When Two Rivers Meet (Regency Romance)

by Deborah M. Hathaway

  Lilyanna's relief at Elijah's willingness to share his side of the story reflected in her step as she nearly skipped away to Charlotte and Muriel.

  She longed to stay with him, but she knew if Muriel found her alone with the gentleman, her mother would no doubt hear of it, as well as half of Bath.

  Slowing her step, she glanced behind her to see Elijah heading in the opposite direction of her, his feet moving at a slow pace. She replayed her departure from him, frowning as she suddenly realized she had not given him any reason to be sure her feelings about him had not altered since learning the truth about his past.

  Instantly, she changed her direction and returned to his side, gaining his attention by pressing her hand lightly on his arm.

  He turned around, his face registering surprise. "Miss Crosgrove?"

  She smiled up at him, standing on her toes and kissing him softly on his cheek as she held his forearm for support. His face was warm, and she lingered as long as possible until pulling back and looking into his eyes.

  "Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Bainbridge," she said, still holding onto his arm, "but, please, do not think what you have revealed to me of your past will stop me from seeking out your company now and in the future. I am afraid it is not so easy to be rid of me."

  Before he could respond, Lilyanna released his arm and scuttled back in the direction of her friends, burning bright red from her forwardness, as well as the thought of his skin so warm upon her lips.

  Chapter Ten

  Mrs. Crosgrove's health had not been the same since Captain Crosgrove's departure, so to feel better, she had resolved to stay indoors for the better part of two weeks. As a result, her daughter had to remain inside, as well.

  Lilyanna's mood had lessened considerably since kissing Elijah on his cheek, due to the fact of her seclusion and being unable to see a single soul apart from her mother and other members of the household for three solid days.

  She had tried to make the best of her situation, walking around Heatherhill's gardens, visiting Mr. Lowick and her dapple gray, but her loneliness, and Mrs. Crosgrove's chiding, had begun to take a toll on her spirits.

  Even thinking of Elijah, or the kiss she had bestowed upon him, began to darken her mind as she feared Mrs. Crosgrove's discovery of the rumors surrounding the gentleman and thereby refusing to let Lilyanna see him any longer.

  Before Lilyanna's hope vanished completely, however, relief came in the way of Charlotte Rosebury inviting her to attend the tea rooms with her and her parents.

  Mrs. Crosgrove had relented after much careful begging on Lilyanna's part, the woman saying with exasperation, "All right, you may go, if only for me to receive some peace and quiet while you are away."

  And so Lilyanna found herself one morning in the Rosebury's company. She felt as excited as anything when they walked through the crowded streets, eventually entering one of Bath's many tea rooms.

  They scanned the room, settling on a small, white table near an open window where soft pink curtains fluttered in the cool breeze.

  "This should do us quite nicely, will it not, ladies?" Mr. Rosebury asked as each of them took a seat on their matching chairs. "We shall still be able to enjoy the fresh air this way."

  "To be sure," Mrs. Rosebury replied, smiling at her husband.

  Lilyanna sighed with pleasure at being around such pleasant company. She had always been slightly envious of Charlotte and her seemingly carefree life, but she settled on the fact that Charlotte, as kind and positive as she was, deserved such an existence.

  After their tea had been served, Mr. and Mrs. Rosebury spoke about Mrs. Rosebury's friends coming to stay with them near the end of the season, and Lilyanna and Charlotte found themselves conversing with one another about their own lives.

  "I believe I have heard news of Mr. Charleston taking quite a liking to you," Lilyanna said with her brows raised.

  However, Charlotte's ever-pleasant smile faltered. "Yes, indeed," she said. "He is such a kind gentleman, and I am flattered by his attention, but I, well, I cannot really imagine the two of us together."

  Lilyanna nodded, smiling at Charlotte's kind way of dismissing the gentleman.

  "Has he made you an offer?" Lilyanna asked.

  "Of marriage?" exclaimed Charlotte in a whisper after a quick glance to her parents. "Heavens, no!"

  "Would it be so surprising?" Lilyanna asked with a small laugh.

  "For a man to propose to me?" she said. "Indeed, it would be."

  "You are too modest, Miss Rosebury."

  "My sister tells me the same," she replied, "but I do not believe so. At any rate, I have answered your questions. Now it is time for you to answer mine. How is your Mr. Bainbridge?"

