Page 31 of The Wallflower's Choice
To her surprise, Lord Lymington did not immediately answer and certainly did not instantly agree. Instead, he mused for a few moments, his gaze drifting away from her as Prudence found herself waiting urgently for what judgment he might bring upon Lord Childers. For whatever reason, it seemed to matter a great deal to her what her father thought of Lord Childers, and she wondered silently if her father would urge her to stay away from Lord Childers, just as her mother had done.
“You are correct that he still has the reputation of a rogue,” Lord Lymington agreed, after a few moments. “However, I do not think that, in this situation, he is acting as one. It seems to me that Lord Childers is genuinely interested in making certain that all is well – though that might very well be because his friend is involved and he feels partly responsible, given that he was the one who made the match.”
Prudence looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers in her lap as a slow joy began to burst up from within her.
“That is good of you to say, Papa.” She dared a glance at him, praying that he could not see within her heart and know what was hidden there. “Might I ask if I ought to refrain from his company, however?”
Again, her father paused but, this time, there was a light smile on his face as he thought.
“No, I do not think so,” came the eventual reply. “If Lord Childers proves himself to be your guide in this – though I think that he does it all for the sake of his reputation – then you can continue on in his company at present. Though, if he should return to his rakish ways, I will immediately pull you from his company and nothing more will be heard of him.” A severe heaviness sank into his expression, his smile fading. “Do you understand me, Prudence?”
“I do, Papa. You are very clear on the matter, and I greatly appreciate it.” Prudence managed to smile, relieved when her father rose to his feet. He had given her a good deal to think about and now she wanted to be able to do that in silence and alone. “I thank you for sharing that with me.”
Her father walked towards her, leaned over, and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“You are a very dear daughter, Prudence,” he said softly, looking down into her face. “You need not fear the past, nor be concerned for your future. I am here to both guide and support you, as is your mother. I will not set you wrong in this, though I must also haveyourtrust so that if anything Lord Childers does or says is improper, you will step back from his company at once and inform me of it.”
Prudence looked up at her father, seeing the way that he searched her face.
“I shall, Papa,” she swore, reaching up to take his hand for a moment. “Will you tell Mama of this also?”
“I go to speak with her at this very moment,” he smiled, as Prudence released his hand. “Excuse me.”
Watching him leave, Prudence then turned her head and, after a moment, dropped it into her hands. She closed her eyestightly and dragged in air, her heart pounding in a way that she had managed to keep hidden from her father.
Lord Childers told me that he would be devoted to my betrothal, to making certain that all was well, and I was contented. But I did not think that he would ever do something like this!
“I do not knowwhat to think, I confess it.”
“Nor do I,” Prudence answered, passing one hand over her eyes. “It was the most extraordinary thing to have heard from my father. I admit, when I first heard Lord Childers speak such words, when he first told me that he would be devoted to my happiness in my upcoming betrothal, I did not know what to think. I did not fully believe him, I suppose. For why should a gentleman, such as he, care about anything to do with me?”
Miss Rockwell shook her head, her brows furrowing as she looked at Prudence.
“I do not know,” she said again, digging her spoon into the ice they had both just purchased from Gunther’s. “That is most extraordinary. Do you truly think that he will be devoted to this, as he has said?”
Prudence shrugged.
“It seems as though he might be, given what he did. My father seemed… pleased.”
Miss Rockwell’s eyebrows shot high.
“Pleased?”
“Yes,” Prudence admitted, her mouth twisting to one side for a moment. “He seemed rather taken with the fact that Lord Childers had done such a thing. I did see that Lord Kingshill wasa little overcome with liquor at the ball and… well, I was relieved when no announcement was made.”
Her friend smiled sympathetically as Prudence took a mouthful of her ice.
“I can understand that. Are you still quite certain that you wish to marry him?”
Prudence took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. She knew that she could be honest with her friend and yet, inwardly, something held her back.
“I must marry him if I am to have any hope of a satisfactory future.”
“But not a happy one? What of that?”
Taking a breath, Prudence set her shoulders and tried to speak plainly.
“My dear friend, I greatly value our friendship, but it will not last forever, will it? Not in this way, at least, for you will soon marry and go to set up home at your husband’s estate. I shall be left alone and, if I do not marry, then I will only have my mother and father for company for as many years as God grants them. What then? Must I become a spinster aunt to whatever nieces and nephews I have? What will happen when they grow, and my sister desires her own house to be filled with simply her own family? I do not say that I will be destitute, but that I shall certainly be unfulfilled and lonely. Is that any sort of future for a young lady such as myself?”
