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Though I expected to hear raised voices from the library, I did not. Neither of my parents said a word about what they discussed. Though Mother did not raise any further objection about my plans, she didn’t try to hide her displeasure about the matter.
Mr. Melbourne arrived promptly at three o’clock in a curricle. Knowing if he had to wait, it would mean forcing him to converse with Mother, I was ready with my bonnet and gloves on. As soon as I saw him through the window, I started for the door.
“Grace!” Mother said sharply from the sitting room. “It is bad enough you agreed to go with him, there is no reason for you to be overeager. I would speak to him before you leave. Come and sit down.”
“Mother, I understand you have reservations about Mr. Melbourne,” I said as gently and with as much patience as I could manage. “However, you must trust that I am doing this after much consideration. If you feel the need to question and interrogate him, it will have to be another day. I’ll be back soon.”
Boldly, I hurried to the door, hearing her give a squeak of horror. When I opened it, Mr. Melbourne was on the other side, his hand raised to ply the knocker. “Oh. Good day, Miss Anderson,” he said with his usual smile. “You’re looking lovely today. Shall we be off?”
“Yes,” I said eager to escape before Mother...
“Her father and I do expect her to return within the hour,” Mother said from behind me. Her tone was cold and disapproving. “And we will expect a detailed accounting of your time with her. There are always friends we can rely on all around Bath to keep their eyes on you.”
“How admirable as we shall be going out into the country,” Mr. Melbourne said, doffing his hat. He then offered me his arm. “I shall return your daughter to you in one piece and unharmed, I promise. Good day, Mrs. Anderson.”
“Goodbye, Mother,” I said, linking my arm with his. I stepped out and firmly closed the door behind me. Well, that had been my intention but Mother caught the door to hold it open. “Really. There’s no need to see us off.”
Mother pressed her lips into a thin line and said nothing. Mr. Melbourne guided me to the curricle. “If I didn’t know better, I would say your mother has taken me in dislike,” he said in a low voice as he handed me up.
“I’m afraid my mother has a long memory and remembers an unfortunate incident from your youth,” I said with a sigh. I waited until he was seated beside me before I added, “She seems to think it as evidence that you are unreliable.”
“Well, I shall make it my mission to prove my worth,” he declared. He took up the reins. “Does she not realize that it has been five years’ time since I was a wayward youth? Sinclair took me in hand, you know. I doubt I would be the man I am now if he hadn’t taken pity on me and kept me from falling in with men like Ingram.”
I smiled. “Jonathan was good at taking people in hand,” I commented. There was no rush of grief at the memory, only sad fondness.
“I was told you have been in mourning since he passed.”
“That is so. His death was such a shock,” was my response. I paused, watching the houses go by. “But just because he is gone, does not mean I stopped loving him. I have not met his equal.”
Which was not quite the thing to say to someone taking me on a drive.
“Nor have I,” Mr. Melbourne said sombrely. After a moment, he sent a smile at me. “But today is too fine a day to remain on such a serious conversation. I only have you to myself for a short time, and I am determined to make sure you enjoy yourself.”
We had reached the edge of Bath and soon left behind all buildings. I smiled and tilted my head back as the sun hit my face. “There,” Mr. Melbourne said with a laugh. “That is the smile I have been hoping to see.”
“What do you mean? I smile.”
“Not often enough. Half the time I see you, you have a frown and you look so serious.”
The comment hurt because of how true it was. No wonder I was developing lines and wrinkles on my face. “I’m sorry,” I said because I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“No need to apologize. I know your mother has been trying to force you into any marriage she can arrange and that cannot be an easy position to be in.”
Of all the things I thought he would say, that would not have even entered my mind. I knew my mother’s actions were obvious, but I didn’t think it was that well known. How embarrassing! My mother has made me an object of mockery in Bath. “If you were hoping to make me smile again, I don’t think this is the way to go about it.”
Mr. Melbourne glanced over. “I suppose not. My apologies. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I don’t know much about your family,” I said to shift the conversation. “You have no siblings?”
