“Judith, my dear, you glow!” their mother beamed, patting her daughter’s hand. “Has he declared his intentions yet?”
Sitting on the settee in their drawing room, Judith shook her head, sending her blond curls into a soft sway as though they were dancing on her delicate shoulders. As Anna watched, a rosy blush gave colour to Judith’s cheeks, and her sister's hands twisted the handkerchief they held. “He speaks of me as the sun to his world,” she whispered, and her blush deepened. “He is always attentive, seeks my opinion and when he smiles at me…,” her voice trailed off as her eyes gazed into the distance mesmerised by the memory they relived. Anna couldn’t help but wonder what they saw.
“It’s like you’re the only one in the world that matters?” their mother asked, a rueful smile curling up the corners of her lips. When her eldest daughter nodded, her hand reached out once more, squeezing her daughter’s affectionately. “And have you let on that a proposal would be well-received?”
Avoiding her eyes, Judith’s own face lit up in a smile. “As much as I dared.”
Anna laughed. “Knowing you, my dear sister, I suspect Mr. Miller is as clueless as he was at the beginning of your acquaintance.”
“Hush, Anna,” her mother chided. “Do not upset her!”
Eyes wide, Judith stammered, “What makes you say that? Do you consider me devoid of affection?”
Anna shook her head, draping her own scarlet curls over her left shoulder. Taking her sister’s other hand into hers, she stated, “Not at all. But you must admit that you are all kindness and proper manners no matter whom you speak to. How is he to know that your feelings for him run deeper than for…say the butcher’s son?”
As Judith’s eyes widened even more, their mother gave Anna a soft slap on the knee. “Now, don’t be absurd! The man may be in love, but he is not blind.”
“As far as I am told one does not differ greatly from the other,” Anna countered, winking at her sister as she spoke. “If one is in love, one might as well be blind. Isn’t that true, Dear Sister?”
“Then you consider me blind?” Judith asked, the shock slowly dissipating from her face at Anna’s playful tone.
Anna’s smile widened. “Since the day you two first laid eyes on each other.” She gave her sister’s hand a gentle squeeze. “But mother is right; do not worry yourself. Even if the man is blind, there are other senses that will tell him of your affection.”
“Anna!” Judith exclaimed, a deep red colouring her cheeks. “Of what do you speak?”
Laughing until her sides ached, Anna found herself the unwelcome focus of two sets of eyes; one widened in shock, and the other narrowed in disapproval. “Nothing improper, I assure you,” she wheezed, drying the corners of her eyes with Judith’s handkerchief. “I merely meant to say that even if his eyes are blind to the devotion that shines in yours whenever they behold him, his ears will still tell him of the love that rings in every word leaving your lips. He will still feel the slight tremble in your hand when he assists you into the carriage and smell the faint scent of jasmines that you only wear for him.”
While Judith’s blush deepened even more, their mother leaned back a little as though to observe her youngest daughter more closely. “Your eyes are as sharp as your wit, Anna. But do heed my words; no man under this sun will ever cherish them as long as they are not coupled with respect and proper conduct. Should you choose to continue on this line of utter honesty as you call it, my dear, I fear that spinsterhood lies in wake for you.”
A soft shrug lifted Anna’s shoulders. “I do hear your words, Mother, as I have heard them before many times. But I cannot say that they hold sufficient warning. The picture you paint appears quite enchanting to my eyes. Freedom of speech as much as of conduct is what I seek. And I have long since been aware that a married woman will always have to answer to her husband. I, on the other hand, answer to no one.”
“What about Father?” Judith said.
“He has indulged me thus far; I do believe I am safe from too severe repercussions.”
Their mother smiled, shaking her head. “My dear Anna, I hope with all my heart that you will find what you seek. However, I cannot help but find that you are still young, too young to understand the ways of the world. As strong as you are, never be too sure of your own power,” she leaned forward, her eyes looking into Anna’s as unguarded as she had ever seen them, “or you will fall.”
Not sure how to understand her mother’s warning, Anna looked at her sister. Judith too had noticed the ring of truth in their mother’s voice, a ring born out of personal experience. Anna couldn’t help but wonder what her mother’s past held. Had she ever been too sure of her own power and fallen?
“Mother, I−”
The door flew open and in walked her father, a big grin lifting the corners of his mouth. “Ah, there you are! Perfect! I have great news!”
“What is it, Father?” Judith asked, offering him a cup of tea. “Is there news of your ship?”
Plumping down into the armchair opposite them, their father gulped down his tea, wincing slightly as the hot liquid burned his tongue. “It did. Yes. However, that is of minor consequence today.”
“Minor consequence?” their mother asked. “What could have happened that would shine brighter than years of hard work finally paying off? Pray tell us!”
As her father’s eyes travelled from his wife to his daughters, his grin grew even bigger, turning his face into a grotesque mask. Almost bald, his oval-shaped head often resembled an egg, Anna thought, wondering if anyone else had noticed.
“Tomorrow, we will receive a very special visitor,” he began his tale, and his ears turned pink with barely contained eagerness. “I have not mentioned the possibility of this before because I did not wish to alarm you.” Anna saw Judith draw in a deep breath and her mother’s hand tighten around her tea cup. “But if everything goes according to plan, one of you,” he glanced from Judith to Anna, “will be a duchess before the year is out!”
“What?” Anna heard her mother exclaim as all colour drained from Judith’s face.
“The Duke of Cromwell,” her father said, clearly enjoying the ring of the words, “is looking for a wife, and there is a good chance he will choose one of you.”
Taking a deep breath, her mother set down her tea cup. “One of them? Why would he? As lovely as our daughters are, they are not of the peerage. Would he not choose a wife from among his own peers?” Grasping Judith’s hand once more, their mother gave it a slight pat.
Observing the scene as though it didn’t concern her, Anna couldn’t help but ask, “Is he in need of money?”
“Anna!” her mother chided, shaking her head at her daughter.
“No, no,” her father said, lifting a hand to calm his wife. “She is not wrong.” Looking at Anna, he nodded his head. “I see no reason to keep this from you. It is most fortunate for us in-deed. He seeks a way of saving his estate while I would like me grandson to inherit a title. In addition, business should pick up even more when our relation to the Duke of Cromwell becomes known.”
“But surely, he can find a wife with a substantial dowry within his own circle,” their mother asked, still patting Judith’s hand, who had sunken into herself, eyes fixed on the tea cup in her hand.
“But apparently not one with a dowry as substantial as the one I can provide,” her father beamed, pride ringing clear in his voice. “In addition, I suppose a father would generally not want his daughter marrying a man who is bankrupt. Title or no.”
“Then why would it be advantageous for us?” his wife asked.
“Because there are things money can’t buy,” her husband explained, his enthusiasm slowly dissipating at the lack of approval provided by his family.
For the first time since her father’s announcement, Judith lifted her eyes, unshed tears clinging to their corners. “What about John?”
“Do not fret,” her father consoled her. “This week you fancy yourself in love with Mr. Miller, next week it will be someone else, preferably the duke.” He winked at her. “But remember, affection is not the means to a successful life. I know, in time you will come to see the wisdom of my decisions. After all, I only have your best interest at heart.” Rising from his chair, he patted her hand and left the room, humming a jolly tune as he went.