'No, he did not – not until we were married,' Elizabeth's voice hardly rose above a whisper, and she dared not look at either of us. Her weakness had turned her back into the sister I knew and loved.
'Miss Johnson,' I interposed. When it came to my family, I could face all the Abigails of this world fearlessly. 'Though I cannot truly blame you for thinking the worst of my sister, I know her well enough to contradict your assumptions. It is true that our situation was not a favourable one but my sister would never go so far as to marry a man she feels no affection for. Furthermore, Elizabeth might be guilty for withholding information but in such a bond she is not the only one. I highly doubt Admiral Lowell has told her all there is to know about his past,' I gave Abigail a meaningful look which she could not misunderstand, and for a short moment there was a vulnerability in her eyes which made my heart cringe for I still was infinitely sorry for her loss.
'Thank you, Jo,' said Elizabeth in a sad voice, 'but, as always, you think far too highly of me. I did not like the Admiral when he first proposed to me – I was disgusted in fact, that a man who was older than my father had been, could think that I would have him. But I was worried about Jo and Eleanor – Jo most of all. I could scarcely breath when I thought of my little sister all alone among men, with no one there to help or guide her. What was to become of her if she were to be discovered? What was to become of us all? The more I thought of it, the less of a choice I saw. Of course, I could not have told the Admiral about Jo or Jo about him. My little, headstrong sister would have come to my rescue and scared the Admiral away. For once, I wanted to be the hero for my sisters. I had no idea you would do so well, Jo,' she smiled at me with tearful eyes, that she wiped with a silk handkerchief. 'But Admiral Lowell is much kinder than the first impression leads on to believe, and I can see myself liking him more every day.'
We sat quietly for a moment, all of us thinking about Elizabeth's confession. It made me happy.
'In that case,' said Abigail, 'I have no objections, particularly as it is much too late to object in any case. There is however one more thing I would like to say to you, Miss Ryde-'
The opening of the door did not allow Abigail to finish. The Hansons came back inside. Charles looked livelier than when he had left which meant the talk with his father had not been all bad. Mr Hanson was unchanged.
'My business here is done,' announced Mr Hanson cheerlessly, 'I bid you all farewell. Mrs Johnson,' he singled out Abigail by bowing his head to her and merely nodding towards my sister and me.
'I must be going, too,' said Elizabeth. 'My husband is waiting.'
It seemed as though her facade had crumbled and she was back to being herself, again. It was Abigail whom I had to thank for it.
'In that case, I shall not detain you any further, either,' Abigail prepared to take her leave. 'Miss Ryde, I only wanted to say that you are most welcome to visit me any time you choose. I am rich and bored, and you are quite the diversion. Mama-in-law, you too.'
Two large skirts ruffled through the room, the door, and down the stairs in pursuit of Mr Hanson. When Charles and I closed the door on them, we both took a deep breath simultaneously.
'Poor Molly,' I laughed.
'She was wonderful,' agreed Hanson.
'Much better at dealing with them all than the two of us.'
'Indeed,' Hanson paused, 'you will never guess the reason for my father's visit.'
'Nothing too bad I hope?'
'I have not yet decided what to make of it, why don't you try?' he suggested.
'I am all ears.'
'My father came here to ask whether I would mind if he paid his addresses to Abigail,' he looked at me expectantly.
'He did?' I called out in disbelief, and after a moment: 'Do you?'
'Dear me, Jo, none whatsoever,' he exclaimed laughingly, 'why would you think that I did?'
'You were engaged to her, and once you get to know her she is not quite so awful – I rather like her,' I was forced to admit after today's events.
'The engagement was a farce, as you well know – it gave her something to talk about to her dull friends and provided us with funds for the hospital, and as for her character, I never thought she was awful, but it is not easy to stay in the same room with her for more than half an hour.'
'It just occurred to me,' I held my hand over my mouth in shock, 'if your father marries Abigail, then not only will she be your mother-in-law, but my sister will be your grand-mother-in-law which will make me your great-aunt-in-law.'
'Theoretically, yes, but it does not really mean anything,' Hanson concluded warily.
'Don't worry, I will be the best great-aunt-in-law you can possibly imagine. I will bake you cookies, and read bedtime stories to you, and I will make sure there are no monsters under your bed,' I vowed.
'The cookies I shall accept, but you can save the rest.'
'Who's a big, brave boy,' I stood on tip-toes to pat his head.
'Goodness.'