“No, I don’t,” Mr. Melbourne said, shaking his head. “I do have a neighbour who is like a sister to me. Elizabeth will be sixteen next month and all she ever talks about is when she will have her debut. She has described the gowns she will have in great detail and all the dances she will dance every night. It’s positively exhausting.”
I couldn’t keep back a laugh. “At sixteen? Are her parents planning to take her to London soon?”
“She has been doing her best to convince her parents, but they are insisting there is time enough for that,” Mr. Melbourne glanced over again. “It is a constant trial to her, as she makes sure to tell me every chance she gets.”
“She sounds delightful.”
“She is a minx, but I am rather fond of her. What about you? You have several siblings, do you not?”
“Four sisters and a brother. All are happily married with children. We are a lively bunch when we are all together.”
There was a pause and then Mr. Melbourne asked, “How do they feel about your mother’s campaign to marry you to anybody except me? I seem to have made it to a very short list of gentlemen who are not eligible.”
I admired that he was able to joke about the situation since I didn’t find it very amusing. “I won’t tell you the one other name on that list because then you will be offended. I would be,” I said teasingly. “And I’m not sure how aware my siblings are of my mother’s new mission in life. I’m sure my sisters would be sending their own suggestions if they did know.”
“Now you have me worried. I shan’t rest easy until I know who else is unworthy of you.”
“My brother, I think, doesn’t have an opinion on the matter,” I said, ignoring him. “Mother assures me he will have one if I remain a spinster and become dependent on him for a roof over my head.”
Too serious. Mr. Melbourne didn’t need to know that. “But,” I said quickly with a smile, “this is hardly the kind of conversation you expected to have on a beautiful day like this.”
“I am content to talk about any topic with you,” Mr. Melbourne said in that sincere way he had. “I’m afraid I do not have a high opinion of your mother at the moment. She has no right to force you to do something you do not wish to do. I understand why you have been so hostile to me in the past. I think I would have done the same in your shoes.”
The thought of this tall man in a pair of my dancing slippers made me laugh. “What?” he asked in confusion. “I meant what I said. If I have made you think I am less than sincere—”
“No, I just have this image in my head of you in my pink slippers,” I said quickly. “I’m afraid they would not survive the experience.”
He let out a laugh. “I believe that would be true. I doubt my feet would even fit.”
“Perhaps we can talk about something that doesn’t—in some way—connect to my mother,” I suggested. Though I had no idea what topic that would be.
“Have you always had a passion for the pianoforte?”
“I can honestly say I was vehemently against the idea when I was a child. My mother had to force me to practice,” I admitted. Mr. Melbourne flinched and opened his mouth. Quickly, I hurried to say, “I was about twelve when I realized I enjoyed the music coming from my fingertips. I’ve often wished I could learn other instruments.”
He shook his head. “Such as?”
“The harp has been on my mind lately.”
“The harp? Why is that?”
“Oh, I forgot you haven’t heard Miss Forrester play her harp. It has such an angelic sound,” I sighed longingly. “It reminds me of poetry. But, of course, it would require me to take lessons from a master, and that just wouldn’t happen.”
“Perhaps in the future.”
Any future I foresaw involved looking after children, either my own or my brother’s. What time would I have to study a new instrument? My friend Jane had stopped playing when she married. Still, I forced a smile and said nothing.
Instead, we spoke about the charms of the countryside. The grass waving in the wind. The flowers that added a splash of colour to the pastures and fields.
“I’m afraid I ought to turn back now if I am to return you to your mother,” Mr. Melbourne finally said with a sigh. “I’d hoped we would get further into the country.”
“Perhaps next time,” I found myself saying.
He slanted a glance at me. “You would welcome another drive?”
“I would,” I answered. I had enjoyed myself in his company far more than I thought I would. Far more than I had enjoyed any other gentleman’s company in the last five years. “You are the first to ask me, and I find I enjoy seeing something other than buildings and shops.”
You would have thought I had just praised him to the sky with how wide his smile became and his chest puffed up. “I’ve heard talk of arranging a picnic soon. Would that also be to your taste?”
“Should I be invited, I would be delighted to go on a picnic.”
In fact, if there was no one with specific plans for such an outing, I just might have to make my own.
Goodness, I was becoming shockingly headstrong!