Page 3 of The Last Debutante
Daria had groaned. She loved her parents, of course she did. She was their only child, and they’d doted on her all her life. If they had one failing, it was that they did not concern themselves with the proper way things were done. They were quite content with their private life and seemed to think Daria should be just as content. “Really, Pappa, what woman is not married at my age?”
Her father had shrugged thoughtfully. “Charity Scott is not.”
Yes, well, Charity was not married because she’d borne a child out of wedlock years ago and refused to name the father. “Charity said her brother, Lord Eberlin, would give me a proper letter of introduction, and that one could put oneself at the top of society with such a letter. Charity said that all one must do is wedge her foot firmly in the door, and the rest is up to her.”
“It would seem Miss Scott is a font of knowledge about town,” her mother had mused.
Daria had looked at her mother, and then her father, who was gazing at his wife with such concern that Daria felt herself on the verge of shrieking to the heavens for someone, anyone, tolistento her. It was just as she’d said to Charity that very day: no one understood how bleak her situation was.
She’d looked at her parents, thoroughly exasperated. “All right,” she’d said firmly. “You must tell me what is the matter. Why are you both acting so strangely? And what is the letter you are holding in your lap, Mamma?”
“Your mother has received a bit of unwelcome news,” Daria’s father had said.
“Richard!”
“She’s not a child, Beth. You can’t hide it from her.”
“What has happened?” Fear began to bloom. “Is it Mamie? Has something happened to Mamie?” she demanded, referring to her grandmother.
“Yes,” her father said.
“No!”her mother cried at the same time. “No, she is very well, Daria.”
“But the letter is from her,” Daria had pressed. “And she has told you something that has distressed you.”
“I don’t want to trouble you with it—”
“For God’s sake, Beth,” Daria’s father had said. Then to Daria, “Mamie is in a bit of financial difficulty. But it’s nothing that a few pounds won’t remedy straightaway.”
Daria might have believed that was true had her mother not bitten her lip to keep from speaking. “I don’t understand. She’s needed money before and it hasn’t distressed you like this.”
“This time it is quite a large sum,” her mother had explained. “Your father must travel to Scotland. We cannot possibly entrust that sum to anyone else.”
“Honestly, I don’t see why she doesn’t come home,” Daria had complained. “She went to care for her sister, and her sister has been gone for two years. There is nothing to keep her there.”
“She is not ready to return to England,” her mother said quickly. “Really, love, this is nothing over which you should concern yourself. Your father will go to her and that is that.”
“It’s decided, then, is it? I’m to have no say in it?” her father had responded. “Beth, darling... I can’t imagine making the journey without you. What if—”
“Someone should be here with Daria,” her mother had firmly interrupted.
“Oh please, no, Mamma. The summer will be tedious enough without having to graft orchids for the two of you.I’llgo,” she had said suddenly.
It had seemed such a brilliant idea, the perfect solution to her doldrums—a summer in Scotland, away from Hadley Green and all her happy friends with their beautiful babies.
But her mother said instantly, “That’s absurd.”
Those two words had sealed Daria’s determination. What was absurd was to continue on as she had been. “Why?” she’d demanded. “I am perfectly capable of carrying a bit of money, and I’ve missed Mamie terribly. She’s not been home in ages.”
“To begin, you cannot travel all that way without your parents or a chaperone. What would people think?”
Better they think she’d at least found some adventure than that she was well on her way to being the Hadley Green Spinster. “I can find a proper companion.”
Her father had chuckled. “Forgive me, Daria, but your mother is quite right in this. You will stay here at Hadley Green and amuse your mother with your company while I go.”
Even now, seated on her trunk in the middle of a Scottish forest, Daria shook her head. Her parents had never understood how determined she could be. That evening she had told Griswold to bring the carriage around, and off she’d gone to Tiber Park. She’d banged the brass knocker three times, marched into midst of the Scott family, and with frustration still heating her blood, she’d said, “Charity, will you accompany me to Scotland?”
Much to Daria’s great surprise, Charity had looked at her brother and shrugged. “Why not? Scotland is the thing now, is it not? I’ve been at Tiber Park too long, and I think it might be nice to see a change of scenery.”