Chapter 33
FAMILY AND FRIENDSHIP
Molly and I were on the night shift that day, and since it was very quiet, I had a lot of time to think. Most of my thoughts revolved around everyone getting married – everyone but me. I had no explanation as to why Hanson had not asked me yet. Not even if he could pay his addresses or if we felt the same way about each other. The fact that I loved him madly could not have escaped him and I was beginning to believe that he might like me too. But we never talked about it, and no one could blame me for being impatient as I had already waited for seven months for him to return to that wretched kiss. Would it be highly unseemly for me to address it? 'Oy, Hanson give me that bloody kiss already!'
Molly began to giggle as I accidentally said it out loud.
'Oh Molly, is it really so much to ask?'
'No Ma'am,' she said shyly, 'everyone is wondering about it.'
'Who is everyone?' I asked shocked to find that my dilemma had become local gossip.
'The girls,' returned Molly reluctant to give up the names, but I urged her to it, 'Rose, Amy, Lucy and Daisy – all of the nurses, and...' she paused afraid to give offense but unable to lie, 'some of the patients too. They are betting on how much longer it will take the two of you.'
At least it proved that I was not entirely wrong in my assumptions.
'Do you have any idea what he is waiting for, Molly?' I said desperate for a second opinion even if it was that of a nine-year-old.
'He might be intimidated because you own the hospital, Ma'am, he might think that he won't be able to offer you anything in return, or that if anything goes wrong you will have to face the consequences along with him, while as long as you are not married you are a wealthy woman with whatever future you choose for yourself ahead of you,' all that came from the lips of a little girl.
'Molly,' suspicions arose in me, 'is it possible that Dr Charles Hanson has consulted you in this matter rather than me?'
My youngest nurse turned pale in the candle light and bit her lower lip. I rose, tugged my jacket in order and made for the stairs.
'But Ma'am,' she called after me, 'it is two a.m.'
'All the better,' I yelled as my feet ran up the stairs and I tore open the door and assaulted a peacefully sleeping man with the words: 'Wake up instantly!'
He did, and with a start. Grabbing for his night robe, he built himself up in front of me, wobbling on his sleepy feet: 'What is the emergency? Is it Mr Kyle? Has his condition become worse?'
'No, it is none of the patients,' I said furiously, 'I came to warn you about a murder in progress! Here,' I took the heaviest of the books on the night stand, 'this is the murder weapon.'
I began beating him with it until he grabbed my hands and pushed me against the wall. He was so flustered that he could not think of anything to say. Because I could no longer punch him, and he was too far away to bite, I stomped with my foot onto his.
'Ouch! Jo, what have I done?'
In my unstable state this was enough to make m
e cry. Here was a man who was kind enough to wonder what he had done when I behaved like a crazy lunatic rather than to ask what had gotten into me.
'Why don't you want me?' I howled, although the answer to that question was not too difficult to guess when one took into account the most recent assault.
'What makes you think I don't want you?' he said softly, and cupped my face in his hands, and wiped away my tears with his thumb. 'I want you more than anything, silly girl. You cannot have any doubt about that, can you?'
'Then why don't you ask me?'
'Is it really what you want? Have you considered it thoroughly?'
'Yes,' I punched him once more on the shoulder. He smiled and put his arms slowly around my waist.
'Jo, will you marry me?'
'No, don't ask me now, when I am like this, ask me tomorrow. I want to look pretty for the occasion!'
He laughed: 'Alright, shall we say eleven am tomorrow?'
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About the author
Anna Jane Greenville has written and illustrated her own tales from a young age. She is absolutely fascinated with storytelling and adores romantic, adventure, contemporary, and classic novels. She can spend a whole day at the bookstore browsing the shelves. Should she have a coffee to go in hand it is destined to turn cold once she sets eyes on the new arrivals section.
Travelling the UK as far south as Saint Michael's Mount or all the way north to the breath-taking Isle Of Skye is how she finds her inspiration. But it is the author’s time in London that has contributed most to the story of her first novel 'The Girl Who Was A Gentleman'. You can feel London’s rich history and culture pour into the pages. Literary influences on Anna Jane Greenville’s work include her favorite authors Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Johnston McCulley, Rainbow Rowell, and Nick Hornby.
More on the author
www.digitalpublishers.de/autoren/anna-jane-greenville/
www.annajanegreenville.co.uk/
www.instagram.com/a.j.greenville/
The Girl who was a Gentleman (Victorian Romance, History) Page 28