“James and I can kidnap him if you want.”
“You will not kidnap anyone!”
Will gave an exaggerated sigh. “I just thought you should know we would. You ought to get ready for dinner, you know.”
Dinner? How was I supposed to dress for dinner as if nothing had happened? And yet, I knew I would have to. Life moved on. Whatever happened, life continued at its usual pace. Sighing, I got to my feet. “Yes, I know.”
I THINK I WAS THE FIRST one ready to leave the next evening. After a day of uncertainty, I was anxious to be able to talk to Richfield. I sincerely hoped he would forgive me and be willing to move past this misunderstanding.
“She’s as bad as when she first came home from London,” Sarah said on the ride over. “I hope when someone courts me, one of you will slap me if I ever start acting like this.”
“Sarah, that is enough,” Mother said immediately.
“I’ll slap her!” Will said at the same moment. He lifted his hand in demonstration.
“You better not!” Sarah said, horrified at the idea.
Closing my eyes, I leaned my head against the side of the carriage. I was more than ready to be free of the small space when we arrived at the Sandwoods. The moment I stepped into the drawing room, I searched the room, reminded of when I had sought Richfield at the musical soiree in London.
And just as it had been in London, he wasn’t there.
“Is Richfield not joining us?” Father asked. I was so thankful he asked the question and not me. I wasn’t sure if I would have been able to find my voice to do it.
Mr. Sandwood frowned as he handed my father a filled glass. “Did you not know? Richfield had to leave us this morning. I could have sworn he said he would tell you of it. He couldn’t say when he would return.”
“But the Knighton ball is in a few days,” I heard Sarah say in a whisper.
He had left. Just as I had told him to the day before. My heart felt like it was breaking, but I couldn’t let anyone see it. Swallowing hard, I lifted my head. “Miss Sandwood, did you finish the watercolor you were working on at the picnic?” I asked. My voice was steady. Good. “I would love to see it.”
There was a look of pity on Miss Sandwood’s face. If there was anything I hated, it was pity. “Of course, Miss Forester,” she said. “It’s right over here. I will be more than happy to show you.”
Through sheer force of will, I was able to admire her work and make appropriate comments on her brush strokes. I also carried on entire conversations during the meal. I don’t remember what I said, but I know I kept up my end of the subject.
It wasn’t until the ladies were sitting in the drawing room I found myself alone for a brief moment. I stood at the window looking out over the garden. Not for the first time, I cursed inwardly at the unfortunate lack of control I’d had over my temper. Never had it gotten me in trouble over something as important as this before.
I had finally fallen in love with a man who fit in well with my family. My dearest friend approved of the match. And I destroyed whatever good impression he had of me by not warning him of my sister’s wild talk.
How would I recover from this?
I felt something wet on my cheek and realized I was crying. Wiping my face, I took a deep breath, hoping no one had noticed the crack in my composure. Somehow, I had to keep myself under control until I got home. In my room, I could cry my heart out, but not until then.
“Diana, why don’t you play us that piece you have been practicing since yesterday?” Mother said, getting my attention. When I glanced over, there was compassion and understanding in her eyes.
“Yes, of course,” I said, forcing a smile. “I would be happy to.”
There was no doubt in my mind I would someday hate this particular piece of music. Typically, I preferred Haydn over Beethoven, but I had been playing this piece over and over all day, hoping the complex movements would distract me.
In the end, it hadn’t. I was just extremely good at playing it now.
Miss Sandwood had the original sheet music I had copied, and she located it for me. “Don’t worry, Miss Forester,” she said in a kind voice. “You are engaged to Mr. Richfield, are you not? Then, you can with all propriety receive letters from him. I am sure that is what will happen. He will write you to explain everything.”
A letter? I could not hope for that, not after the angry words we had exchanged. Taking the music from her, I set the sheets up in order. “Thank you, Miss Sandwood,” I said. She walked away, shaking her head. Taking a deep breath, I began to play. At that moment, nothing mattered but performing the song flawlessly.
NO LETTER FROM MR. Richfield came for me.
Without acknowledging I was doing so, I waited for five days. I even contemplated writing to him, and had begun writing it but only crumpled the sheet in frustration before I finished. If I had, though, I had no idea how I would have addressed it. He had never told me the name of his family’s estate and his rooms in London had not been owned by him.
There was nothing I could do except wait and hope he came back to me.
On the second day of waiting, Mother asked if I wanted to talk about it.
I did not.
By the third day, Father asked if I wanted to talk about it.
I had no inclination then either.
Through it all, Will didn’t ask how I felt. He was extra nice to me, though, which would have been alarming if I had given it any thought. As it was, I didn’t acknowledge the change in his behavior.
Every now and then, James would put his arm around my shoulders whenever he saw me, giving me a half-hearted hug. I suppose he meant to be comforting, which was on the same level as Will being sweet.
