Alice gasped, horrified by her mother's words. She had never heard her speak as if the situation was so dire and Nancy glanced at her counterpart with an obvious warning in her striking blue gaze before she turned back to Alice and said, "What your mother means to say is, is it not perhaps time that you began to think of settling down and getting married?"
Alice's entire body instinctively recoiled at her words, and she struggled to hide the extent of her disgust from her face. Instead, she took another moment to take a sip of her drink before responding, "Have I not shown enough interest on the matter? Did I not entertain the suitors this year, Mama?"
She glanced over expectantly at her mother, hoping she might afford herself a little more time if she were to remind her mother of what she had done this Season, accepting the men who called upon her to offer gifts and flowers, even allowing some of them to escort her to races or allowing them the honour of a slot upon her dance card at balls.
She was far more open to the prospect than she bad been for her previous two Seasons, and yet, she was not quitethereyet.
"Well, yes, you have been quite amiable but…" Her mother began with a nod and Alice began to feel some relief until Nancy spoke up.
"Your mother tells me that you only accepted those who did not appear too serious or even those you knew your father would never be accepting of." Nancy sounded utterly horrified as though she could think of nothing better than seeing her best friend married off so that she might share in the happiness she herself had found.
Yet there is no promise that I shall find that same happiness,Alice reminded herself, remaining firm in her belief that she would never rush into a marriage for fear that she might find herself worse off than she was even now.
"I was merely testing the water," Alice admitted with a shrug. She lifted her cup to her lips only to find that she had all but drunk the contents and was forced to place it back on the saucer before placing both on the table, likely looking as awkward as she felt.
"And yet you still saw fit to frighten every one of them off?" Nancy insisted with one perfect eyebrow raised. "Was not even one of them suitable to you? After all, I have heard that there were many suitors at your door this Season."
Nancy gritted her teeth to stop from cringing. Her friend was not entirely wrong. Yet she forced a smile and said, "I was merely being myself, Nancy. How was I to know that I would frighten them away?"
"Poor Mr Walton appeared terrified that you were some kind of genius and much too smart for him when we both know that you merely use far greater words simply to intimidate," her mother announced, her lips quivering as though she was holding back laughter and when Alice looked at her mother directly the two of them began to laugh.
Alice remembered how horrified the man had been when she had asked him his opinion on biological studies and how shortly into the conversation he had made his excuses to leave.
"Then there was Mr Denworth, who you all but accused of smelling like a sewer," her mother continued, and Alice had to bite her own lip to stop from laughing.
"Can I be blamed for being honest?" Alice asked and all three began to laugh because they were all aware of just how awful Mr Denworth's personal hygiene problem was.
"I cannot say that I blame you for that one," Nancy agreed, "though your mother tells me that you almost gave Lord Renforth chest problems when you insisted upon racing him on horseback over your father's estate."
Alice scowled at her friend then, hoping to remind her that they had both always laughed and joked quietly about how Lord Renforth had been old when they were children and was still old now, yet he had never married.
She had merely offered the older gentleman the kindness of her company while keeping her own time occupied so that another more suitable man might not try to come along and put himself in front of her and her parents. The last thing she wanted was for them to fall for a man and expect her to do the same.
I shall do so only when I am ready,she insisted to herself, knowing that this conversation with her mother and best friend was truly going nowhere.
"Will you at least begin to think of your future for what remains of the Season?" Nancy asked, her face turning from humourous to stern. Alice gulped and offered her friend a firm and genuine nod.I shall think about it but that does not mean I must make any rash decisions.
It was just then that Alice appeared to be saved from her interrogation by the sound of voices coming from the hallway. A knowing look passed between the two viscountesses and Alice was instantly certain that there was more to their plan than met the eye.
"Lady Kendall, it appears that your other guests are arriving," Lady Skeffington announced, an overly happy smile upon her face that caused a shiver to run down Alice's spine.