  Lilyanna blushed. "I would not know. I have not seen him."

  "Oh, come now, Miss Crosgrove," Charlotte said, lowering her voice. "You must give me some information."

  Lilyanna glanced around to ensure they were not being overheard. "I admit, I am fond of him."

  Charlotte giggled. "Oh, Miss Crosgrove," she said, "that is not new information! I am sure near everyone in Bath knows of your affection toward each other."

  "All right, then," Lilyanna said, determining to give Charlotte something she had not heard before, "I shall tell you something that has occurred between us that I am sure no one knows of."

  She watched as Charlotte's eyes widened. "Oh, yes, please do!"

  "Only you must promise you will tell no one."

  "Of course, Miss Crosgrove," Charlotte said, nodding her head vigorously, her hazel eyes still as big as saucers.

  Lilyanna leaned closer to her friend. "Do you remember the day I disappeared from you and Miss Vincent on our walk through Sydney Gardens?"

  Charlotte nodded. "Yes. And when you rejoined us, you seemed to have appeared from thin air, though you would not inform us as to where you went in such a hurry."

  "Indeed," Lilyanna said, smiling. "During my moments of absence, I was, in fact, with Mr. Bainbridge, and we were alone."

  Charlotte gasped, and Lilyanna laughed with delight.

  "Alone?" Charlotte asked. "But what if you had been discovered?"

  "We were not behaving indecently," Lilyanna said, "I can assure you. That is, not until the end of our meeting."

  Again, Charlotte gasped as she threw her hand up to cover her mouth. "Why, Miss Crosgrove!" she exclaimed with a smile, and Lilyanna laughed.

  "Do not let your imagination run rampant, Miss Rosebury," Lilyanna said. "I only…" she trailed off, leaning in to whisper in Charlotte's ear, "I only kissed his cheek."

  Charlotte giggled. "My goodness! Did you really?"

  Lilyanna leaned back in her chair, nodding with a satisfied smile upon her lips. "I did, indeed," she assured her friend.

  "How romantic," she said, sighing with a faraway look in her eye. "You are so fortunate, Miss Crosgrove, to have captured such an agreeable gentleman's attention. He is so very kind and handsome."

  Lilyanna nodded as she looked out the window, feeling wonderfully at ease. "I wholeheartedly agree, Miss Rosebury."

  Charlotte gasped then, and Lilyanna looked up to see her friend's entire face beaming red while looking past her.

  "If it is not the gentleman himself, Miss Crosgrove," Charlotte whispered with a smile.

  Lilyanna's heart beat fiercely within her chest, her calmness seeming to fly out the open window as she turned around to see Elijah walking through the doorway, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey and a short woman escorted by a large-statured gentleman.

  Realization dawned on Lilyanna as she noted how similar the man and Elijah looked. "Those must be his parents," she said aloud before facing Charlotte again, feeling a bit lightheaded.

  "Oh, Miss Crosgrove," Charlotte said, averting her gaze as she brought her teacup to her lips, "he is looking this way. You had better greet them."

  Lilyanna nodded at her friend's suggestion, so she excused herself from the Roseburys' table and approached Elijah and his fami
ly.

  All five of them looked to her at once, and she felt small under so many eyes.

  "Miss Crosgrove," Elijah said, his face lighting up with a smile, "how are you?"

  Lilyanna returned his smile. "I am quite well, thank you. And you?"

  "Wonderful," he said, still smiling.

  She nodded to Hazel and Isaac until her attention inevitably moved to Elijah's mother and father.

  "Miss Crosgrove," Elijah said, "may I introduce to you my mother, Mrs. Joyce Bainbridge, and my father, Mr. Roderick Bainbridge. Mother, Father, this is Miss Lilyanna Crosgrove."

  Lilyanna curtsied. "It is a pleasure meeting you both."

  "Oh, the pleasure is sure to be ours, dear," Mrs. Bainbridge said, and Lilyanna had to look down nearly a full head to meet her eyes. "We have heard so much about you from our son."

  Lilyanna was taken aback at how loudly Mrs. Bainbridge spoke, but still she blushed with delight at knowing Elijah had spoken to them about her.

  "I do hope you have only heard words of a positive nature," she said, glancing up at Elijah.

  "Of course," Mrs. Bainbridge responded with a giggle. "Only good things can be noticed when near a woman such as you, I am told."

