by Lauren Smith
“It can’t be that obvious, can it?”
“Of course it can. You and Mother have been having this same argument since before Henry and I were married.” Frances grinned and put an arm around her little sister. “Not only that, but I ran into Katherine when she was yelling at Mother about how unfair she was being.” She smiled. “Not you, of course. Katherine thinks your feet don’t touch the floor.”
“I just don’t think I have the disposition for marriage. I’m sure my husband would want me to settle down and be happy with having babies, but you know that’s not what I want. I can’t give up my dream.” She leaned her head on her sister’s shoulder. “Do you think I’m being ridiculous, Franny?”
Before Frances could answer, the door opened again and Katherine walked in, all sunny again. Part of the reason was evident – she was carrying a baby in her arms and it was making soft cooing sounds as it beamed up at her. Frances laughed as Katherine went to the dressing table and sat down on the bench with the baby sitting on her lap.
“It seems he’s taken quite the liking to you,” Frances held out a hand. “Give me the brush, would you?” Katherine shifted the baby so she wouldn’t drop him, then handed the hairbrush to her sister. “Miles seems to take to young women more than men.”
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders, then,” Emma said. Frances laughed and picked up her braid. “What are you doing?”
“Your hair is a mess and completely inappropriate. I’m going to clean it up before we go out.” She unfastened Emma’s braid and used the brush to turn her hair into long, soft waves. Having her hair brushed reminded Emma of the times when the three sisters had sat together on one bed, telling ghost stories while Frances brushed their hair and put it into elaborate braids.
“You can’t possibly think I’m going anywhere with this ankle.” Emma looked at her swollen ankle. It was still aching, and she had a feeling that if her mother knew how she’d gotten it she was in for trouble.
“You’re probably right. Still, you always were careless with your hair. It’ll look much better when the doctor comes to make sure you haven’t broken anything.”
“Why are you here so early?” Katherine was playing with the baby, who was giggling gleefully at his aunt’s attention. “You usually come much closer to the opening of the Season.”
“Well, this year we have Miles, don’t we? I wanted to come before the really bad weather started. Cold and wet together will make sure he’s sick for a week.” She smiled fondly at her son while she braided Emma’s hair. “My mother-in-law wanted us to leave Miles with her, but I wanted to bring him to see his aunts. Thankfully, Henry was on my side.”
“I must remember to thank him.” Katherine kissed each of the baby’s hands. “I never get to play with babies unless you’re around.”
“Do you really think it’s broken?” Emma had been worrying about it since her sister brought up the possibility. Something came to her and she smiled. “If it is broken, I’m sure I could get out of dancing for at least a month.”
“Most likely, yes,” Frances said, finishing the braid and fastening it. “However, that would just make Mother bring them to your sickbed so they could meet you and you couldn’t run away. Then you’d be forced to talk to them.”
“Ugh.” With more than a little difficulty, Emma got to her feet and twirled around. “Look, Franny, it’s a Christmas miracle! I can dance!” She tried to pivot on her toes and a sharp pain in her ankle sent her stumbling into the half-open wardrobe. Her sisters laughed as she struggled to get out of the clothes and the baby joined in as well. “Never mind. I’m going to rest it for the evening, I think.”
“It’s probably a good idea that you do,” Frances said, pulling Emma over to the bed. She laid her sister down and put a dainty pillow under her injured ankle. “We can go look at dresses when you’re feeling a bit better.”
“Oh no, Franny! I wanted to go today, my dress is ready!” Katherine looked like she was close to tears, and the baby stopped giggling.
“Don’t make him cry, now,” Frances scolded, she held out her arms. “Come along, Kitten. Miles gets fussy when he’s hungry.” Unlike most young mothers of their station, Frances was determined to care for her baby as much as possible, to the consternation of their mother and the governess her husband had hired.
As soon as they were gone, Emma closed her eyes. A broken ankle would be a good excuse to miss the Ball but she would have to be home with her parents all night, and she would much rather be with her sisters.
