Chapter Ten
Within a minute, Thomas was at the door a letter in his hand. "Miss Ashurst, Miss Tatiana?" he asked, looking desperately around for the two sisters. He was a talented actor, Tatiana noted; she really must mention this to her grandmother—the man deserved a raise.
Trina looked over in mock surprise, but it was their grandmother who answered. "What is it, Thomas? Can't you see that we're busy?"
"I apologize, my lady, but a most urgent message has just come from their father," he answered her from across the room, to be sure that everyone heard him.
It looked as if her grandmother was about to stand up. Before she could do so, however, Tatiana said, "I'll see to it, Trina. You go on with what you're doing." She made her way over to the door as quickly as she could, taking the missive from Thomas with a tiny wink of thanks.
She opened the letter, skimmed it for what she knew would be inside and then let out a shriek of shock and dismay, feigned well enough to fool the idiots in the room.
"Oh, no! Oh! Excuse me," she added more quietly, looking around her as if she'd just remembered that she was surrounded by company.
"What is it, Tatiana?" Trina asked from across the room.
"Tatiana?" her grandmother echoed Trina.
"The ship carrying the goods Papa invested in to fund your marriage portion has sunk! It's gone, Trina! You're dowry! It's gone!" Tatiana dropped her face into her hands and pretended to cry. She chomped down hard on the inside of her mouth, hard enough to truly bring tears to her eyes.
"No! It can't be so!" Trina nearly screamed.
Gasps could be heard all around the room. Tatiana was certain it was her sister she heard attempting to make her way over toward the door where she stood.
Someone snatched the letter from her fingers.
Tatiana looked up to see Trina give a squeal of shock and then 'faint' right into the arms of one of the better-looking men.
Another man, completely ignoring the collapsed girl, took the letter from her limp fingers and read it himself. Tatiana almost shrieked with true anger at his gall at reading a personal letter. But she had deliberately had her grandmother's man of business write it to ensure that it looked and sounded authentic. She was glad now she'd been overly cautious.
"My God, it's true!" He turned to Trina, but she was still 'unconscious'—probably enjoying being held in the arms of a handsome man. So he turned instead to Tatiana. "I am most deeply sorry." And with that he shoved the letter back at her, bowed and left the room.
Tatiana was quickly surrounded by men making their leave.
"So sorry!"
"Most humble apologies."
"Lovely tea!"
The excuses came fast as men jostled her on their way out the door.
"No gentlemen, I'm certain there's been some sort of misunderstanding," Lady Ashurst called out. She put her hand on the arm of one man making for the exit.
"So sorry, my lady, er, urgent um... urgent meeting elsewhere. You understand. So lovely to see you again." He pulled his arm out of her grasp and joined the herd of departing men.
The glare from Tatiana's grandmother would have ignited her dress if the lady had been associated with fire. Tatiana deliberately kept her eyes anywhere but on her grandmother.
Within minutes, the room was nearly empty. Trina had 'recovered', but she'd clearly chosen her savior well, as he was one of the few men who hadn't left. Instead, he had gently lain her down on a sofa and sat on the floor by her side, gently waving a fan in front of her face to ensure her speedy "recovery".
"You are too good, Mr. Havelock," Trina said, her voice weak and frail. Tatiana thought she overdid it just a bit, but naturally couldn't say so.
"Poor, poor Trina," Tatiana said, taking her sister's hand and patting it gently.
"I have to disagree with you, Miss Tatiana," Mr. Havelock said. "In fact, I think that both your performance and Miss Ashurst's was brilliant."
Trina was so startled she bolted upright. "What?"
Mr. Havelock laughed as he folded away the fan. "There is only the six of us here now, Miss Ashurst. I'm sure Lord Bruntly and Mr. Vallentyn agree with me?" he asked, looking over at the other two gentlemen. Lord Bruntly calmly sat on the opposite sofa drinking his tea, and Mr. Vallentyn stood where Tatiana had left him—only now his hand covered his mouth. Tatiana was pretty sure tears of mirth glittered in his eyes.
Her grandmother now stood by the door looking ready to murder someone. Unfortunately, Tatiana knew very well who that someone was—herself. Thank goodness her grandmother was never impolite, especially with three gentlemen still present. Until they left, she could do nothing.
"Absolutely. Brilliant," Lord Bruntly confirmed. Mr. Vallentyn could only nod, as his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
"And I imagine, it got exactly the response you hoped it would. Only the gentlemen who are truly interested in pursuing Miss Ashurst for herself, and not her money, are still here," Mr. Havelock continued. "Bruntly is as rich as the king. I'm not too badly off myself, and well, Vallentyn, I have to admit I am rather surprised to see you still here."
Mr. Vallentyn pulled himself together and lowered his hand. "Oh, I'm not interested in marriage with Miss Ashurst. I do beg your pardon," he added, giving her a small bow.