  Lilyanna continued to blush happily.

  "Would you like to join us, Miss Crosgrove?" Mr. Bainbridge asked, his deep voice, not unlike his son's, remaining softer than his wife's, though he had made no move to silence her.

  "Thank you for the offer," Lilyanna said, "but I am here with my friends, and we have arranged to spend the day together."

  "What a pity," Mrs. Bainbridge said, though her smile remained. "Well, we shall have to make up for the moments we do not spend together today. Do promise you will make time for us, Miss Crosgrove."

  Lilyanna nodded. "I would love to."

  "Oh, wonderful," Mrs. Bainbridge said, clapping her hands together as her loud voice caused a few heads to turn. "Now, Elijah says you play the pianoforte and that you have quite the talent for it."

  "And you draw, as well, we have heard," Mr. Bainbridge piped in.

  As Lilyanna continued to be bombarded with questions and compliments, she thought of how her mother would react with instant disapproval toward the Bainbridges. However, Lilyanna's opinion of them only continued to rise, for she had never spoken to a more jovial people, had never been doted upon so sincerely, in her whole life.

  "Oh, you have such lovely hair, Miss Crosgrove," Mrs. Bainbridge said after commenting on how tall Lilyanna stood. She reached out and stroked a blond ringlet. "I always longed for such a shade, but alas, I was cursed with my own color. And, to make matters worse, it is starting to gray."

  "I think you look lovely with the hair you possess, Joycey," Mr. Bainbridge said, and Lilyanna smiled, though surprised she was to hear such endearments spoken aloud in public.

  "Oh, Roddy," Mrs. Bainbridge said.

  Lilyanna's eyes nearly popped forth from her skull as she witnessed Elijah's parents share a long kiss straight on the mouth right in the middle of the tea rooms, but her shock was quickly replaced with a genuine smile as she imagined her mother swooning if she ever witnessed such behavior.

  "All right," Hazel said before her parents ceased in their affections toward each other, "that is enough of that. Miss Crosgrove, please forgive my parents for their nauseating display."

  "Oh, Hazel," Mr. Bainbridge said, "when will you learn. Your complaints will only make me and your mother continue."

  He reached over and kissed Hazel on the head, pulling her into a hug, and again, Lilyanna was taken aback at the open affection between the family members.

  "Miss Crosgrove," Elijah spoke, and Lilyanna looked up to see an amused grin upon his face, "I believe we have taken you away from your friends for too long."

  Lilyanna looked to where Elijah had motioned, seeing the Roseburys standing by the doorway, calmly waiting for Lilyanna to finish. She sent an apologetic smile to Charlotte who merely smiled happily in return.

  "Oh, yes. You are quite right, Mr. Bainbridge," Lilyanna said, wishing she did not have to go. "Do forgive me, but I must take my leave now. Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge, it was a pleasure meeting you both. I look forward to when we may get to know each other better."

  "You are too kind, Miss Crosgrove," Mrs. Bainbridge said. "Is she not kind, Roddy? We look forward to it, as well, dear."

  Lilyanna curtsied, smiling lastly at Elijah as she made her way past him. Before she got too far, however, Elijah's gentle hand on her arm stopped her.

  "Miss Crosgrove?" he asked.

  She turned to face the handsome man, noting his family had already started to make their way to a table. "Yes, Mr. Bainbridge?"

  "I simply wanted to thank you."

  "Thank me?" she asked. "Whatever for?"

  He seemed unsure of what to say. "For, well, for being kind to my parents."

  Lilyanna looked at him oddly, though she smiled. "Of course, Mr. Bainbridge," she said.

  "I feel I should have warned you more about them," Elijah continued, "about their unconventional behavior."

  Lilyanna thought of the kiss she had witnessed between Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge. "Actually," she said, "I found them refreshing."

  Her heart fluttered to see a pleased smile spreading across Elijah's face. "I am glad. We shall speak soon, I hope, Miss Crosgrove?"

  "Of course, Mr. Bainbridge," she said. "I cannot wait."

  ***

  "Certainly, and thank you, once again, for bringing it to my attention. I shall deal with it immediately. Good day."

  Lilyanna heard her mother's voice coming from within the parlor, and she wondered who she had been speaking to, for Lilyanna had not been informed of any callers.

