Chapter 21
“Would you care to dance, Emma?” Cecil held out his hand.
Emma took it. “Of course.”
Once on the dance floor, Cecil said in a low voice, “I haven’t been able to get you alone all evening. Have you heard back from Louisa?”
Emma shook her head. “No, but I plan to give it another day or two. I still think she’ll be back in London by the end of the month.”
Cecil whispered, “I hope so. If she doesn’t come back, I’m going to have to shoot Percy. He’s driving me mad.”
“He’s driving all of us mad. Cecil, I may have made it seem like the Nora thing was a little more serious than it is. You need to back me up on it when she comes back to London. I don’t want her to think I made it up.”
Cecil laughed. “Well, you kind of did. But I’ll talk to Kent, and he can talk to Gertie. I still think it was a brilliant way to get her back here.”
*****
Three days later, the trunks were sent in one carriage, Frederick, Amelia, and Louisa were in another carriage, and the lady’s maids and a valet were in a third carriage.
Frederick had been enjoying spending time on the estate. It was more relaxing than in town where he had visitors during the day and social obligations in the evening. The only thing he missed about London was Hobart.
He suspected they wouldn’t be in town long. The season was almost over, and no one stayed in the city during the summer months. It all depended on the wedding. Where and when. Frederick hoped they wouldn’t drag it out too long or have a long guest list. Then again, he would do anything his girl wanted. It was her wedding.
“Father, I cannot contact Percy. You must. You, Uncle Hobart, and he met at the warehouse a lot before we left London. Perhaps you could call another meeting?”
Frederick smiled. “Louisa, why don’t I send a card letting him know we are back, and he’s invited to tea?”
“Because he might refuse that, but he won’t refuse meeting you and Uncle Hobart.”
Frederick looked out the window. “I’ll take care of how to handle it. I’ll do it my way. Don’t worry; he’ll know you’re home, and you would like to see him.”
Louisa leaned back against the coach wall. She closed her eyes and tried to picture her and Percy together in the same room.
She leaned forward. “Mother, as soon as we are home, you will send word that you need the ton’s social schedule?”
“Of course, Louisa. I was planning to pay a call to Beatrice. She will have all that information.”
Louisa leaned back and closed her eyes. Her mind was racing. She needed to send a note to Emma to come for tea. She needed more details Emma couldn’t fit into a letter.
*****
Dear Percy,
I have brought my wife and daughter back to London. Please accept an invitation to dinner tomorrow evening at the club. My wife and daughter are not privy to this request so I ask for your discretion. Would 7 o’clock in one of the private rooms fit your schedule?
Please send word.
Frederick Haddington, Duke of Rutland
“There you are, Percy. Happy you could make it,” Frederick said as he slapped Percy on the back.
Percy smiled and followed the maître d’ and Frederick to a private dining room.
Frederick and Percy had a drink and caught up on what was happening in London and at Haddington Hall. Percy had visited Hobart several times, but everything they were involved with before had quieted down with Louisa out of town.
Dinner came, and it didn’t slow down their genial conversation. “I enjoy your brother’s company. He is an interesting man. Fair warning: he still talks about America.”
Frederick laughed. “He will always talk about America. Don’t tell him, but I’m warming up for a trial run. I’m not quite ready yet, so if I say something to him, the ship will be leaving the harbour before I have had time to prepare myself.”
Percy laughed. “You would make him a happy man.”
Frederick nodded. “I know. And I want to be a happy man. And you Percy can help me.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. You see, my daughter has turned into a different person. Someone I hardly recognize. Gone is the fun-loving girl who made me smile. I can’t remember the last time I heard her laugh.
“She’s–”
Percy jumped in, “Frederick, I–”
Frederick put up his hand. “Now, hear me out, Percy. She misses you. Terribly. She knows she made a mistake turning down your marriage proposal, and if she had to do it over again, she’d say ‘yes.’
“I think she was overwhelmed at the time, and she wasn’t thinking straight. When we got to the estate, and she had time to clear her head, the reality of losing you sunk in.”
Percy asked, “May I speak?”
Frederick grimaced. “By all means. My apologies for cutting you off.”
Percy continued, “Quite all right. I love your daughter. You know that; Amelia knows that. Hell, Hobart knows it too. Is she of right mind now? Is she willing to accept me because she misses me every day at tea? Her friends have gentlemen who will soon ask them to marry. She has no one courting her.
“What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to be her default partner.”
Frederick nodded. “I understand your concern, and three months ago, I might have even said you were right. But not now.
“Being away from you has been the best thing to happen to her. She took you for granted. When you stopped coming over for tea every day, it gave her a lot to think about.
“She didn’t like how she felt. She concluded that she made a big mistake, something Amelia and I already knew. Tell me, Percy, how do you feel about her now? Would you give her a second chance?”
Percy was quiet for a moment. Frederick gave him all the time he needed before he spoke.
“I was hurt. It was a difficult pill to swallow. I’m still not over it. I think I’ve learned to guard my heart, and it’s not easy to get past the wall I’ve put up.
