In Pursuit of Miriam

by Helen A. Grant

  “I left the day after speaking to you. I went to London and closed up my house there before returning to the countryside. Robert did not leave with me and I think your friend, Lucy, may have been the reason.”

  Miriam wondered if this was a rebuke for her turning down his marriage proposal, but as she could not ask this she decided to take what he said at face value.

  “I think you may be right. Lucy was back in Derbyshire last week and speaks constantly of her time in Bath. Robert Bright’s name is mentioned more frequently than any other,” Miriam confided to him.

  “Indeed,” Vincent replied, smiling. “Robert is a lucky man.”

  Miriam tried not to stare at his nicely carved lips. She wondered what they would feel like if she passed her fingers over them. Would they be smooth? Soft? Firm? Warm? His closeness was very distracting.

  Hastily, she plunged on. “I am to stay with Lucy on my return until I can find a house, because Percival and Catherine will have moved into Charlwood House. Lucy and her mother are helping me to find a suitable house in Buxton or Matlock, but I will so miss the countryside and the home where I grew up.”

  Vincent sympathized with her. “I have the opposite problem. I find I am having to live at Maudley Castle, which is in the country, when I would prefer to live in the city and take up my seat in government.”

  “Then we are a sorry pair,” Miriam laughed. “You had a lucky escape, for had I known how miserable I would be when I left Bath, I might have accepted your proposal.”

  Vincent frowned and did not appear to find her comment amusing. “I still think that what I proposed was a good solution for both of us. I just had not considered that you had already turned down Sir Thomas. What I saw as my gallant attempt to rescue you from such a fate was not, in fact, required.”

  “You can be assured that I certainly never regretted turning down Sir Thomas,” Miriam told him earnestly, grateful that he seemed to hold no animosity towards her for refusing his offer of marriage.

  She was, however, surprised when he looked her directly in the eye and said solemnly, “My proposal still stands. Can you not give it further consideration?”

  Miriam felt as if the room and all the other people in it had suddenly ceased to exist, and only she and the earl were there, cocooned in their own private world. She felt short of breath. “You would be trapped if I married you. If it was a marriage of convenience, only think of the scandal if the marriage ended in an annulment. Would you want that? Despite what you think, we would both suffer from the scandal.”

  “I could cope with the scandal, but if you could not, or did not wish an annulment, I would not press for it. We could live amicably apart. I could also arrange for you to keep your own fortune so that you could be independent should you choose to leave me at a later date.” Vincent wondered why he persisted when she obviously wanted nothing to do with him.

  “You do not understand my meaning,” Miriam tried to explain. “Why would you marry me when there are many other young ladies who are perfectly eligible, and do not limp? What if I agreed and then within a short time you met someone and fell in love?”

  “As you say, I have met many eligible young ladies and most, I should imagine, would be happy to marry me for my wealth and title, but that does not mean that they love me or I them. The ladies who are eager for my attentions I find far too demanding and they prattle endlessly. It is hard work for me to retain a semblance of interest and good manners. You, Miriam, do not prattle endlessly, and I find you easy to talk to,” Vincent replied candidly.

  Ah, but no pretence at affection, Miriam thought dispiritedly.

  “I will take that as a compliment. As I have never thought of marriage in a serious way, I have not felt it necessary to develop the skills of flirtation that other women find so important,” she answered, noting to herself that he had used her first name.

  “When you turned down my proposal I was somewhat taken aback,” Vincent admitted. “I had considered other women of my acquaintance and realized that there was not one I would care to face at breakfast day after day. I still am of the opinion that we could rub along nicely together if you give it a chance.”

  They went to and fro with arguments for and against such an arrangement, and eventually Miriam agreed to give the matter further thought. She said she would give him a decision the next day.

  Lord Chantry took his leave and immediately Aunt Beatrice, looking decidedly speculative, returned to sit beside her. But Miriam didn’t give her a chance to launch her questions. She needed some time to think everything through, and pleading a headache, excused herself from the company and made her way to her room. She would give the matter further thought but was worried that he had still not considered fully the consequences to either of them should she accept his proposal. Even though it seemed she had everything to gain, she knew deep down that it would be her, not him, who would be heartbroken when the arrangement ended.

  After Miss Knightly had turned down his original proposal of marriage, Vincent had left Bath having come to the decision that he would just have to wait it out until he turned twenty-five. On returning home after closing down his London house, he had not been pleased when his mother coerced him to attend his cousin’s wedding. Had he known this would happen he would have stayed in London slightly longer, despite the financial constraints.

  Vincent was surprised at how pleased he felt upon finding Miss Knightly at Wybourne Manor. She had looked very pretty as she sat at the dining table next to his cousin William, and she had blushed becomingly when she noticed him. He could not quite grasp exactly what his feelings were for her, but supposed that they were largely protective and that, had he any younger sisters of his own, this was how he might feel about them. He found that he wanted to know if she was happy and not hurt in any way; he decided that was why he had sought her out after the meal.

