A Most Unlikely Betrothal by Alice Kirks
Chapter 2
A morning and a walk
It was cool in the room, and Marlena sat up, blinking and still sleepy. She slipped out of bed, seeing that her maid Henriette had left one window ajar. She was grateful for the cool breeze, and she went to it, looking through the curtain at the scene below.
Her mind drifted back to the ball as she rubbed her eyes wearily. She had returned home after midnight, tired and half-asleep. She had surprised herself by enjoying the ball, and her mind drifted to thoughts of a particular gentleman she’d met.
“Stop being silly,” she told herself firmly. He was a foppish Londoner with a rude manner, and she was not going to think of him. She stared down at the street, watching the traffic.
Marlena had never been overly fond of London, but it was oddly diverting after spending a year in the countryside. She watched people walking and coaches trying to get around a cart that had tried to turn in the road. She grinned to herself as a constable came over to observe. He wasn’t winning favours from the carter or the gentlefolk, she thought with amusement. She could almost hear them shouting at him.
She went to the pitcher of water on the nightstand and rinsed her face, smiling to herself. She recalled that same reined-in fury from the previous evening.
That gentleman she’d met at Almack’s yesterday night – he’d been as angry when she’d lost him in the crowd! She laughed.
“It served him right,” she said to herself.
He struck her as arrogant, and she reckoned he’d needed the punishment that being hounded all evening would be. At the same time, though, she had seen something in those dark eyes she’d liked. For a moment, she’d seen genuine eagerness and a keen mind. He had been able to joke and to bear her prank admirably, and she had to appreciate this.
She went to the wall to the bell to summon Henriette, feeling chilly and needing to get dressed and take a meal. She had gone to bed so late last night, and she felt weary still – some tea and toast would certainly be welcomed.
“Morning, My Lady,” Henriette greeted her, wearing in a dark dress, her dark hair neatly drawn back from her lively, pretty face.
“Morning, Henriette,” Marlena replied. “I’d like to dress for breakfast. Something simple, I think. I don’t think Charles plans for us to see anyone or go out this morning.” She glanced at the window again, tiredly. A nice day at home would be just what she needed.
“Very good. The green?”
“The one with the little patterns? Yes. I think that will do well.”
Marlena liked plainer dresses and wasn’t usually fussy about what she wore, but in its own way, it was a pleasure to be able to wear white and other colours than black, grey, and navy blue.
It had been a year since James’ passing, and she felt good to be wearing ordinary clothes. Her mind had barely begun to comprehend it. She still could barely think of James – it was too painful. But she had finally convinced Papa to let her and the family return to London.
She had to do everything she could to discover what had happened.
“Will you go to the park, do you think?” Henriette asked. She was busy taking shoes and other things out of the wardrobe.
Marlena tilted her head. “I’m not sure,” she said. “We might do. Charles likes being outside.”
“I’m sure.” Henriette nodded. She hated the city, missing her green leafy Kentish countryside. Marlena knew that. Henriette had been raised in a village that was far even from her own manor home, Halford Park. She missed the countryside, so she imagined Henriette would miss it even more sorely.
“Well, if we go to the park, I shall need you to come along,” she said, thinking of Henriette and how tedious it must be for her to be stuck in the house almost the whole day. “Charles is grand company, but he always ends up in a crowd of military types, and then I need someone else to accompany me anywhere.”
She grinned to herself. She would have been talking to Charles yesterday night, except that he ended up talking to his friends from the army, and she’d wondered off. She frowned to herself. She would never have met the annoying but handsome man had she stayed talking to her brother.
It surprised her that she thought of him as handsome. She blushed but was interrupted from her reverie by Henriette, who was clearly pleased by the prospect of going to the park.
“My Lady! It’d be grand to go to the park. I can’t wait.”
Marlena smiled. “Well, then, we shall certainly go, whether Charles wishes to attend or not.”