“I’m not sure how much I can let her in. I can try, but I’m afraid I will always be wary that she’ll do what she did to me before.”
Percy shook his head. “If she thinks we can pick up where we left off, she’s wrong. She might not like the new me. I can come for tea, and see how it goes, but I’m not sure it will go well.”
Frederick said, “I understand and respect how you feel. But know this, if you went to the townhouse right now and asked her to marry you, she would say yes.”
Percy rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “I don’t think I’ll ever ask her to marry me again.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yeah, that bad.”
Frederick nodded. “Would you do me the favour of joining us for tea? Just once?”
“Sure. Just once.”
*****
Frederick went straight to Hobart’s apartment. He knew that the warehouse would be shut and locked up by now. He just wanted to see his brother.
“Well, well. Look who has come to visit his poor, neglected brother,” Hobart said.
“It’s nice to know you missed me,” Frederick said.
“I did,” Hobart said, then clapped Frederick on the back.
He brought two full glasses of whisky to Hobart’s parlour where he had two couches, one table with candles, and a shelf with nothing on it.
“Aren’t you going to say it, Frederick?”
“I love what you’ve done to the place. You say it every time you come into my parlour.”
“Why, thank you,” Hobart bowed, and they both laughed.
“You look tired,” Hobart said.
“Emotionally drained. I just had dinner with Percy. I let him know Louisa has changed her mind and would marry him if he asked her. He said he wouldn’t.”
“Humph. Do you think he’ll come around?” Hobart asked.
“I don’t know. Not in the near future,” Frederick said.
“He moved heaven and earth for her.”
“I know. She didn’t ask him to. He did it all on his own.”
Hobart grimaced. “Isn’t that even more reason he would be hurt? He shouldn’t have expected anything in return, and maybe he didn’t. It’s still hard. Everyone likes to be appreciated.”
“He’s coming to tea tomorrow, but he made no commitment after that. She may never see him again when tea is over and he leaves the townhouse.”
“That’s too bad,” Hobart said in a low voice.
“Yes, it is. Tell me, what’s been happening here?”
“When you left town, things settled down fast. Barton has been pursuing other girls at the balls. Apparently, his interest level coincides with the young lady’s dowry size. Being a peer of the realm has been good for Barton. All his sins slide off his back. No one could prove he was trying to kidnap Louisa, so life goes on as usual for him.
“Xavier Abernathy is almost never seen. He doesn’t attend ton events and rarely leaves the Earl’s townhouse when in London.”
“Are Barton and Victor horse trading?”
“Yes. Barton can raise the price of a horse by as much as ten thousand. I’ve heard he’s making headway in settling that bad investment.”
“Good for him. The better he does financially, the less I worry about Louisa.”
“I wrote you that our last run was the best yet. I want a run where you and I are the only investors.”
“Done, Hobart. My investors will be so happy with this payout; they will let a ship go without complaining. Should we try my investors in America?”
“Yes,” Hobart jumped up. He settled down then poured Frederick more whisky. Frederick cooperated more when the whisky was flowing.
“You need to promise me a full hold of salable goods on the return trip. Under that condition, I’ll do it.”
Hobart laughed. “It’s always been about the return trip.”
Frederick gave Hobart a broad smile. “Yes, it has.”
*****
Emma came early for tea. She wanted to leave the townhouse before Percy came, but she wanted to see Louisa. She repeated what she wrote in her letter, downplaying what she said about Percy and Nora. If both Percy and Nora were at tonight’s ball, Emma didn’t know how much interaction they might have.
That news lifted Louisa’s spirits. If Percy wasn’t spending so much time with Nora, she had a chance.
Her father had told her at breakfast that he saw Percy. He asked him to tea, and Percy accepted. But he wasn’t hopeful that Percy would pick up where they left off. Louisa may have lost her best friend.
So, when Emma told her about Nora, Louisa grabbed the news with both hands. She tried to keep her expectations low, but she couldn’t. After all, this was Percy they were talking about. Her best friend. The person she knew above all others.
When he entered the parlour and bowed, Louisa knew right away that Percy was a different person. Before a word came out of his mouth.
He sat in his usual seat and took his tea the same way and ate the same cookies. That’s where the similarities ended.
He was cool to her. His eyes didn’t dance and sparkle. His voice was no longer animated. They shared generalities of what had happened over time since they saw each other last.
Instead of lingering and having a second cup of tea, he rose and made excuses for his early departure.
When he walked out of the parlour, Louisa looked over at Amelia. Her eyes showed how hurt she was at Percy’s cold social call.
Louisa rose, ran into the hallway and caught up with Percy just as Mendon was about to open the door.
She hurried over, “Percy?”
Mendon walked away.
Percy turned, “Yes?”
“I want to apologize to you. Every day I regret my actions towards you. It’s no way to treat the person most important in your life.”
Louisa’s eyes filled with unshed tears, “Please, please forgive me, Percy.”
Percy looked down at her; his face hadn’t softened at all. He bowed.
“You are forgiven.” He turned, opened the door, and left.
Louisa stood transfixed. The tears decided to break free and fall.