Page 21 of A Spinster for the Rakish Duke
It was only when she walked into the apartment's crowded living room, and she saw the face of Mr. Dole that she recalled that she had left her betrothed behind. Now he sat before her, and he looked quite cross.
“I have been hearing rumors, Miss Bradford,” he told her sourly.
“Mr. Dole, I wasn’t expecting you. Have you come to assist with the investigation to find my brother? Are those the rumors to which you are referring?” Emma was well aware of the fact that he was not referring to the investigation, but she was not keen on the idea of him asserting his dominion over her during such a fragile time.
“The search for your brother, yes,” he said dryly. “The one that has you cavorting all over London unattended with not one but two men.”
“Good morning,” Mr. Herst said sunnily, walking nervously into the living room, about to inquire if anyone would like some tea or breakfast.
Mr. Dole pointed furiously, “And residing in your brother’s home with one?!” His voice raised to a fevered hiss of anger.
“Goodbye,” Mr. Herst said just as quickly and slipped right back out the door which he had just come through.
“I understand that it may not be the most appropriate thing, Mr. Dole, but I am urgently trying to find my missing brother, so decorum was not on the forefront of my mind.”
“Well, that may be all well and good, Miss Bradford, but even as you worry and fret over your brother, who is a grown man and can fend for himself, you make yourself and our union look to be a joke.” He was practically foaming at the mouth with anger now.
“Tell me, Mr. Dole, did you know I was headed to London before you heard the rumors?” Emma asked, a thought striking her and taking a firm priority in her mind.
Mr. Dole looked confused but then nodded. “Yes, your Aunt informed me of the reason for your sudden absence.”
“And then you came later when you heard the rumors?” Emma asked, her own anger bubbled just beneath the surface.
“Yes, of course. Listen, Miss Bradford, I know I am coming across as rather cross, but you have to understand it's both of our good names I am concerned with and not just my own,” he explained.
Emma held up a hand. “Why is it, Mr. Dole, that you did not come to help me search for my missing brother?”
Mr. Dole opened his mouth, ready to retort to anything she had to say, but he was not expecting an accusation to be levieddirectly at him. As a result, his mouth opened and closed several times, but no words issued forth.
“Mr. Dole, did you not think that locating the brother of your betrothed was a worthwhile endeavor? Not only did you not come to assist me, but you also did not seem to share this sentiment when it came to lecturing me about my behavior.” Her voice was tight, and her tongue sharp. She had found Mr. Dole’s opinions on some matter thus far grating but above reproach. Now she was ready to let him know just how unlikeable she found him.
Mr. Dole continued to balk for a moment. “Miss Bradford, you have to understand that I am a busy man and certain priorities…” he tried to explain.
“I believe I have a foundational grasp of your priorities, Mr. Dole. The more I learn of them, and the more I believe that they do not align with my own which in itself is no large matter as I am a rather disagreeable person. Unfortunately, I do find this to be a rather large concern considering our betrothal, a circumstance I am beginning to see as more and more inappropriate as time goes by.” As the words left her lips, she felt a great burden lift from her chest for the first time in weeks, her eyes almost tearing up from the sheer relief of it.
“Well now, Miss Bradford,” he said, his voice and face filling with concern. “Let's take a moment here and consider things. I simply wished to voice concern. I... I don’t think we need to do anything drastic.”
“You may not think that this requires a drastic response, Mr. Dole, but I beg you to consider what I may be thinking,” Emma’s voice was acidic, dripping with contempt for this man’s continued dismissal of her feelings.
Mr. Dole stood in place for a moment. The house was quiet, and Emma was unsure of what had happened to Mr. Herst, or if Mr. Connor was still in the house and could possibly overhear her. Part of her was mortified, embarrassed at the thought of Donovan being privileged to her private difficulties…. But part of her wanted him to hear and thought he would be proud of her.
Donovan had always been a very supportive friend when it came to her independence. He had even submitted several of her writings for publication under his name since many printers wouldn’t accept submissions from women.
“I have clearly misunderstood the severity of the situation,” Mr. Dole said, his voice full of trepidation. “I think it would wound me terribly for this betrothal to dissolve because we didn’t take the time to resolve this situation with cool heads and calm hearts.”
Emma knew that this wasn’t truly a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was a feeling that had been mulling inside her for almost the entirety of her betrothal. But the sight of that man’s wounded look gave her pause. Was she being too impulsive ending the first betrothal she ever had at the first real instance of confrontation? Was that practicing the patience and kindness her father had praised when it came to raising her siblings?
“Perhaps... perhaps I am being too hasty,” Emma said, though a hard edge still rang in her voice, evidence of the anger she couldn’t completely dissolve.
The older gentleman’s shoulders slumped in what seemed to be relief. “My dear Miss Bradford, please, I understand that... that you are dealing with a lot of painful emotions right now. I apologize for angering you. I should have been more considerate about when I chose to share my thoughts,” he told her while gently taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring pat.
Emma was suspicious of this apology but knew it at least came from a tender place, and the strong sense of pity she felt for Mr. Dole stopped her from possibly hurting him more. It was probably right to wait until she had found Benjamin before she made any drastic decisions.
“Perhaps,” he added gently, “it would be best for me to stay in London. I’m sure you could use the assistance when it comes to searching for your brother, no?”
Emma was even more suspicious that his motivations were more about keeping tabs on her than assisting, but that wasn’t where her reluctance came from. She didn’t want Mr. Dole here at the same time as Mr. Connor. Despite the stressfulness of the situation, she enjoyed her chance to be alone with Donovan, and she was sure that Mr. Dole’s presence would spoil any possible good that could come in such a dire time.
“I think, Mr. Dole, it would be best if you did not stay,” she said firmly.