Please don’t be broken.
Chapter 2
“Well this is a lovely place,” Elizabeth Belmont said, looking around the spacious apartment her son had rented. “My goodness, it must have been quite dear.”
“It matters not to me. My only concern is that we’re comfortable for our stay.” With a yawn, Thomas, Earl of Marebel dropped onto the couch in the main room while his mother walked through the apartment, taking it all in. “There’s room for you, me, and the others.” He stretched his arms out and rested them on the back of the couch while he crossed one leg over the other.
It was definitely better looking than he had expected. He’d rented the apartment just a week before they’d left Kent, having sent a courier to find the nicest place possible at the last minute. He was surprised at the quality but pleased. He wanted his mother to be as happy as she was before his father had passed away.
“Have you picked your room, Mother?” Thomas called out to Elizabeth but when she didn’t answer, he sighed and looked back at the two servants they had brought from the estate. “Go ahead and bring the rest of the luggage in. There may not be enough room for you each to have one but we’ll make do.”
“Yes, my Lord.” The porter bowed to them, then went back to get what he could. The chambermaid looked around the large space that served as both sitting room and living area. She seemed to be spending more time at it than Elizabeth and blinked.
“Is everything all right?” Thomas got up to go over to her but she turned to him.
“It’s such a large space. Perhaps I didn’t bring enough supplies.”
“I’ll be happy to have them delivered for you. Just tell me when you need it.” He went to find his mother and did so in the smallest bedroom. “Mother, don’t be ridiculous. You cannot expect me to allow you to sleep in this room.”
“You should have the largest room, darling. Your father had the largest room, it’s only fitting that you inherit that from him as well.” There was a smile on her face that Thomas had grown used to seeing over the years. It was one of resignation, that she knew her place in the marriage. She was still Lady Belmont but it didn’t matter. The late Lord Belmont had been in his grave over two months and no matter what their relationship had been, she was still grieving his loss.
“I don’t much care what Father used to have. You’re my mother and I wish for you to have the finest room there is.” He grinned at her. “Don’t make me use my title to force you.”
“You’re a terrible child,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “But I do love you.” She walked with Thomas to the largest room. “I really don’t need so much room.”
“Of course you do,” Thomas laughed. “I’ve seen the number of trunks you brought along. Now, then. Would you like to walk around London a bit and see the sights? Or would you rather rest a bit?”
“Rest, I think. I’d also like to tell the servants where to put the things to make sure they do it properly.” She smiled. “Are you going to rest?” Thomas shook his head.
“Not just yet. I’m going to take a walk. The carriage ride felt like it took a year and I’m rather stiff.” The door opened again and he looked around the corner to see the porter attempting to lift a large trunk. Thomas rushed over to him and grabbed one end. “Where is this going?”
“To Lady Belmont’s room.” Thomas nodded and they carried the trunk into the room he had chosen for his mother. When they set it on the ground, the porter sighed with re
lief. “There shouldn’t be any problems with the rest of the luggage. This was the heaviest of them all. I’m extremely grateful for your help, my Lord. Not many in your position would help out.”
“I’d rather have it done properly than watch someone struggle.” He patted the porter on the shoulder. “You’re a good man. Are you sure you don’t need any more help before I leave? My trunk is about the same size.”
“Oh, no, It’s much lighter. I tested it before I chose Lady Belmont’s. Wanted to get it over with first, you see.” He smiled at Thomas. “Enjoy your walk, my Lord.”
“Thank you, I shall.” He went to the coat rack where he had put his muffler and coat when they came in. He gave his dark brown hair a comb-through with his fingers, then put his day hat on and wrapped the wool muffler around his neck.
The air outside was crisp and cold but there was no snow on the ground yet, for which Thomas was grateful. Nothing was worse in his opinion than making his way through the slushy gray mess left when snow was walked on and trampled by horses. He wasn’t the only one out that day. There were plenty of people moving through the streets, some of them carrying bunches of flowers. Thinking that would be a nice present for his mother, he quickened his step to find a florist before plans for the upcoming weekend cleaned out their stock.
