Read Online Too Far to Whisper by Arianna Eastland - Free Book Online
Authors: Arianna Eastland
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some of their wide-eyed fascination with Nathaniel would have faded. In truth, her family’s behavior was beginning to try her patience.
“May I have something to drink?” Rosalind was forced to pose the question to her mother’s back.
“You know where it is,” he mother absently replied with a wave of her hand. Her gaze remained riveted on Nathaniel as he sipped his ale.
Sighing, Rosalind rose to her feet, but Nathaniel held up his hand to halt her.
“Please, Rosalind,” his command was spoken gently, “remain seated for a few moments. There is a matter of great importance that I wish to discuss with you and your mother, and ‘twould be best to do it now, while the three of us are alone.”
Bewildered, Rosalind dropped back onto the bench and turned her attention to Nathaniel. Her mother moved to sit next to her.
Nathaniel set down his drink and stood. Then, with his hands clasped behind his back, spoke directly to Rosalind’s mother. “Mrs. Chandler,” he began, his tone formal, “I normally would address this question to your husband, but under your unfortunate circumstances I, of course, cannot.” His eyes briefly cut toward Rosalind, and she spied a flicker of amusement in them. He then returned his attention to her mother. “I seek permission to marry your daughter.”
A shocked, outraged gasp escaped Rosalind’s lips.
“I realize I have known Rosalind but a short time,” Nathaniel calmly continued, “but at first sight, I knew she was the woman I have been waiting for. Not only do I adore her, my entire family is completely smitten with her.”
Rosalind’s mother’s hands flew up to her face, which suddenly was bright with color. “Dear Lord in heaven! Tell me I am not dreaming!”
“I assure you,” Nathaniel said, smiling, “you are fully awake.”
“I knew it!” her mother cried, her eyes lifting heavenward as if to deliver a silent prayer of thanks. “I knew my lovely Rosalind would win your heart – albeit, not quite so swiftly – but I knew it!”
“When I set my mind to do something,” Nathaniel said, “I do not delay. In fact, if you are not opposed, Mrs. Chandler, I would like to make this betrothal but a brief one.”
“I support your decision completely,” the woman responded, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. “Lengthy betrothals serve little purpose other than to frustrate the young people who are so eager to begin their new life together.” She rose from the bench and rushed to Nathaniel for an embrace. “Welcome to our family, my son!”
Clutching her chest, Rosalind stared at her mother and Nathaniel, her eyes wide with disbelief. The two of them, paying no mind whatsoever to what she wanted, were planning her future! She shook her head to clear it. This could not be happening, she thought, refusing to believe the conversation she had just witnessed. For what purpose, she wondered, was Nathaniel doing this to her…to her family? Solely to entertain his ego? He knew all too well that she had no desire to wed him, nor any other man, yet here he stood, giving her mother false hope and seemingly enjoying every moment of his ruse. Rage coursed through Rosalind with such force, it robbed her of her breath and the room began to spin. She grasped the table’s edge to prevent herself from falling off her bench.
“My dear, dear Rosalind,” her mother tearfully breathed, oblivious of her daughter’s stricken expression and sudden pallor. “You and Captain Corwin have made me the happiest woman alive! I must send word to Benjamin posthaste!” She dabbed at her eyes with a corner of her apron, then turned toward the door. “I shall engage either Elizabeth or Nellie to deliver the wonderful news to him! I am certain he will be as thrilled as I am!”
By the time Rosalind found her voice, her mother already had disappeared outside.
“Surprised?” Nathaniel asked her, his expression so smug, Rosalind wanted to leap up and claw it from his face. He
“May I have something to drink?” Rosalind was forced to pose the question to her mother’s back.
“You know where it is,” he mother absently replied with a wave of her hand. Her gaze remained riveted on Nathaniel as he sipped his ale.
Sighing, Rosalind rose to her feet, but Nathaniel held up his hand to halt her.
“Please, Rosalind,” his command was spoken gently, “remain seated for a few moments. There is a matter of great importance that I wish to discuss with you and your mother, and ‘twould be best to do it now, while the three of us are alone.”
Bewildered, Rosalind dropped back onto the bench and turned her attention to Nathaniel. Her mother moved to sit next to her.
Nathaniel set down his drink and stood. Then, with his hands clasped behind his back, spoke directly to Rosalind’s mother. “Mrs. Chandler,” he began, his tone formal, “I normally would address this question to your husband, but under your unfortunate circumstances I, of course, cannot.” His eyes briefly cut toward Rosalind, and she spied a flicker of amusement in them. He then returned his attention to her mother. “I seek permission to marry your daughter.”
A shocked, outraged gasp escaped Rosalind’s lips.
“I realize I have known Rosalind but a short time,” Nathaniel calmly continued, “but at first sight, I knew she was the woman I have been waiting for. Not only do I adore her, my entire family is completely smitten with her.”
Rosalind’s mother’s hands flew up to her face, which suddenly was bright with color. “Dear Lord in heaven! Tell me I am not dreaming!”
“I assure you,” Nathaniel said, smiling, “you are fully awake.”
“I knew it!” her mother cried, her eyes lifting heavenward as if to deliver a silent prayer of thanks. “I knew my lovely Rosalind would win your heart – albeit, not quite so swiftly – but I knew it!”
“When I set my mind to do something,” Nathaniel said, “I do not delay. In fact, if you are not opposed, Mrs. Chandler, I would like to make this betrothal but a brief one.”
“I support your decision completely,” the woman responded, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. “Lengthy betrothals serve little purpose other than to frustrate the young people who are so eager to begin their new life together.” She rose from the bench and rushed to Nathaniel for an embrace. “Welcome to our family, my son!”
Clutching her chest, Rosalind stared at her mother and Nathaniel, her eyes wide with disbelief. The two of them, paying no mind whatsoever to what she wanted, were planning her future! She shook her head to clear it. This could not be happening, she thought, refusing to believe the conversation she had just witnessed. For what purpose, she wondered, was Nathaniel doing this to her…to her family? Solely to entertain his ego? He knew all too well that she had no desire to wed him, nor any other man, yet here he stood, giving her mother false hope and seemingly enjoying every moment of his ruse. Rage coursed through Rosalind with such force, it robbed her of her breath and the room began to spin. She grasped the table’s edge to prevent herself from falling off her bench.
“My dear, dear Rosalind,” her mother tearfully breathed, oblivious of her daughter’s stricken expression and sudden pallor. “You and Captain Corwin have made me the happiest woman alive! I must send word to Benjamin posthaste!” She dabbed at her eyes with a corner of her apron, then turned toward the door. “I shall engage either Elizabeth or Nellie to deliver the wonderful news to him! I am certain he will be as thrilled as I am!”
By the time Rosalind found her voice, her mother already had disappeared outside.
“Surprised?” Nathaniel asked her, his expression so smug, Rosalind wanted to leap up and claw it from his face. He
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