HER OLD ROOM WAS being cleaned again, which was hardly necessary, but Vanessa entered it anyway, telling the two maids working there to just ignore her. It had been a little jarring when she’d come here earlier to get her dress and she had seen that the room appeared the same as when she’d left it. But she hadn’t paused to look at everything, all the things she hadn’t taken with her the night she’d run away to be with her father. Now she did. All her dolls, which she had stopped playing with but had been too sentimental to get rid of, still sat on the mantel. Her ice skates were still at the bottom of the wardrobe. But at least all the clothes she’d left behind had been removed to make room for her new clothes. Only one of her trunks from Scotland was still there.
She didn’t notice when the maids left because being in her old bedroom was bringing back so many childhood memories. When she opened the first drawer of the bureau, she realized the twins hadn’t unpacked the last trunk because they hadn’t wanted to empty the bureau when it might contain things she wanted to keep. And she most certainly wanted to keep all the ribbons that filled the drawer. She’d picked them out one day when Kathleen had taken her and the twins shopping in Dawton town, every white ribbon in the shop for Layla, all the pinks for Emily, but Vanessa got to have one of every color.
In the next drawer she found the rack of parasols her mother had bought for each of her daughters because they couldn’t leave the house without one, along with the wide-brimmed hats with netting they’d had to wear when they were allowed to garden. Kathleen didn’t object to floral gardening, a genteel hobby, as long as her daughters were outfitted in accoutrements that would protect them from the sun. But she adamantly objected to her girls riding, being rambunctious, swimming, fishing, or doing anything that kept them out in the sun too long.
At least she’d gotten to enjoy all that and more in Scotland. And she supposed the twins’ not having had the same fun experiences hadn’t hurt them. What they didn’t know, they wouldn’t miss.
And then in another drawer she saw a few items from Scotland that the twins had unpacked, including the box in which she’d packed her father’s portrait. It wasn’t a miniature, though it wasn’t large, about the size of a dinner plate, but it was such a good likeness of him she hadn’t wanted to risk its getting damaged on the trip and had wrapped it in linen before putting it in the wooden box. Had the twins peeked when they’d unpacked for her and stuck it in a drawer? Wouldn’t they have mentioned it if they had?
She opened the box, unwrapped the portrait, and held it in her hands. And the tears fell silently as she gazed at William’s likeness. She missed him so much! With all her heart she wished he could be home, too—and he could. She’d known, deep down, that she was willing to do whatever it would take to bring her father home, even marry a man she didn’t love. And Albert Rathban himself was handing the solution to her—if it wasn’t too late. It better not be too late.
A little while later, there was a knock on the door and she was surprised to find her sisters there. They’d never knocked on each other’s doors when they’d been children, but the twins were proper ladies now, so of course they wouldn’t barge in on her as they used to do.
“So here you are,” Layla said as she took one of Vanessa’s arms.
“Weren’t you told we’re having lunch with Mother in her rooms?” Emily asked, taking her other arm.
“We’re already late, so do come along.”
They were merely dragging her across the corridor. Vanessa didn’t laugh when she realized they might have thought she had no intention of joining them. They knocked on Kathleen’s door, too. A footman opened it. Two others were in the large room as well, having brought in the first course already placed on the table that would seat four.
“I’ve sent for our seamstress,” Kathleen said as the girls took their seats.
Since she didn’t doubt the seamstress was for her, Vanessa replied, “Inspect my wardrobe, Mother, if you must. It’s perfectly—”
“More of those ridiculous pants?” Kathleen cut in.
Vanessa laughed. “No, what you would consider appropriate—and just a few pair of pants.”
“The twins said you have only two ball gowns. Hardly sufficient.”
“Why ever not? They can be worn more’n once.”
“No, Nessa,” Layla said.
“Unheard of,” Emily added.
“And not necessary,” Kathleen said. “You will be fitted for at least four more, and you can pick the colors and fabrics, if you like. The twins will guide you if you aren’t sure what is appropriate.”
Vanessa shrugged. “Do as you like.”
“No ‘thank you’?” Kathleen asked. “Have you even forgotten common courtesies?”
“Not a’tall. But I didn’t ask for more clothes, because I already have a very nice new wardrobe. It feels as if you’re forcing this on me.”
“Your father should have known that you would need more than two ball gowns. Six may not be necessary, but there is no reason you shouldn’t be prepared for more than a few balls.”
Faulting William for her supposedly inadequate wardrobe rubbed Vanessa wrong and brought out the lie, “I hadn’t even decided on having a Season, if you must know.”
Everyone gasped at that point—except Vanessa. But she regretted the lie immediately. She just couldn’t help getting contrary with her mother. How was she going to deal with Kathleen if she couldn’t shake off this defensiveness? And she was being provoked. Kathleen’s stiff hauteur, the disparagement. Was this how she was with the twins? Was she this way now because they were present? Or did she somehow think that Vanessa would “behave” with them listening to every word?