  Curiosity got the better of her as she made her way to the door. Before she reached it, however, it swung open, and Mr. Quigley emerged from within.

  "Mr. Quigley," she said in surprise, "what are you doing here?"

  Her initial shock at seeing him soon dissipated as she took notice of his guilty expression, his gaze averted and cheeks red, and she frowned.

  "Lilyanna, is that you?" Mrs. Crosgrove called from inside the parlor.

  "Yes, Mother," she said, but her gaze remained on Mr. Quigley.

  "I was just leaving, Miss Crosgrove," he muttered quietly. "Do excuse me."

  Lilyanna let the man go, scowling as she recalled the last time she had seen him.

  "Come here for a moment," Mrs. Crosgrove said. "I must speak with you."

  Suddenly, Lilyanna's mind was enlightened, and dread filled her heart, for she knew exactly why Mr. Quigley had been there.

  She approached the door slowly, attempting to gather some defense before entering the room and looking at her mother who remained still, gazing at the empty cup in her hands.

  "Why was Mr. Quigley here, Mother?" she asked when silence greeted her.

  "I am sure you can answer your own question, Lilyanna," Mrs. Crosgrove said quietly.

  "I am afraid I cannot."

  "Lilyanna, please," her mother said, her voice raising as she looked up with a scowl. "You know precisely why Mr. Quigley called here, to tell me something my own daughter would not."

  "And what is it I have not told you?" she asked, trying to remain calm outwardly, for her insides churned with anxiety.

  "The truth of your Mr. Bainbridge."

  Lilyanna shook her head. "I am afraid whatever you have heard about Mr. Bainbridge from Mr. Quigley cannot be believed."

  "And why is that?"

  "They are simply falsehoods, Mother. Nothing more than lies."

  "And how can you claim to know more than Mr. Quigley?"

  Lilyanna straightened her shoulders, looking her mother directly in her eyes. "Because I have discovered the truth from the source."

  "Mr. Bainbridge?" her mother exclaimed. "You mean to tell me, you spoke with Mr. Bainbridge about the rumors surrounding him and his name?"

  "Yes."

  "Why, Lilyanna Crosgrove," she said, her mouth
agape, "I cannot believe you had the audacity to do such a thing."

  "Mr. Bainbridge and I are friends," Lilyanna said in defense of her actions. "As his friend, I had every right to warn him of such rumors. And as my friend, he volunteered his information to me freely, therefore revealing to me what was true and what was not."

  "And what is true, pray tell," said Mrs. Crosgrove, her eyes narrowing.

  Lilyanna shook her head, knowing her answer would not please her mother. "I am afraid it is not my story to tell," she said. "But what I can tell you for certain is that Mr. Quigley was misinformed as to Elijah's character being anything but agreeable."

  "Lilyanna," Mrs. Crosgrove began, her face red with anger, "I am appalled by your behavior. First, banishing Mr. Quigley from our home, which I gleaned from him after much persuasion on my part, second, confronting an abusive gentleman about his past, and third, to complete your utter carelessness, you lie to me, refusing to give me information which I rightly deserve. I am deeply ashamed."

  Lilyanna remained where she was, keeping her gaze steady, though her mother's words hurt. She felt as if she had behaved as she should in each complaint her mother brought up, but knowing Mrs. Crosgrove would not agree, she kept quiet.

  Mrs. Crosgrove stood, placing her cup and saucer on the tray on a nearby table. "Mr. Bainbridge may be rich," she began, "but being wealthy means nothing when a name is tarnished, especially when the same can happen to your own name by mere association. I thought I had raised a daughter who understood this, but it appears I have not." She paused, straightening her cup on the saucer. "As such, I would like to make it abundantly clear, I do not wish for you to see Mr. Bainbridge from this day henceforth."

  Lilyanna had known the request was inevitable, but hearing the words aloud seemed to cause her soul to ache. The thought of never seeing Elijah's handsome smile again, of never hearing his deep voice convincing her to share her feelings, sickened her.

  Still, she knew her mother would not understand how she felt, so she decided to take a practical approach.

  "Mother," she began carefully as she clenched her hands together, "I understand your desire for me to stay away from him, but I do not understand how this can be possible. Surely the people of Bath know now of the attachment we have made with one another. Would my sudden aversion to his presence not produce rumors surrounding me of having a fickle nature?"