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Authors: April Kihlstrom
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entirely feel, Emmaline replied, “How could I? I am very grateful to be able to place myself in your hands, Mrs. Hastings. This is my first visit to London and I cannot pretend that I have the knowledge to choose a modiste for myself.”
“Very neatly said.” Mrs. Hastings nodded approvingly. “Modest, a beauty, and an heiress. Even if you are already betrothed, I think you shall do very well, indeed. But enough of that. How is your father?”
“As well as can be expected,” Emmaline replied. “Do you know him?”
“I did,” Mrs. Hastings said with a smile. “That was when we were all in our salad days, of course. Not that he spent long in London before he married your mother and bore her off to a house in the country. Catherine Kendrick was her name, as I recall. But while he was here, Lord what a fuss Delwyn kicked up! Ripe for any mischief and such a superb dancer.”
While Emmaline tried to reconcile this image of her father with the man she knew, Mrs. Hastings had turned her attention back to Jeremy. “You will be coming to call tomorrow, I presume? And you will be escorting us to any events we attend?” To Emmaline’s surprise he laughed. “From your expression, my dear Mrs. Hastings, I collect you presume nothing of the sort. Instead you mean to recall me to my duty. But you need not, you know. I mean to be a model fiancé and escort my betrothed everywhere I am expected to. Does that reassure you?”
“It might,” she retorted amiably, “if I did not know you so well, Mr. Barnett. The more tame you appear, the more suspicious I become. But there, I don’t mean to chide you. Will you stay to dinner?”
Lazily Jeremy rose to his feet. “Alas, I regret that I cannot. Edward and I are pledged elsewhere and I must take my leave of you, but I shall come round in the morning.”
Mrs. Hastings shook her head decisively. “No, come in the afternoon, Jeremy. I mean to take Miss Delwyn to Mademoiselle Suzette’s directly we’ve finished breakfast tomorrow. She’ll know what will suit the girl, and I promise to rely upon her judgment. And you, Edward? I suppose it’s no use asking if you’ll be home before dawn. I vow we see less of you now than when you were off at school.”
With a laugh her son dutifully kissed her cheek and took his farewell with Jeremy. As soon as they were safely gone, Mrs. Hastings moved to the seat next to Emmaline and, clasping her hands together in her lap, said kindly, “Now my dear, you must tell me everything so that I shall know how best to help you. Should you like to make an appearance at Court? Dance at Almack’s? Go to an endless round of parties and routs and breakfasts? Or do you wish for a quiet visit and a chance to purchase those things you will need as a bride?”
“I should like to go to parties and dance and shop,” Emmaline admitted wistfully. “For I have had very little chance to do any of those things until now. But I do not wish to be a trouble to you.”
“Modesty is an excellent trait,” Mrs. Hastings said dryly, “but with me you may be as selfish as you choose, and as frank, for I tell you I shall enjoy nothing more than to take you out and about everywhere and listen to any confidences you may wish to share. I assure you I shall enjoy it all! Yes, we must give you a taste of all that London and the ton has to offer. But now, you must tell me how you did it. You must tell me how you have managed to snare the ton’s most elusive young man and its most cynical one. Are you a sorceress?”
Emmaline laughed. “Would that I were!” she replied. “No, you must give credit where it is due. This was a betrothal arranged by our parents.”
Mrs. Hastings’ eyebrows rose in astonishment. “Arranged by your parents? Good God, I had not thought Jeremy could be commanded by anyone. It is a pity, however. I had hoped that Jeremy’s heart had at last been won. Still, a good many mothers will breathe easier knowing he cannot break their
“Very neatly said.” Mrs. Hastings nodded approvingly. “Modest, a beauty, and an heiress. Even if you are already betrothed, I think you shall do very well, indeed. But enough of that. How is your father?”
“As well as can be expected,” Emmaline replied. “Do you know him?”
“I did,” Mrs. Hastings said with a smile. “That was when we were all in our salad days, of course. Not that he spent long in London before he married your mother and bore her off to a house in the country. Catherine Kendrick was her name, as I recall. But while he was here, Lord what a fuss Delwyn kicked up! Ripe for any mischief and such a superb dancer.”
While Emmaline tried to reconcile this image of her father with the man she knew, Mrs. Hastings had turned her attention back to Jeremy. “You will be coming to call tomorrow, I presume? And you will be escorting us to any events we attend?” To Emmaline’s surprise he laughed. “From your expression, my dear Mrs. Hastings, I collect you presume nothing of the sort. Instead you mean to recall me to my duty. But you need not, you know. I mean to be a model fiancé and escort my betrothed everywhere I am expected to. Does that reassure you?”
“It might,” she retorted amiably, “if I did not know you so well, Mr. Barnett. The more tame you appear, the more suspicious I become. But there, I don’t mean to chide you. Will you stay to dinner?”
Lazily Jeremy rose to his feet. “Alas, I regret that I cannot. Edward and I are pledged elsewhere and I must take my leave of you, but I shall come round in the morning.”
Mrs. Hastings shook her head decisively. “No, come in the afternoon, Jeremy. I mean to take Miss Delwyn to Mademoiselle Suzette’s directly we’ve finished breakfast tomorrow. She’ll know what will suit the girl, and I promise to rely upon her judgment. And you, Edward? I suppose it’s no use asking if you’ll be home before dawn. I vow we see less of you now than when you were off at school.”
With a laugh her son dutifully kissed her cheek and took his farewell with Jeremy. As soon as they were safely gone, Mrs. Hastings moved to the seat next to Emmaline and, clasping her hands together in her lap, said kindly, “Now my dear, you must tell me everything so that I shall know how best to help you. Should you like to make an appearance at Court? Dance at Almack’s? Go to an endless round of parties and routs and breakfasts? Or do you wish for a quiet visit and a chance to purchase those things you will need as a bride?”
“I should like to go to parties and dance and shop,” Emmaline admitted wistfully. “For I have had very little chance to do any of those things until now. But I do not wish to be a trouble to you.”
“Modesty is an excellent trait,” Mrs. Hastings said dryly, “but with me you may be as selfish as you choose, and as frank, for I tell you I shall enjoy nothing more than to take you out and about everywhere and listen to any confidences you may wish to share. I assure you I shall enjoy it all! Yes, we must give you a taste of all that London and the ton has to offer. But now, you must tell me how you did it. You must tell me how you have managed to snare the ton’s most elusive young man and its most cynical one. Are you a sorceress?”
Emmaline laughed. “Would that I were!” she replied. “No, you must give credit where it is due. This was a betrothal arranged by our parents.”
Mrs. Hastings’ eyebrows rose in astonishment. “Arranged by your parents? Good God, I had not thought Jeremy could be commanded by anyone. It is a pity, however. I had hoped that Jeremy’s heart had at last been won. Still, a good many mothers will breathe easier knowing he cannot break their
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