Henriette grinned. She was a firm friend – she had worked for the family since Marlena was sixteen, just over three years. Marlena was very fond of her and, even if Henriette had a rather quieter nature than her own, she also had uncompromising strength. She always supported Marlena, whether her behaviour was unconventional or not, and she encouraged Marlena in her desire to find out the truth about her brother’s passing.
“I think I’d like my hair arranged simply today if you please,” she said to Henriette. She was sitting before the looking glass, and Henriette brushed Marlena’s long brown hair, rolling it into a neat bun and tucking some pins into it to hold it in place. Marlena surveyed her appearance. She couldn’t help thinking about the man from Almack’s ballroom.
He had looked at her with such admiration as if she were beautiful.
She blushed. Strangely, that was a new experience for her. She’d had her debut two years ago when she was seventeen but had never really noticed if the men at Almack’s looked at her admiringly or not. She had been too busy taking note of their characters – whether or not she could converse with them, whether or not they struck her as nice people. She didn’t dance much, and she had privately concluded she must be plain-looking.
Until yesterday, when that man looked at her like that.
She blushed pink. She shouldn’t be thinking like this about him! He was a stranger, and she didn’t even know his name. Why was it that he kept on returning to her head?
“That looks nice, thank you,” she said to Henriette, glancing at her hairstyle. It was a plain bun; her brown hair pulled back from her face. She had never noticed that she had a nice forehead before or that her eyes were wide and striking blue.
She blushed again, thinking that she really must stop thinking about this man and that it shouldn’t make her feel so much prettier just because someone else paid her interest. He had stared at her, and she couldn’t help admitting she’d liked it.
Henriette shrugged. “Well, then. I reckon you’re ready to go down to breakfast.”
“Thank you,” Marlena said. She looked down at herself, her body clad in the white gown decorated with green sprigs. She could feel the cool muslin against her legs, and she thought the dress suited her – the green colour brought out the blue of her eyes.
She waved to Henriette and went swiftly down the hallway to the breakfast room.
Her feet, quiet on the wooden floors, she glanced at the white walls, lit with lamps, though the day was not particularly dark. She went down towards where she could smell the scent of tea and kedgeree, thinking that she had already become accustomed to the house though they had been in London only three days.
“Morning, Charles,” she greeted her brother, sitting at the breakfast table, the Gazette propped up on his knee. He looked over, smilingly.
“Good morning, sister,” he said. His handsome face was calm, gaze level. He seemed as though he’d slept soundly eight hours. “I trust you enjoyed last night.”
Marlena grinned. She nodded. “It was not bad,” she said.
“Not too bad?” Her brother chuckled. “My dear Marlena! You sound as though you have been stuck in coach traffic and enjoyed it more.”
Marlena made a face. “The analogy isn’t far wrong, brother. But yes, it was truly not bad … the music was good; there were friendly people to talk with, and I got away with not having to dance more than twice. I think it was a successful ball.”
Charles laughed. “Marlena, dear … I do wish you would enjoy balls more.”
Marlena looked at her breakfast. She had been helping herself to a slice of toast with marmalade. She focused on that rather than on what Charles said. She knew he wished for her to enjoy balls so that she would meet people her own age – particularly young lords and gentlemen who might seek permission for courting her.
Charles was a good self-appointed guardian.
“I wish I could enjoy balls, too,” she commented. Her former cheerful humour returned, and she felt one eyebrow rise. “It would make it a lot easier to attend as many of the things as I must.”
Charles chuckled. “Sister, you are right. I apologise. Maybe a salon will be more tolerable for you. I believe we are attending tomorrow afternoon?”
“Yes. I almost forgot,” Marlena agreed. “At three of the clock, is that correct?”
“Absolutely.” Charles nodded. “I’m sorry I will be out most of the day, but I’ll be back in plenty of time to escort you. Should you wish to go elsewhere, you’ll need Henriette as your chaperone.”
“Yes, brother,” Marlena agreed.