A group of women were standing in front of a window display, jostling for position to see the dresses on display. Thomas made his way through them as carefully as possible, trying his best not to step on or push anyone aside. The women had no time for him but he smiled just the same, not wanting to make enemies of any of the society women before the Season even began. His mother was far enough from her mourning that she was testing the waters of talking to him about finding a young woman to marry, but he’d skillfully avoided her attempts by playing dumb, for the most part. His mother was a smart woman, much better than his father at subtlety, and she wasn’t likely to give up anytime soon. It was obvious that she wanted a young Lady Belmont and a number of grandchildren at her feet before she got too much older.
Until his father’s death, he’d pretty much done as he’d liked. His father was a good man, or at least he’d thought he was, but he hadn’t paid much attention to Thomas until he was an adult. Even then he was much more concerned with his title and the money it brought in. He’d been trying to scheme his way up the peerage at the end of his life, leaving Thomas to his painting and horseback riding. He had tried to get his son interested in the hunt, but Thomas always found a way to decline without being rude.
All that seemed poised to come to an end now that he was Lord Belmont instead of his father. He sighed, thinking of all the women his mother had entertained with the ulterior motive of getting them to meet her son. Before, it might have seemed amusing, maybe even tempting to indulge her. Now it was far too dangerous. A woman with whom he was married could stumble onto his secret easily and he had no intention of deceiving a wife. It was uncomfortable enough deceiving his mother but he couldn’t let her know, no matter the cost.
While he was thinking, the door to the dress shop began to open and Thomas rushed forward to hold it open. A pretty young woman came out, her blonde hair like a halo against the gray sky. She was giggling and holding a large box. Right behind her was a dark-haired young woman and Thomas couldn’t help being struck by more than her hair.
She had bright blue eyes that searched his face immediately, trying to find what he supposed was a hint of guile. Her smile faded into a scowl, but it didn’t spoil her features in the least. Even with narrowed eyes, he could see that she was more beautiful than any of the women standing outside the shop. “Thank you,” she said grudgingly. She passed him and a third woman with the same blue eyes and blonde hair as the first came out, smiling much more politely.
“Thank you, sir,” the woman said, her tone pleasant. The brunette, who he assumed was her sister, made a ‘tsk’ sound and rolled her eyes. Thomas wondered why she was so annoyed, and when the door closed, he walked after the three women and caught up with her.
“Have I offended you somehow?” He was glad to have a reason to talk to the scowling woman, even if she looked like she was might strike him if he got too close.
“I don’t need a man to show me courtesy,” she snapped, walking faster so she was ahead of her sisters. “Kindly leave me be.”
“Forgive me, I had no intention of insulting you. I hope your day is more pleasant.” Thomas didn’t expect the woman to thank him or even speak to him, but he also didn’t expect her to step sideways and pitch forward as if she had tripped.
Moving without thinking, Thomas stepped forward and caught her around the waist before she fell too far. He pulled her up and helped her stand, noticing a slight limp when she was getting her bearings. Her sisters hurried to join them and Thomas looked at her with concern. He was surprised to see that her cheeks flushed when she looked up at him.
“Are you all right, miss? That would have been a nasty spill,” he said.
“Is it your ankle?” The blonde with the curls in her hair looked extremely worried, then turned to Thomas. “Thank you so much, sir. My sister has injured herself a bit, and it’s her first day out.”
“You don’t have to tell him our entire life story!” The dark-haired woman had recovered, it seemed, and was back to scowling at Thomas. “Thank you, sir, for your assistance but as I said before, I would rather you let me be.”
“Emma! Don’t be rude,” the other blonde said in a scolding tone that made him think that she was the oldest sister.
“I should like to go home and rest my foot,” Emma said. “We’ll be going now.” She walked away from him with a pronounced limp while her sister shook her head. The one with the box hurried after her but the eldest stayed with Thomas.
