CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Unlike Thea’s misery, Meg’s gloom was of brief duration. By the sixth day of January, her resilient spirits were restored to their usual exuberance.

“Is it not a splendid notion to perform Twelfth Night on Twelfth Night?” She waltzed around the drawing-room with an imaginary partner, her skirts swirling. Her gown was of palest pink crêpe lisse, with wild roses in a slightly darker pink set on around the hem, some in bud, some open to show a circlet of gold stamens.

“You are merry as a cricket,” said Penny drily, her knitting needles clicking away.

“He is willing to forgive me.” She stopped before Thea and sank in a deep curtsy. “Do you not think he is willing to forgive me? Lady Lewin invited us both to the theatre before...before that night, but he could have found an excuse to cry off. Could he not. Mama?”

“I daresay,” said the dowager, smiling. “He is a gentleman of considerable address.”

“I shall dazzle him,” said Meg, twirling again, “and not spare a single glance for any other gentleman.” She paused by the window and peeped out. “Oh, here is the Lewins’ carriage come to fetch me.”

“Come, then, darling.” The dowager folded her embroidery and set it aside. “I shall see you off. I want to be sure your abigail understands that she is to wait for you at the Lewins’.”

They went out.

“I hope she is right,” said Thea. “How odd it will seem to see my little sister wed.”

“Do you regret having refused Lord Stewart?” Penny asked.

“No. Especially since we heard that he is already betrothed to an impoverished widow with two daughters! I might have regretted it, simply for the sake of his children, if he had offered for Mrs. Wilmington, but this Mrs. Philpots sounds ideal for him.”

“True, but seriously, do you not wish to be married?”

Thea sighed. “Before you came to Newkirk, I held the lowest opinion of marriage. My parents did not precisely provide an example of domestic felicity! Seeing you and Jason so happy has changed my view. I should like to be wed, but not to a man I do not love and who does not love me.”

“Forgive me, Thea dear, if I am wrong, but I believe you have already given your heart—to Lord Hazlewood. Will you not tell me what is wrong? You restored harmony between Jason and me, and I cannot remain aloof when you are unhappy.”

“He has only called once since we came home, and that such a short, formal visit!” Her voice wavered. “Oh, Penny, I told him Lord Stewart asked for my hand, thinking that if he loved me he would advise me to refuse, even insist that I refuse. But he just told me coldly to make up my own mind. He doesn’t love me. He only befriended me because he is a gallant gentleman and I needed his aid.”

“My dear, I cannot answer for his feelings, but how could he possibly guess that you care for him when you led him to believe you were considering an offer from another man?”

Thea winced. “I have been as caper-witted as Meg, have I not? I did see a parallel with her behaviour, before I went to him, but I rushed on without reflection. What shall I do?”

“For a start, make sure he is aware that you rejected Lord Stewart.”

“Yes, of course. But I cannot be so forward as to tell him that I love him unless he gives some sign of reciprocating my feelings.”

“No, it would be shockingly vulgar to set your cap at him,” Penny agreed, “and quite dreadful if he gave you a set-down. Let me think. Suppose you were to—”

“Oh, hush, Mama is coming back.”

Jason came in with his mother. “I’m away,” he said, bending over the back of Penny’s chair and putting his arms around her, “if you are sure you don’t mind, love?”

“A fine thing it would be if I were to stop you going to meet Lord Hazlewood, when he has so kindly agreed to advise you on finding a good bailiff!”

“I only wish he had accepted my invitation to dine here, but he was already engaged for dinner. He chose Brooks’s because he is to meet someone else there later, I collect. He is a busy man and I must find a factor soon. I shall not be long gone, not more than a couple of hours.” He leaned down to kiss Penny’s cheek, waved a farewell to his mother and sister, and departed.

“Drat,” said Penny, “I’ve dropped three stitches.”