Page 10 of A Summer Romance
Theo was out of the door in a moment.He would leave for London immediately.There was no time to waste, but first he needed to tell his mother what was happening.
“Mother?”
Mrs.Norris woke with a snort, blinking up at him from her comfortable chair on the terrace.She seemed to have aged in the past few days, and Theo felt a pang to think of the toll the situation had taken on her.
“What on earth is it, Theo?”she said irritably, searching for her glasses.“Is it Maybelle?I will not speak to her.She has insulted me beyond forgiving.”
“No, it isn’t Maybelle.I am going to London immediately.Father will explain.”
An expression of dread clouded her features.It was clear she had known a great deal more than she had let on.What was wrong with this family?Theo asked himself in frustration.Was he the only one with any sense or the desire to avert disaster?
“I am sorry I have not been able to find the funds to pay Maybelle,” he added, hoping to cheer her up, “but if she is prepared to wait I can pay her when I return.”At least he hoped that would be the case.
His mother made a face.“Well, as for that… Maybelle says she will not stay even if we do pay her.She said other things too, which I find hard to forgive.I would have thought her loyalty to me would have been more important than mere pennies.”She heaved a sigh.“It is all very distressing, and I told her so.You can take her with you, Theo, and good riddance.”
Theo wanted to refuse.Having Maybelle in the coach might be awkward, and he had enough to deal with, but Theo was used to his family taking advantage of his good nature.He sent word to the Frenchwoman’s room that he was leaving as soon as he could manage it, and if she wanted to leave with him, she must pack and be ready to go.
He went to his room and was throwing some clothing into a port manteau when Francis burst in.“You can’t take the coach!”he cried, then dropped his voice to an urgent hiss.“Theo, you can’t take the coach.”
Theo stopped and stared at him.His brother was shuffling about, looking everywhere but at Theo.“Why not?”he asked quietly.
“I… You just can’t.Ineedit.”
“Why do you need it?”
“Damn it, Theo.I need it because I am running away with Breana!”
Silence.Theo could hear the sound of a dog barking outside, but it all had the sensation of being in a dream, even though he knew this was no dream.Then he was furious.
“Youfool!Eloping with Breana Starling when we are about to lose everything?If I don’t get to London posthaste, wewilllose everything.And what do you think Will Starling will think of you running off with his sister?”
“But I love her,” Francis said sulkily, “and she loves me.”
“And what exactly were you planning to do about Miss Ingram?”
Francis shrugged as if it were obvious.“Marry her and make Breana my mistress.”
Theo groaned.“You aren’t going anywhere with Miss Starling,” he said angrily.“You are staying here and keeping an eye out in case the bailiffs arrive and try to take away what few valuable belongings we have left.And I am going to London to try to persuade our bank that we can pay our debts and make everything profitable again.Do you understand, Francis?”
His brother nodded, eyes wide, and then he swallowed.“It’s just…”
Theo sighed and closed his port manteau.“It’s just what?Spit it out.”
“Breana will be waiting for me.I said I would call for her this evening and to wait at the end of the driveway.”
Theo groaned again.Could this get any more cliched and ridiculous?And would Breana Starling really let herself be drawn into such a scandalous mess?Despite her youth and inexperience, he had thought better of her.
“I will go and see her myself,” he said.“I haven’t got time to tell you what a fool you are right now.I must go at once.”
Francis stepped aside.“Good luck!”he called as Theo hurried down the stairs and outside.
Dusk was falling.Soon it would be dark, but he needed to make as much time as possible.And now he had Breana Starling to worry about.He would have to persuade her that she was making a terrible mistake.
A voice in his head asked him why she would choose Francis, anyway.What did his brother have to offer that he didn’t?
He wouldn’t go there.Not now.He had more important things to think of than his hurt pride.
Maybelle now arrived, red faced and eager to climb aboard the coach, her eyes suspiciously teary.“Your mother,” she began, and then let loose a torrent of French that did not at all sound complimentary.
