Page 30 of A Dash of Scot
Poppy shrugged, not wanting to discuss it, still feeling the pain of it all so deeply inside, like a festering wound that would not heal.
“Don’t shrug, dear. It’s not good for your posture.” Mama tapped her shoulders.
Poppy managed to roll her eyes without her mother seeing. “Nothing he can say will change the facts. Nor our departure. He offered to speak to Mary on our behalf to convince her otherwise, but we all know how that would turn out.”
“I meant about the engagement. Is it true?” Anise’s eyes locked on hers, and Poppy couldn’t look away.
“It is true. He claims to have been young and impulsive and that he had no intention of following through on his proposal, and yet here the lady comes from abroad to walk down the aisle. Everyone seemed to know about it but me.” Poppy groaned. “I’m such a fool. I should have forgotten about him the moment he left London last year.”
“Shame he can’t break it off.” Anise pursed her lips. “The folly of youth should not have to be paid for. Unless, of course, it’s a crime. And I think a youthful proposal is not a crime. And how unfair that it is you being punished for it.”
Poppy sighed and shrugged, which got her another tap on the shoulders by her mother. “He won’t back out of the proposal as that would be dishonorable, even if his heart is not in it. Dougal is honorable.” To a degree.
“To a fault,” Anise muttered and shook her head. “He would give up on what you two had for some ancient person in his life?”
“It appears so.” Mama stroked a finger over Poppy’s arm.
If he were truly an honorable man, he wouldn’t have flirted with her—kissed her—when he was already engaged to someone else. Perhaps this forced move was a blessing in disguise. Dougal had broken her heart, but if their relationship had progressed any further, she would have been crushed body and soul to find out that he’d committed himself to another.
Even thinking about it made her lightheaded.
And all of a sudden, escaping to the Highlands felt like the most perfect thing they should do. To get away from the humiliation of thinking herself in love with a man already claimed by another. For escaping a sister-in-law who hated her, and a brother who was indifferent.
“We shall find you both husbands in the Highlands. And for you, Poppy dear, one who is not already engaged,” her mother said matter-of-factly. Poppy ignored that her mother implied she’d tried to marry a man already spoken for, for she knew that wasn’t what her mother meant. “There are plenty of men in the north—and what they lack, I’m certain my friends will bring around when they visit. I do recall the quaint village there. It’s a nice ride or walk from the house. They’ve even got a milliner on their main street.”
“A milliner? Oh, how posh,” Anise teased with a little laugh.
Poppy drew in a deep breath and grasped her mother’s hands, gaze imploring. “Mama, might we ask that the carriage be prepared earlier so we might leave now? I don’t want to be here anymore. And I certainly don’t want to see Edward or Mary at the dining table at luncheon.”
Anise made a disgusted sound. “The very idea of facing them makes me lose my appetite. I’d rather we get started on our adventure.”
“Of course. I’d prefer it as well. I’ll have the maids rush to finish up the packing. Seems they are nearly done.” She fingered the few dresses left in the closet that needed to be wrapped in tissue.
“Nearly, and I’ve got a mind to help.” Poppy turned around and plucked the other gowns left hanging and took them out to the room onto the bed. “Might as well move this along.”
Anise followed suit by taking up the few other personal items they had left about the room and tucking them into a trunk while Mama went off to ask about getting a packed meal.
“Things will be better,” Anise said, nodding as if she needed to affirm this for herself as she closed the lid of the trunk and clicked the lock in place.
“Yes. They must be. Anything is better than what we’ve had to endure here.” Poppy hoped they would all find healing in the fresh air because, right now, it felt as if she had an elephant sitting on her chest. “And we’ll begin anew.”
Anise nodded, moving toward the window to look outside. “The country will be restorative.”
“Until winter.”
She laughed. “Let’s not contemplate snow and ice and misery yet, especially not when the sun is shining today. Besides, sometimes winter can be beautiful too.”
“I’ll remind you of that when you’re shivering before the fire and unable to go for your walks for days at a time.”
“I’ll probably need the reminder, though right now, the idea of being surrounded by a blanket of white with a hot cup of tea does sound romantic and heavenly.”
“Until Mama asks you to get more wood for the fire.”
“More wood? Why would I do that?” Anise asked.
“We’re not likely to have many servants,” Poppy mused. “We’ve got the house and our tiny incomes.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Do you remember what the dower house looks like?” Anise wrinkled her nose, a finger pressed to her chin. “I admit to not having the faintest idea.”