“Please forgive my sister,” she said with a sigh. “She can be a bit discourteous sometimes, moreso when she’s in pain. Thank you for your kindness, and I hope we should meet again.” With a sweet smile, she joined her sisters, leaving Thomas to watch after them.
Emma, then, he thought with a broad smile as he turned in his attempt to find a florist. What a lovely name. He hoped he truly did see her again. She might be saucy, but he liked her very much already. Thomas found himself excited about the ball for a change, though he knew he might have to resign himself to not seeing her if her foot was injured. Either way, he’d at least found something in London that he was looking forward to seeing.
Chapter 3
With a yawn, Emma stretched her arms over her head in an unladylike gesture that would have shocked her mother. She looked at the grandfather clock near the desk by the door and saw that it was nearly nine o’clock.
“Oh goodness,” she said aloud, then glanced around and saw that there were no other patrons. The librarian was sitting at the desk reading and she marked her place in the book she was reading and picked up the others. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Drake! I didn’t mean to stay so long!”
“It’s all right,” the librarian said, putting aside his own book. “Though I was going to intimate that I should like to get home to my family soon if you didn’t notice the time.” With someone else it would have sounded like a scolding, but Mr. Drake had known Emma and her sisters since they were babies so he seemed more like an uncle than anything else.
“Still, it was completely thoughtless of me.” Emma scooped up the books and hurried with them to the desk. Her ankle was still sore from turning it the day before and her mind flashed back to the handsome man who had caught her. Her cheeks flushed before she could brush him from her mind, and she limped up to the desk as she did her best to forget him.
“Are you all right, Miss Emma? You seem to be favoring that leg.” Mr. Drake took the books from her and set them on a smaller desk to return to their shelves.
“I am,” she sighed, setting down the final book, a thick and heavy text wrapped in leather. “I accidentally kicked a table in the dark and it’s been sore ever since.”
“How unfortunate. I hope
it will be healed before the Opening Ball. You and your sisters so look forward to it.” He pointed at the book Emma had set aside. “What about that one?”
“I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t want to stop.” Emma traced the stamping on the cover with a finger. “There was a great deal of information that I’d never heard before. I’m sure it will be of help to me in the future.” She looked up and saw something much like sympathy pass over Mr. Drake’s face for a moment. “Is something the matter?”
“No, Miss Emma. My only concern is for your leg.”
“Thank you, but there’s no need.” Glancing once more at the book, Emma smiled. “May I borrow this book? You’re correct that the Season is about to begin, so I won’t be here as often as I would like. If it’s not too much of an imposition, I’d like to take it to read.”
“I see.” Mr. Drake looked as if he might say no, and Emma held her breath. “Well, not many people come to read these old textbooks. In fact, you’re the only one I can think of that wanted to borrow it in the last six months or more.” He sighed. “Go ahead and take it. Just be careful not to lose it. It is a reference book and I’d hate to need you to pay for it.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Drake. I’ll take good care of it.” Emma picked up the book and held it to her chest. “I shan’t let anything happen to it.”
“Of that I have no doubt.” The librarian walked outside with her to where her carriage driver was half-asleep against the one of the wheels. “Sir! Wake up!”
“What?” The driver stood up straight, startled awake by Mr. Drake’s words. “Begging your pardon, Miss Sellars! Are you ready to return home?”
“Yes, I am. Thank you.” She turned to the librarian. “Thank you for everything. Please be sure and come to our house sometime for dinner. I shall make sure the cook sets out a wonderful meal just for you.” The driver opened the carriage door for her and Emma held up her skirts so any of the mud and dirt that had survived her mother’s cleaning tirade didn’t get on her dress. “Goodbye,” Emma said, waving at the librarian from the window. “I shall be seeing you again soon!” He waved at her in response while the driver got up onto the bench and snapped the reins. The carriage moved forward and Emma settled back into the seat for the trip.