  On closer and more honest reflection he was not sure that the sensations he felt as he sat down so close to her on that small settee were what a man would feel for a sister, but he had nothing to judge against. She appeared so small and fragile, but there was nothing fragile about her manner or conversation and until she reminded him of her lameness he had not given it a thought.

  He had really enjoyed his conversation with her and now, having discussed the situation at length, he did hope she would give his proposal more favourable consideration. He had been telling the truth when he said that she was the only young lady of his acquaintance that he could imagine himself with. He felt comfortable with her, and unlike the other ladies he knew, there was no falseness or pretence about her.

  He had been concerned that he had singled her out for such prolonged conversation, and so on leaving her, he had made sure he was attentive to the other young ladies in the room—most of whom were distant cousins. When his mother called him over he expected some reprimand, but instead she told him how people had been praising his charity and good heart for spending time talking to Percival’s poor, lame cousin. It seemed to him that although Miriam was invited to social events, she was not actually included in them, and he wondered how this made her feel. He could not imagine being in such a situation even though he professed to spend all his time trying to avoid undue attention at social gatherings.

  The next day the weather proved favourable for the wedding. There was a clear blue sky and early autumn sunshine. So pleasant was it that many house guests, Vincent included, walked the short distance from the house to the chapel.

  He had hoped to see Miriam at breakfast as he would have plans to make should she decide to accept his proposal, but her aunt said that she had chosen to take her repast in her room. He did not see her when he entered the chapel, and although he searched the pews during the wedding service, he did not catch sight of her. The service seemed was overly long to him, and although some ladies obviously found it moving and dabbed their eyes prettily, he did not know either party well enough to have any strong opinions on their future happiness. His mind dwelle
d more on his own future.

  At last the service ended and he stood and offered his arm to his mother to escort her from the chapel. It was then that he spied Miriam in the back pew of the church on the groom’s side. He would have expected her to be seated in the front pew with her aunt.

  Everyone milled around outside the chapel for a while before those who were walking set off back to the house and others waited for their carriages. Frustratingly, he did not have an opportunity to speak to Miriam because his mother was ready to leave before Miriam had even left the chapel. He smiled to himself; he was beginning to understand the strategies Miriam used to make sure the fewest people possible were about when she had to walk anywhere.

  The wedding breakfast was a sumptuous meal of ham, eggs and hot bread rolls, but he was not seated close enough to Miriam to be able to converse with her. As he predicted, she remained seated when the other guests left the house to see Percival and his new bride set off on their journey back to Charlwood House. He took advantage of this to walk round to where she was seated and offer his arm.

  “Do you wish to see the married couple leave, or shall I escort you to find a seat in the drawing room?” he asked.

  “I would prefer to sit in the drawing room and wait for people to return; I would not enjoy standing around outside until they leave,” Miriam replied. Vincent offered her his arm and slowly they walked together into the drawing room. He guided her to a chair, then sat down beside her.

  “I have not had the opportunity to speak to you so far today,” he began. “I did look for you this morning at breakfast but you did not appear. Have you been avoiding me?”

  Miriam reddened slightly. “No, not really, but I am afraid I still cannot give you an answer to your proposal. I am fearful that I may make a wrong decision, and one of us or both could end up very miserable. But I have given the matter a great deal of thought; indeed I hardly slept at all last night. I know that marrying you would solve many problems—I would have a home and a husband and you would have the means to remain in London. I do very much enjoy your company, but how do I know if that is reason enough for me to accept you?”

  Vincent was flattered that Miriam had admitted that she enjoyed his company; just because he enjoyed her company he could not assume that she felt the same way. This gave him the confidence to press his suit further.

  “I am sure that there would be many more advantages than disadvantages to both of us should we marry. I find you a very attractive young lady, but I will assure you that, as we discussed, I would not press the physical attentions of a true marriage on you.” He added dryly, “Of course should you at a future time want the marriage to be more than in name only, I am sure I would be happy to oblige.” At this Miriam blushed deeply, although he did not know whether this was at his compliment or the intimate nature of his words.

  Miriam knew she had reddened. “I…I am most flattered, my lord, and I know I could trust you not to press your attentions on me. I blush because I have never given serious thought to that aspect of marriage. I never thought I would have an offer of marriage to consider.” She remembered her mortification at Cousin Percival’s cruel response when he had refused even to consider her father’s request that he wed her.

  “I apologize if I have spoken too bluntly,” Vincent said as he smiled down at her. “I have determined for my part that marriage to you would well suit my purposes. If I said I would call on you in Derbyshire to press my suit, would you be agreeable to that?” He found he was holding his breath in anticipation of her answer.

  “I would not object, but I cannot promise you what my final decision will be. You recall that I am not returning to Charlwood House when we leave here tomorrow. I will be asking my aunt to take me directly to Blackwood Hall to stay with Lucy and her parents.” Miriam was surprised and a little thrilled that he was still pressing his suit.

  Vincent was heartened that she had not completely rejected him on this occasion.