It was the twins who both said in unison, “But you must have your Season!”
“Of course she will, darlings,” Kathleen assured the girls. “Our Vanessa is merely being difficult because she didn’t prepare sufficiently for the Season, but it’s an oversight that can be easily rectified.”
Must she really? Now, when she already had a husband lined up? Before she could mention that, Kathleen asked, “Did your father at least teach you how to dance?”
Hearing yet another disparagement of William, Vanessa stood up abruptly. “This was a mistake. When you can act like a mother instead of a bloody taskmaster, perhaps we can try this again.”
“Wait,” Kathleen said quickly. “I apologize, Nessa. I’ve let my disappointment get out of hand, but it was such a surprise that William sent you home alone. I thought surely he would return with you for your Season, but I understand why he can’t.”
Well, Kathleen certainly had no trouble keeping up the lies. But she did sound sincere in the apology, making Vanessa realize she was being far too antagonistic, especially after she’d heard a new version of what happened six years ago. Both parents determined to stave off scandals? Ironic if that was so. But the trouble was, she wasn’t sure if she could believe Kathleen’s excuse. After all, she’d just heard how guilelessly her mother could lie.
But she nodded and sat back down, then amazingly, Kathleen went right back to complaining. “There’s no time to get a dancing instructor here to teach Vanessa.”
“We can teach her,” Layla quickly offered.
“You don’t know how to lead, which is what a gentleman does,” Emily pointed out, though she added, “But we’ve got two presently in residence.”
“So we do,” Kathleen agreed. “If they won’t mind.”
“We’ll ask!” the twins said in unison again.
Which brought Kathleen’s censure. “You certainly will not. Ladies are never that bold.”
“But I am,” Vanessa said, and was proud that she managed not to smirk.
“No, you will not!”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “It’s a little late for comportment lessons, Mother. I won’t embarrass you in public, but I won’t pretend to be someone I’m not in private. Besides, I know them well enough for it not to be the least bit bold to ask for something as harmless as dancing lessons.”
Kathleen actually conceded. Even the twins seemed surprised by it. But they got through the rest of the lunch without any more combat, so Vanessa waited until dessert was set before her to mention, “By the by, Mother, I agree to your arranged marriage for me.”
Layla gasped. “Arranged?”
And Emily exclaimed, “You said we could pick our husbands as long as you approved!”
“And so you shall,” Kathleen replied. “This particular match for Vanessa was merely too good to turn down when it was offered years ago. Leave us. I need to speak to your sister alone about it.”
Layla immediately stood up to depart, but Emily stayed in her seat and her expression had turned mulish. Vanessa almost laughed. This twin had definitely gained some courage over the years.
But there was no doubt that Kathleen was angry when she repeated, “I said, leave us.”
Emily instantly rose with a loud huff and headed for the door. She still wouldn’t confront Kathleen’s anger, but apparently she didn’t mind displaying some of her own these days.
Once they were alone, Vanessa said, “That wasn’t necessary. You could have waited to speak to me alone after they were on their way out the door.”
“And you could have waited until then to make that incredible announcement, but you didn’t. What do you mean you agree? I told you, I haven’t heard back from Albert Rathban yet and found out if the offer is still available. His boy doesn’t want to marry, ever.”
“Why not?”
“He didn’t say, only that he had arranged for five other brides before you and they were all rejected. It might just be his son’s shyness.”
“What else can you tell me about him?”
“I met the boy only briefly years ago at a horse race. He’s not especially good-looking, but certainly not ugly. However, his shyness makes him appear socially awkward, perhaps even a little dull, but I still thought he was a nice boy. I’m not trying to put you off by having nothing wonderful to say about him.”
Vanessa was actually pleased by Kathleen’s description because marriage to such a compliant fellow might not be all bad. He might sign her contract, and she might even gain the upper hand in the marriage. But she wasn’t going to mention that to Kathleen.
“You haven’t put me off,” she assured her mother. “Is he Albert’s only son?”
“Indeed, which is why this has been a dilemma for Albert and is the reason why he made the offer. Yet his son might have finally married this last year for all we know. And Albert was angry when you didn’t come for your Season last year to try to win him. I was forced to tell him you weren’t here, that you went into exile with your father. I didn’t hear back from him after that.”
“It’s going to allow Father to come home, isn’t it?” Vanessa asked.
“Yes, it would have. And it had seemed like the perfect solution at the time, but that was before I knew how willful you turned out.”
“Not about this. I’ll do anything to break Father’s chains. He never deserved any of this. So write to Rathban again. If he’s just making you stew because the marriage didn’t happen on his time schedule, assure him that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring his son to the altar—if the boy is still available.”