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Authors: Susan Gee Heino
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some more time."
" Then you should use that time wisely," Mamma advised. "Consider what you might do for yourself."
"I will look after all of us, of course."
"I was thinking you might rather find someone to look after you ."
"Someone to...? What are you saying, Mamma?"
"I know you've claimed you will never marry, but—"
"Oh, Mamma, you can't be thinking on those lines . Heavens, we'll be making miracles happen to find one decent gentleman to marry Ella when she's out of the schoolroom. To consider finding someone for me is... well, it's out of the question."
"No one thinks it's out of the question except you. Mr. Skrewd, for instance, seems to think it is entirely in the question."
"Mr. Skrew d? The new curate?"
"Of course. I've seen you with him, you know. He walks with you sometimes, on your way back from the village."
"That's merely for convenience, Mamma, since he's staying in our groundkeeper's hut. Mr. Skrewd is a very nice young man and he's become something of a friend to me, but I assure you there's never been any thought of anything more than that between us."
"We are not so proud that we can look down on a curate, Mariah. He is a relative of the Benson family who hold the living here. Our vicar is not getting any younger, and it stands to reason that Mr. Skrewd will eventually be given the living in his place. You would not live wealthy, but you'd be well cared for and respected as the wife of a vicar."
"Mamma, can you really suggest that? Mr. Skrewd knows of my background. He'd never even consider me."
"He's in want of a wife. You and he get on so well. Why on earth should he not consider you?"
"Because I... because I have no name, Mamma. Please, I know how this upsets you. Let's do not speak of it. The important thing is to focus on getting Miss Vandenhoff to marry Lord Dovington. Then all will be as it should be and if you must daydream about getting one of your daughter's married, you can plan for Ella."
Mamma seemed to want to argue the point, but there were kitchen maids scurrying about and the lack of privacy saved Mariah from having to dwell on the subject. She was happy that sometimes Mamma was able to forget those terrible years in their past when she'd been cast out in shame by her family, when people looked on Mariah with pity and shook their heads, whispering about how sad it was that such a pretty child would never amount to much.
Well, she had amounted to more than enough. She might not truly be a lady, but she was accepted as one here in their little village. She had Mamma and Ella and, by God, she was going to hang onto Renford Hall. Whatever it took, she would see that the earl married his heiress, went back to his ancestral estate, and left them well enough alone here.
"I believe we're ready," she said cheerfully as the last of their things were packed up in hampers. "We couldn't ask for a more perfect day for a picnic. Spring is in the air, and let us hope Cupid's arrows are flying around us."
Mamma made her best effort to smile as she patted Mariah's hand and agreed.
Dovington made sure everything was being loaded properly into the carriages. From the corner of his eye, he watched the house, as well. Where was Miss Langley? Shouldn't she be out here by now, helping see to arrangements? He needed to speak with her and would prefer not to do so with the rest of the group hovering over them.
Ah, there she was, emerging from the house along with two kitchen maids carrying hampers and blankets. Miss Langley seemed perfectly composed as she directed the staff here or there, despite the fact that she must surely feel somewhat put out by Ned's spontaneous demand for a picnic. If the event did not play directly into the earl's scheme he would have shut his cousin down entirely. It was most unfair to put Miss Langley through all this effort without any warning at all. However, since Ned was being so very cooperative where Miss Vandenhoff was concerned—and since Dovington was
" Then you should use that time wisely," Mamma advised. "Consider what you might do for yourself."
"I will look after all of us, of course."
"I was thinking you might rather find someone to look after you ."
"Someone to...? What are you saying, Mamma?"
"I know you've claimed you will never marry, but—"
"Oh, Mamma, you can't be thinking on those lines . Heavens, we'll be making miracles happen to find one decent gentleman to marry Ella when she's out of the schoolroom. To consider finding someone for me is... well, it's out of the question."
"No one thinks it's out of the question except you. Mr. Skrewd, for instance, seems to think it is entirely in the question."
"Mr. Skrew d? The new curate?"
"Of course. I've seen you with him, you know. He walks with you sometimes, on your way back from the village."
"That's merely for convenience, Mamma, since he's staying in our groundkeeper's hut. Mr. Skrewd is a very nice young man and he's become something of a friend to me, but I assure you there's never been any thought of anything more than that between us."
"We are not so proud that we can look down on a curate, Mariah. He is a relative of the Benson family who hold the living here. Our vicar is not getting any younger, and it stands to reason that Mr. Skrewd will eventually be given the living in his place. You would not live wealthy, but you'd be well cared for and respected as the wife of a vicar."
"Mamma, can you really suggest that? Mr. Skrewd knows of my background. He'd never even consider me."
"He's in want of a wife. You and he get on so well. Why on earth should he not consider you?"
"Because I... because I have no name, Mamma. Please, I know how this upsets you. Let's do not speak of it. The important thing is to focus on getting Miss Vandenhoff to marry Lord Dovington. Then all will be as it should be and if you must daydream about getting one of your daughter's married, you can plan for Ella."
Mamma seemed to want to argue the point, but there were kitchen maids scurrying about and the lack of privacy saved Mariah from having to dwell on the subject. She was happy that sometimes Mamma was able to forget those terrible years in their past when she'd been cast out in shame by her family, when people looked on Mariah with pity and shook their heads, whispering about how sad it was that such a pretty child would never amount to much.
Well, she had amounted to more than enough. She might not truly be a lady, but she was accepted as one here in their little village. She had Mamma and Ella and, by God, she was going to hang onto Renford Hall. Whatever it took, she would see that the earl married his heiress, went back to his ancestral estate, and left them well enough alone here.
"I believe we're ready," she said cheerfully as the last of their things were packed up in hampers. "We couldn't ask for a more perfect day for a picnic. Spring is in the air, and let us hope Cupid's arrows are flying around us."
Mamma made her best effort to smile as she patted Mariah's hand and agreed.
Dovington made sure everything was being loaded properly into the carriages. From the corner of his eye, he watched the house, as well. Where was Miss Langley? Shouldn't she be out here by now, helping see to arrangements? He needed to speak with her and would prefer not to do so with the rest of the group hovering over them.
Ah, there she was, emerging from the house along with two kitchen maids carrying hampers and blankets. Miss Langley seemed perfectly composed as she directed the staff here or there, despite the fact that she must surely feel somewhat put out by Ned's spontaneous demand for a picnic. If the event did not play directly into the earl's scheme he would have shut his cousin down entirely. It was most unfair to put Miss Langley through all this effort without any warning at all. However, since Ned was being so very cooperative where Miss Vandenhoff was concerned—and since Dovington was
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