Sarah also didn’t ask any questions. Then again, she was undoubtedly more aware than everyone else I was miserable. We shared the same bed, so she heard my crying each night. Though I was still angry with her, I appreciated she didn’t say anything about it. She chattered more than usual, so that helped keep up the pretense. I guess in her own way my sister tried to do me a favor. Maybe she felt guilty about what had happened, and this was her way of making it up to me.
The hardest person to be around was Anna. I didn’t want to tell her what had happened, because what if he came back? She was more than capable of being disagreeable if she thought it was deserved. And she never took it well when her friends were upset.
So I pretended all was fine. My heart wasn’t in the alterations I had to do to my ball gown. The only reason I finished attaching the blue ribbons to the dress was due to Anna, Miss Delan, and Miss Elizabeth Carter frequently visiting. We were all working on our dresses together, and I kept my hands busy with sewing.
By the day of the ball, though, they knew something wasn’t right. “Is Vanderson Cottage in such a terrible state your Mr. Richfield must spend all his time there?” Anna asked out of nowhere. “I can think of no other reason we haven’t seen him among the other gentlemen of the house party.”
She made a point of not looking at me. Apparently, Miss Sandwood had at long last learned not to gossip otherwise everyone would have known what had happened. “What an odd question!” Sarah said. “Diana and I haven’t joined the ladies in many days, and you aren’t commenting on that. Why single out poor Mr. Richfield?”
“I thought for sure we would see him here, too,” Anna said stubbornly as if Sarah hadn’t spoken. “After all, not too long ago you were complaining he was always underfoot.”
My relief at having Sarah deflect the question shifted to annoyance, and I glanced at her. Sarah’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “I think maybe you should just worry about your own business, Lady Carlyle,” Sarah said in a sharp tone.
Miss Delan and Miss Elizabeth gasped at the rudeness of Sarah’s statement. “You’re keeping something from me,” Anna said, not taking offense. She was more than used to Sarah’s sharp tongue. “I see how it is. I shall figure it out.”
I was very much afraid she would do so
. Sarah’s response had only piqued Anna’s curiosity, and convinced my friend that there was something to discover.
When Sarah and I were dressing, I couldn’t resist saying as much. “You should not have challenged her in such a way. She would have moved on to something else if you had left it alone.”
“While she is not my best friend, I do know her well, Diana.” Sarah sat patiently while I arranged her hair. “She wouldn’t have left without learning the truth. I have delayed it for a while.”
“And what shall I say when he is not at the ball tonight?”
Sarah sighed. “Maybe he will be there.”
“Wishful thinking, Sarah.” I wove the last of the flowers into her hair. “There. You’re ready.”
“You haven’t left yourself much time,” Sarah said, standing up. She faced me, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You are going with us, Diana.”
“Yes, I know,” I said with little enthusiasm. I had briefly considered crying off, claiming a headache, but I knew Mother would never have allowed it. “I have left myself plenty of time to get dressed.”
Sarah put her hands on her hips. “Have you? I fail to see how you will make yourself look your best in such a short period.”
For the first time in several days, I allowed myself a small smile. “I don’t believe anyone put you in charge of my appearance, Sarah.” I was startled when Sarah pushed me into the chair in front of the dressing table. “What are you doing?”
“Sit still,” Sarah said. “Someone has to make sure you look beautiful tonight, and that person is me.”
Touched by her concern, I sat there and let her do what she wanted. Whenever she was determined on something, Sarah moved at a quick pace. She hummed as she worked, and grumbled to herself when a curl would not lay as she wished it. Still, Father called up several times for us to hurry up before I finished dressing.
“Whatever happens tonight, no one will say you did not look well,” Sarah said when she stepped back.
I glanced down at my white gown, admiring the new blue ribbons I had added. “Of course that is the all-important objective.” I arranged the shawl on my shoulders and twisted before the mirror to check my appearance.
“It is important,” Sarah said, pushing me towards the door. “Father will leave without us if we don’t hurry! Quickly, Diana!”
With more haste than grace, we made our way down to join the rest of the family. It was time to face all our neighbors. What would they be saying? Somehow, I would have to find the fortitude to face whatever I heard.
Chapter Twenty
Knighton Manor was lit up from within, and we could see it from miles away. For the first time, I saw my father relax. I hadn’t even realized he had been tense until the moment he relaxed. “Were you worried about something, Father?” I had to ask.
“The highwayman struck again two days ago. A family who were on their way here for the Knightons’ ball,” Father said seriously. Silence filled our carriage. Clearly, I was not the only one who had not been aware of this. “With everyone dressing their best and wearing their jewels tonight, it was feared there would be many potential targets for the criminal.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sarah sit up straighter. The only thing I could think was that Mr. Richfield had gone, so there was no conceivable way he could be even remotely be construed as the villain behind this crime. Or, I had to wonder, did she imagine it was proof he was involved because he could have returned to the area unnoticed.
Why did it even matter to me anymore? The subject had caused me more than enough grief and heartache.
Stepping out first, Father helped Mother down, and then Sarah and I. James and Will were last. The Manor appeared even more impressive against the darkening sky than it did in broad daylight. It towered in the dark sky, like I imagined a mountain would do.