They sat quietly, and Marlena bit into her toast, thick with marmalade. She tasted the rich, sweet flavour and thought about her plans for the day. She would certainly be going to the park. She found her thoughts wandering to the gentleman she’d met the previous evening and felt a smile lift the corner of her mouth. She hastily schooled her face to neutral, in case Charles should notice.
She had a sense that he would not approve of the young fellow.
She had to admit, as far as character went, she wasn’t certain of her opinion, either. She didn’t like his arrogance – she wasn’t even sure what it was he did that made her think he was arrogant. It was just something about his attitude that had struck her as the kind of brittle coldness that hid insecurities.
“Marlena, sister?” Charles asked, making her jump. “Sorry. I just wanted to ask if you will be going out today? I have a busy afternoon planned. Mr Marwell is going to be here to discuss the accounts. I know, I hate it, too … but I need to be there. Papa asked if I would sit with him today. It’s easier for him – and for me – if I take over the accounts.”
“I understand,” Marlena agreed. She didn’t want to think about her papa and his health – he had a bad incident with his health a few years ago, and the recent shock had affected him. She knew Charles was here in London mainly because their parents needed him.
“So, will you stay here today?” he asked. “I’m sure there are plenty of diversions in London that even you might like to attend instead.”
She chuckled. “I’m not that fussy, am I?” she asked. “Well, mayhap. And yes, I had thought perhaps Henriette might accompany me to Hyde Park. We would both benefit from taking the air.”
“Of course, my dear sister,” Charles said. He leaned back in his chair, smiling fondly. “And should you need anything, I’ll be up in the drawing room. It’s going to be a tedious morning.”
She smiled. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said. “I can only imagine how tedious it must be.”
He chuckled. “Trust me … it’s not too bad. I just sit back and imagine the sea. It’s ever so restful.”
Marlena was still laughing about that when the butler arrived to summon Charles downstairs to meet Mr Marwell. She leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling, feeling strangely excited about the trip outdoors.
She went upstairs to change and to fetch Henriette – they might as well go out now since Charles would clearly be busy all morning, and she might have a chance of seeing him when he came out of the meeting.
“Henriette?” she called at the door. She thought she might be in there cleaning.
“My Lady?”
“I wanted to get dressed to go out,” Marlena explained to her maid, who was tidying her dressing table. “The accountant is keeping Charles busy all morning, so we could go to the park now if we so chose.”
“Hurrah!” Henriette sounded excited. “Will we be out long, My Lady?”
Marlena shrugged. “It depends on if we meet anyone in the park,” she said. “But I am sure we will return here for luncheon.”
“Grand, My Lady,” Henriette said. “Then let me help you dress. Will you be changing your outfit this morning?”
“Mayhap,” Marlena allowed, going to check her reflection. She thought the dress was suitable for a walk outdoors – a sensible day dress, one that was pretty and fashionable. She just couldn’t decide if it looked good on her.
She blushed, thinking about meeting the young man from last night. She felt her cheeks go red as she realised what a strong impression he must have made upon her.
“No, thank you, Henriette,” she said after a long moment. “I will wear this dress. If you could fetch my white bonnet? And I think my cloak is downstairs. We will need those, I reckon – it seems to be a bit of an unusually cold wind outdoors.”
“Yes, My Lady. I’ll fetch it directly. And my cloak from upstairs … I’ll be needing it.”
“Very sensible,” Marlena agreed.
Henriette went out with a grin in the direction of the stairs, and Marlena stood in her chamber, thinking about the day. She felt surprised by the fact that she hoped to meet the man from the previous night. She had come here with no thoughts like that – her only purpose in London was to find out more about James and his last week here. But now, when she thought of that man, her mood lifted, and she wanted to smile.
“That’s foolish,” she told herself, but she was still grinning as she heard Henriette’s feet come down the hallway towards the bedroom.
Whoever he was – she had no idea who he was right now – he had certainly given her much to consider, but she still didn’t really understand what he made her heart feel.