Page 7 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
She laid the pen back on its rest and stared at the page, trying to find a better, more tactful way of expressing what she meant, but could not.With a sigh, she pulled another sheet of notepaper to her, picked up the pen again and wrote out a fair copy.
Now all she could do was wait and see what action Papa decided to take.
That had taken her over an hour, she realised when the sound of the dressing bell reached her.She folded the page but did not seal it, deciding that it was only fair that Godmama read it before she sent it off.
* * *
Dressed in her one evening gown and wearing some of her meagre collection of jewellery, Thea went downstairs with her letter.Godmama was in the drawing room alone, thumbing through a copy of what appeared to beLa Belle Assemblée.
When she saw Thea, she put the journal down and raised her eyebrows.‘My dear,whateverare you wearing?HaveI missed the intelligence that the latest fashion in London is to be as dowdy as possible?Or have you joined one of those infinitely depressing dissenting churches?’
‘Mama considered that this is a suitable evening gown for Harrogate,’ Thea said with a sigh.It was bad enough to be enveloped in a garment of dull maroon which clashed nastily with her hair, but the neckline was high enough to suit a novice nun.‘Here is my letter to Mama and Papa.I have left it unsealed so you can see what I said.’
‘Thank you.I will enclose it with my own note.’Lady Holme put it down unread, still frowning at Thea’s gown.‘Is that the only evening gown you have with you?’
‘I am afraid so,’ Thea said, sitting down on the sofa next to her.
‘Oh, dear.’Godmama glanced at the clock and sighed.‘It is too late to do anything about it now, but I am certain my woman can alter some of my gowns to fit you.As it is, I suppose it is not a bad thing,’ she added vaguely, puzzling Thea.
As she opened her mouth to ask why on earth she should think that, the door opened and Mr Forrest came in, clad in the black and white severity of evening wear.Thea felt a sudden shiver of awareness.What was it about this man?
Chapter Three
Despite a slight shininess about the cuffs, and the fact that the style was a trifle out of fashion, Hal Forrest’s evening suit was beautifully cut, Thea realised when she had caught her breath again.Only master London tailors could produce such elegant simplicity where any fault in the cut, fit or the wearer’s body would be ruthlessly exposed.Perhaps Mr Forrest had suffered a financial reverse.Or he might have had a lucky win at the tables, or betting on a horse the year before, and had spent the windfall on a new suit of evening clothes.
Thea did not want to be hustled into marriage, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with her eyesight, nor her appreciation of an attractive man.And Hal Forrestwasattractive, with that dark brown hair and those grey eyes and that height.He was not exactly copybook handsome—his nose had suffered a break at some point and the set of his jaw gave his face a certain unyielding quality when he was not smiling—but he moved with athletic ease and his shoulders were in absolutely no need of any padding by his tailor, nor his calves by a valet.
He bowed slightly to the ladies and Thea, once more in control of herself, inclined her head in response as he settled into one of the armchairs facing their sofa.
Just what did Mr Forrest do in life?If he was a younger son of a titled family, the options were usually the Army or the Navy, the church, the East India Company, or perhaps estate management.
But he was not wearing uniform and, if he was a clergyman, he did not wear the white collar with the two fluttering white tabs that the clergy normally did.If he was with the East India Company he would be in India or London.So, estate management for his father or an older brother, perhaps?Or he might have an independent income from an inheritance, of course, or a small estate of his own.
Thea managed to speculate while making polite and meaningless chit-chat about how pleasant the evening was now the light rain had passed over and yes, what a charming portrait that was of their godmother as a young married lady.
It smiled down at them from above the fireplace with that hint of mischief that always delighted Thea.
‘Do you make a long stay in this district, Mr Forrest?’she enquired after her godmother had made them laugh by lamenting the passing of the fashion for yards of heavy brocade and wide skirts.
‘At least a week, I hope,’ Lady Holme said firmly before he could answer.‘It is not often that I am able to enjoy the company of two of my favourite godchildren at the same time.’
‘Favourite, Godmama?’Hal Forrest said with a teasing note.‘I am sure you say that to all of us.’
‘Have you met the Johnstone twins?’Godmama queried with a speaking look.‘Hellions, the pair of them.And, not naming any names, two of the girls in my little flock are as insipid a pair as one might encounter anywhere.I favourintelligence, wit, a cheerful disposition and good taste, and in a few of you, I have it, thank goodness.’
When she mentioned good taste, Thea thought she could almost see the strain on Mr Forrest’s face as he studiously did not look in the direction of her gown.
‘Mr Forrest must be wondering at your judgement, Godmama,’ she said with a light laugh, glad of the opening to explain why she looked such a dowd.‘This is the sole evening gown in my possession at present,’ she informed him.‘It was considered suitable for Harrogate.’
‘Ah,’ he said.‘I shall make a note not to look to that town for an enlivening stay in that case.I imagine that greens and blues are more to your taste, Lady Thea.Or perhaps a more vibrant shade of red.’
‘Red?With my hair?’
‘The right shade would intensify the colour,’ he said, head tipped slightly to one side as he studied her.It should have been impertinent, but it felt detached, almost as though he was giving his opinion on the shade of a wall hanging, or a variety of rose.
‘Far be it for me to criticise a parent,’ their godmother said, doing just that, ‘but one feels that Lord and Lady Wiveton have overreacted somewhat.It is hardly as though dear Thea is unlikely to make a most satisfactory match, duke or no duke.But I am sure a letter from me and her own note of explanation will allow them to reconsider their stance.’
Thea was not so certain about that, but she was becoming desperate to think, and talk, about something else.