  “Ah, then I will ask Robert if he wishes to accompany me on my journey to Derbyshire. I am sure he will be most eager to see Lady Lucy again.” The more time he spent in Miriam’s company, the more convinced Vincent was that they would deal well together.

  Miriam smiled up at him in agreement. Her blue eyes sparkled, and Vincent found his spirits lifting even more. “That would be an excellent idea,” she said. “I am sure Lucy would very much like to see Mr. Bright again, and I will enjoy his company, as well.” She would not discourage the visit for Lucy’s sake.

  “I am leaving shortly to escort my mother back to Maudley. If Robert is back in Yorkshire, I will ask him to join me and we should, weather permitting, be in Derbyshire by the end of the week,” promised Vincent.

  This settled, Vincent stood and bowed and went to join the people outside watching the married couple depart.

  Chapter Eleven

  After the Wedding

  When the newly wedded couple departed, most guests started to leave, Vincent and his mother among them.

  “It is good to see Catherine make such a good marriage,” the Countess of Chantry said as Vincent assisted her into their carriage. “One day, Vincent, it will be your turn. I am surprised you have not yet settled on one of the many suitable young ladies you have met in the past year.” She arched a well-shaped eyebrow at her son. “You are a most eligible bachelor and can take your pick of the crop, you know.”

  Vincent sighed. His mother regularly had this conversation with him, which was one of the reasons he had been reluctant to return to Yorkshire. Should he or should he not tell her of his proposal to Miriam? He decided at this time to say nothing of it, and judging by the way she moved directly on to give him her detailed opinions of all the ladies attending the wedding, she had not expected any sort of response.

  Towards the end of their journey home his mother once again raised the question of finding him a wife when they passed the Askern Wheatley Estate.

  “The eldest Miss Cloves would make an ideal wife; her family has very good connections and are very wealthy. She is passably attractive, well-mannered and you have known her since childhood. I know that she has always welcomed your attentions and that she, like most girls, would prefer to remain near her family home when wed.”

  Vincent now realized he must stop this once and for all. He was not going to be paraded around the marriage mart by his mother, who had obviously given the matter some serious thought.

  “Mother, I must tell you that I have already made a proposal of marriage and I am at present awaiting the young lady’s reply, which I hope will be favourable.”

  “And you have not felt the need to inform me of your intentions before now?” his mother fairly shrieked in surprise.

  “I have not, and even now I am not sure I should discuss this with you. As I mentioned, I do not know what the outcome of my proposal will be.” If Vincent thought this would end the conversation, he was to be disappointed.

  “I am sure you can see how your news had surprised me. Vincent, pray tell me, who is this young lady and is she of my acquaintance?”

  Vincent knew that his mother would interrogate him until she was satisfied that she had all the relevant facts and so he decided he might as well tell her. “You have met the lady in question, Mother. Just this weekend. It is the Honourable Miss Miriam Knightly to whom I have proposed marriage.”

  His mother’s reaction to this news did rather surprise him. She laughed out loud and snorted in an unladylike fashion, quite unlike anything he had heard from her before. “Do not jest with me, Vincent. If you feel you cannot tell me who the young lady is, do not make fun of me. You know how serious I am about your future and who you will take for your wife.”

  “Mother, I do not jest. It is Miss Knightly I hope to have as my wife. I have, in fact, proposed to her twice and was turned down on the first occasion.” Vincent was perfectly serious in his response and he saw his mother’s face turn from laughter to shock. The need to defend Miriam surged through him.

>   His mother, however, was almost apoplectic with rage. “I cannot believe this to be true!” she cried. “You, who have every eligible young lady swooning and throwing herself at you, have chosen this…this poor specimen who can barely walk as your wife! You must withdraw your proposal immediately. I forbid it. Think of the family line. Any children might likewise be deformed!”

  Vincent clenched his teeth and forced himself to remain calm. “I have no intention of withdrawing my proposal. To set your mind at rest her lameness was caused by an accident when she was but a very young child and is not a hereditary condition. However, even if this were not the case, it would remain my decision, and my decision alone, whom I ask to be my wife.”

  His mother still was not satisfied. “Has she thrown herself at you and you have compromised her in some way? Oh, I know—I have heard about your dancing the waltz with her in Bath. Did you feel obliged to propose to prevent a scandal?”

  “Mother, that is not the case and I do not have to, and will not, discuss with you my reasons for asking Miss Knightly to be my wife. You must be content to know that I have asked her because, having given great consideration to all the other ladies of my acquaintance, there is none other whom I would consider to ask to be my wife,” he patiently and honestly explained, keeping his temper firmly in check.

  “That is as may be, but I know of many eligible young ladies whom you have yet to meet and I am certain that any one of them would be more suitable,” argued his mother.

  Vincent needed to put an end to this conversation. “I will consider other ladies only if Miss Knightly turns down my proposal, so please do not continue to search on my behalf.” He looked up. “Ah, we’ve arrived. I want to hear no more of this. I shall be leaving tomorrow or the next day for Derbyshire with the hope that Miss Knightly will have decided to accept my proposal. If she does, you must accept her as my wife and treat her accordingly.”