“Diana, you’re going to get left behind,” Sarah hissed, pulling my attention from the view to her. The rest of my family was already walking towards the door. “Hurry up! I did not make you look good so that you could stand outside all evening!”
Lifting my skirt, I walked quickly to catch up. A footman relieved me of my shawl in the foyer. There were people everywhere. Mother and Father were quickly drawn into a conversation. Will and James had vanished while I gave up my shawl. How did they manage to do so with such ease?
“If I leave you, you won’t try to hide?” Sarah asked, leaning close to my ear so I could hear over the din of conversation and the orchestra playing. “I want to take a turn around the room.”
“There are very few places where I could do so” And I’d tried to utilize them in the past for far less important reasons than to avoid explaining where my betrothed was.
“You always manage to disappear somehow,” Sarah said. A look of relief appeared on her face. “Oh, look. Here’s Anna. Maybe she can keep you from running off.”
She slipped off into the crowd as Anna reached me. “Finally,” my friend said, linking her arm with mine. “I had begun to think you weren’t coming. I have so much to tell you, Diana.”
I laughed at her dramatics. “I saw you this afternoon, Anna. I hardly think you have much to tell me that is new.”
“The Reynolds’ are not here.”
Startled, I stared at her. “What?”
Glancing around, Anna pulled me to the side of the room. It was only marginally quieter there. “It happened so fast, while I was visiting you,” Anna said, babbling in her eagerness to tell me all. “Mother and Father asked them to leave. I have never been so shocked!”
“Why?” I asked, confused about why the Knightons’ would ask their guests to leave on the day of the ball. It must have been something serious. “What happened?”
“Now, you must promise me you won’t be angry. It was brought to our attention that Miss Reynolds has been spreading horrible rumors about you.”
It was as if there were no ball happening around us as I focused on what Anna was telling me. I wasn’t sure I had heard her right. I couldn’t possibly have heard what I thought I’d heard. “Miss Reynolds has what?”
“She told anyone who would care to listen you were marrying Richfield for his money because your family expects you to make a brilliant match. It was only by the merest chance Mother overheard her speaking of it to Miss Carter, bragging about just how many people agreed with her!”
Mr. Richfield had asked if I were marrying him for his money. Was Miss Reynolds the source of such an idea? She must have been! Anna had warned me not to get angry, but I couldn’t see how I could avoid it! “How dare she? That insufferable girl,” I said, clenching my fists. “How many believed her?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Anna said, trying to soothe me. “She is no longer here.”
“Anna. How many?”
My friend sighed, looking as though she regretted telling me. “She would not name any families specifically, but you know we have had most of the neighborhood at the Manor at one time or another in the past three weeks,” she said. She hurried on with her story before I could ask for further clarification. “Mr. Reynolds was most apologetic and agreed the best thing to do would be for them to leave. He asked I give you, Richfield, and your family his most sincere apologies.”
I took a deep breath, trying to untangle my feelings on learning this. On the one hand, I was furious Miss Reynolds would stoop to such a level. At the same time, I felt pity for her desperation, but I also felt honored the Knightons would take such offense at insults aimed at me.
Mainly, I felt heartbroken to know Richfield had listened to her. Even knowing her character, he had listened to Miss Reynolds’ lies. Perhaps not truly believed every word she had said, but he had doubted he knew me because he’d listened to her.
But had I done any different? Struck by this thought, I paused to consider. I’d listened to Sarah, which had caused me to doubt what I knew of him because of what my sister had said. I couldn’t make any judgments because I hadn’t acted in any better.
Why did she have to say that? This was no time to go into it. “Yes,” I said, forcing a smile. “My friends know me.”
Anna frowned as if sensing there was still something she didn’t know. “Now, let’s have some fun tonight,” she said, linking arms with me again. “I’ve made Rodger swear he will dance with you.”
I forced a laugh. “Of course you have.”
“But not before I have had my dance,” Philip Knighton said as he approached. He bowed stiffly. “Would you do me the honor, Miss Forester?”
With a mock scowl, Anna slapped her brother’s arm. “Don’t you think Diana will want to save the first dance for her betrothed?” she asked. “There’s no need to be so formal with her, either. She’s practically your sister or have your London friends made you forget everything?”
That made me flinch. Philip’s impassioned proposal some months before was the one secret I’d never told Anna. I had no idea how she would have reacted to it. That he had never spoken of it to his older sister either made me think I had made the right choice. Who had he told? His parents? But they had never spoken of it.
“The music is about to begin, Anna, and I don’t see Richfield,” Philip said, holding his hand out to me. “Miss Forester?”
A refusal now meant I would not be dancing at all evening. “Certainly,” I said, putting my hand in his. I had to have something to distract me because I was sure I would be spending most of the evening on the wall with the spinsters.
The floor had been cleared, and lines were forming for the first dance. At the head of the room, the musicians were beginning to play. “I wanted to tell you I wish you every happiness, Miss Forester,” Philip said as he led me forward. “You and Richfield both have my congratulations.”
A Chaotic Courtship Page 21