Mrs. Hawthorne, face more red than could be healthy, did not think to query her daughter’s bold statement. “Oh, that is good news, because my dears, I am dead on my feet from this heat.”
It wasn’t that hot outside, and he exchanged a worried glance with Miss Hawthorne. Thankfully, the walk to the Hawthorne residence was a short one, and Mrs. Hawthorne disappeared inside almost as soon as he urged her to go.
Miss Hawthorne, however, lingered by the gate, eyes full of worry.
“Is your mother unwell?”
“Oh, Mama is fine. These spells come and go. Nothing to worry about, and I must thank you again for escorting us home today.”
“And yet you are still frowning.”
“I’m a little troubled.” She looked at him a long moment, her expression assessing, before she spoke. “I realized today that you are a gentleman of such retiring habits that you may have become muddied about your appeal to the fairer sex.”
Usually, Miss Hawthorne’s sole concern when speaking to him was the appeal of other men, and how she might win them over. He stepped back from her quickly. “I do hope you have not now set your sights on me for a husband.”
“I would never dare!” But then she sighed. “But I must warn you that poor Mrs. Beck is no grieving widow. She’s said to be a Merry Widow. You know what that means, don’t you? I overheard Mama and her friend Mrs. Clay talking about her yesterday. I think Mrs. Beck came to the wake with the express purpose of meeting you—our most eligible bachelor. Did you not think it odd that she was introduced to you first, sir, and did not approach Mrs. Grieves?”
He shook his head, astonished by such ridiculous speculation. “Mrs. Beck felt the heat today, too, and perhaps became distracted by my suggestion that she get some air. I’m certain she did not mean to give offense to Mrs. Grieves.”
“She means to have you, I think.” Miss Hawthorne raised one haughty brow. “I trust I do not need to spell that out for you, too.”
“No, you do not,” he said quite indignantly. “Where do you get these ridiculous notions?”
“Oh, do settle your feathers, Mr. Whitfield, and don’t look at me as if I’m making this up. I know what I know and see. Mrs. Beck is a woman bent on seducing you.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, finding little to amuse him in the conversation. Natalia Hawthorne was turning into a managing sort of female. Just like her mother. “My private life is really none of your concern,” he said firmly, hoping to end the discussion.
Miss Hawthorne straightened, eyes wide. “You are my friend’s very good friend. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Of what? I have done nothing.” There was no reason Gideon had to live a chaste life, but he had chosen the path of bachelorhood years ago without regret. Natalia Hawthorne had no right to question his intentions if he did not. “And if I ever did something as you suggest I’m considering, it will be my own business entirely.”
Miss Hawthorne frowned severely. “Lady Jessica will not like this situation when she learns of it. It’s her birthday.”
Lady Jessica Westfall would be married to a peer by now, or very soon would be, and he would be content to know she’d be celebrating in fine company. “What happens in my personal life could hardly be of interest to the duke’s daughter.”
Chapter 2
April 16th, 1819
Stapleton Manor
* * *
“I can assure you, Lord James and I will never make a match,” Jessica insisted as she finished unpacking her possession onto her dressing table at Stapleton Manor and then glanced around. “He’s set to marry Lady Hannah Alexander within a fortnight, I’m sure.”
Jessica’s companion, Natalia Hawthorne, collapsed on the settee. “But I was so certain he’d offer for you. He was so attentive when he visited the estate at Christmas.”
“Lord James found someone else to pay his addresses to very quickly it seems. Lady Hannah Alexander is very popular within the ton, especially with bachelors known to want a beautiful wife. She never lacked for a dance partner and is often surrounded by half a dozen gentlemen whenever not. Her season was bound to end in a marriage. I hardly saw him.” Jessica shrugged. “Men are truly puzzling creatures. Saying one thing but then behaving another.”
“They often do that,” Natalia agreed.
“I thought we might at least have become friends once.” However, once within the arms of the ton, Lord James had all but ignored her existence. “I shouldn’t grumble that Lord James singled her out when I never really wanted him around. I’m actually impressed he chose with his heart rather than his purse, because he’s in rather desperate need of funds to repair the tattered estate he’s to inherit soon and her dowry was quite small.”
“But I was sure he’d choose you.”
“So was my family, but it seemed we were all wrong in the end. He liked her more.” Jessica was glad for Lord James. The last thing she wanted to do was marry a fortune hunter. The last three month’s in Town had wiped away her amusement with the polite world. She had seen and heard much in London that troubled her but she was, she supposed, at last seeing the world as it really was and not the fantasy everyone had told her to expect.
Natalia picked up a silk pillow and plumped it on her lap. “So you are back home for now, but how soon before you leave again?”