"Not at all." Trina giggled.
"I must say, I'm intrigued by a lady who has had the temerity to attempt meaningful conversations during polite visiting hours." Mr. Havelock continued, giving Trina a warm smile.
Both Trina and Tatiana couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Was it ridiculous of me?" Trina asked, completely 'recovered'.
The man nodded. "Ridiculous and absolutely adorable, if I may be so bold."
"Oh!" Trina took the fan from his hands and vigorously applied it to herself to cool down the blush that crept up her face. The smile she sent Tatiana from behind the fan was all a sister could ever wish for. Never had Trina looked so happy.
"Lord Bruntly, Mr. Vallentyn, would you care to take a turn about the room with me, now that it is empty of all those imbeciles?" Tatiana asked, heading over to the gentlemen in question. Lord Bruntly raised his eyebrows but acquiesced, standing up to take Tatiana's proffered arm, while Mr. Vallentyn happily took her other. "Grandmama, will you join us?"
It was clear that Trina and Mr. Havelock needed a few minutes of 'privacy', while Tatiana suddenly found that she had a good deal of excited energy she needed to work off.
Lord Bruntly was good enough to take her grandmother's arm as the four of them set off toward the far end of the room.
"I presume the letter was a ruse," Kit began, after cursing his luck that he was once again in the position where he should, if he only had the temerity, ask Tatiana about her prospects. That he hadn’t been able to ask her outright still gnawed at him—that and his father's threats, which still rang in his ears. If he could discover if Tatiana would, in fact, have a dowry, perhaps his father would soften his stance despite her family's lack of political connections.
Tatiana shrugged. "It seemed like the only way to find out who was truly interested in Trina and not just her marriage portion." The smile she turned on him would have had the strongest of men drop to their knees. "It worked amazingly well, don't you think?"
Kit managed to keep to his feet, and even kept them moving forward, only just barely.
"Indeed."
His conscience pricked at the mention of men only interested in marrying for money. But it wasn't he who demanded it—it was his father. He was attracted to Tatiana with or without money. Very attracted.
He'd held Tatiana's gaze for perhaps a little too long, he realized, when Lord Bruntly coughed politely. "Seems to me to have worked primarily in Havelock's favor," Bruntly said, not sounding as disgruntled as one might expect.
"I do apologize, my lord," Tatiana said quickly. "If you would prefer to sit with my sister, I’m certain neither I nor my grandmother would be offended in the least."
The fellow looked over at Miss Ashurst and Mr. Havelock. They shared the sofa and sat a bit closer than strictly proper. "Ah no, I believe I know when to bow out gracefully."
"Oh, sir..." Tatiana began, clearly a little upset.
He patted her hand as it rested on his arm, however. "No, my dear. No need to fret. It is perfectly all right with me. I think she's got the better man there with her."
"Oh, sir," Tatiana said again, this time as an apology.
"So, Vallentyn, you swimming in other waters?" Lord Bruntly said, dipping his eyes down meaningfully to Tatiana.
"Too soon to tell," Kit answered honestly, with a quick glance at Lady Ashurst. "Well, I am happy to hear that all is not lost for your sister and her dowry—for Havelock's sake, at least," he said, changing the subject back to where he needed it.
Tatiana laughed. "Oh no, there is no ship, Mr. Vallentyn. Trina's marriage portion is perfectly intact."
"And will yours be as well?" he slipped in as gently as possible.
Tatiana looked over at her grandmother. "I have none," she said quietly.
"None?" Lord Bruntly exclaimed. "Are you parents doing nothing for you, then?"
A very slight shake of her head was the entirety of her answer.
"Her parents will find a husband for her," her grandmother answered. It was the same answer she had given every other overly curious person, and delivered in exactly the same way, so as not to encourage follow-up questions.
Lord Bruntly, however, seemed oblivious to his companion's tone. "Well! How odd," the gentleman commented.
Tatiana's gaze slipped to the floor so that Kit couldn't see into her eyes. "Any arrangements deemed necessary will happen after they have chosen the appropriate gentleman."
"So they haven't chosen anyone as yet?" Kit asked, perhaps a little too quickly. Lady Ashurst turned her head so that he could see her severe look of disapproval. She clearly was working with the parents. She probably wanted him to court Miss Tatiana about as much as his own father did—i.e., not at all.
"No. Not as far as I know," Tatiana said. Was that perhaps a spark of hope in her eyes, Kit wondered?
Why should he hold out for an impossible hope, he scolded himself. Was there really any chance for him? Yes, he had to have faith.
He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. If no one had been chosen, and her parents were perfectly capable of bestowing a generous portion on the elder twin, then there was the possibility they would do the same with the younger. Yes, there most definitely was cause for hope, indeed!
Storm On The Horizon Page 10