
She concluded, since they were both interested in politics it must be something to do with that, and picked up the Roman toga, which was almost finished, to make a start on the hem.
Five minutes later there was a tap on the door and Biddy appeared.
'If you please, Miss Prudence, Sir Dudley wishes to see you in the library,' the maid told her, and with a puzzled frown Prudence set aside her sewing and followed the maid downstairs.
Sir Dudley called to her to enter when she tapped on the door of the room he regarded as his own sanctum, but instead of finding him seated in one of the deep leather armchairs beside the fireplace, her uncle was standing in the middle of the room.
'Come in, my dear,' he said with a smile, and then, with a muttered excuse she did not catch, walked past her and out of the door.
'Uncle – ' she began, and stopped in surprise.
'He is being tactful, my dear,' a deep amused voice came from behind her and she spun round, startled. She had not seen Lord Mottesford, standing in shadow beside the heavily curtained windows.
'What are you doing here? What do you mean?' she demanded, her heart beginning to beat rapidly.
'Come and sit down,' he replied, and when she did not move walked across to her.
She was too bewildered to resist as he took her hand in his and drew her across to sit in one of the armchairs. He retained her hand and smiled down at her, and her unpredictable heart seemed about to perform acrobatic feats, leaving her breathless and in some indefinable way, afraid.
'Prudence, my dear, I have your uncle's permission, indeed his blessing, for what I have to say. I do not think it will come as any surprise to you, after my loss of control some nights ago at Vauxhall. I know I offended you greatly then, but I can only plead that I love you so much I was lost to all sense of propriety. Prudence, I love you very dearly, and hope you can return my regard. Will you agree to become my wife?'
She stared at him, utterly astonished. This was not at all what she had expected. Her heart pounded in her breast and threatened to choke her. For a moment she glimpsed paradise, and knew this was what above all else she wanted. Then she recalled the reality and was consumed with a bitter, deep anger which hurt more than anything else she had ever experienced.
'How dare you!' she gasped in the end. 'How dare you make such
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