“Not yet. But I am not ready to move forward just yet either.” She turned to her sister. “Anna, I want us to leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
“As you wish.”
Chapter 35
Maria and Harry were seeing Roger off. He had bought a horse from Harry and was taking it back in the wagon he had brought the cattle in.
“I hope you have no further need of replacement cattle, old friend,” Roger said as he shook Harry’s hand.
“Only to grow the herd from here on out,” he replied. “And I expect I will see you at the fair again next year.”
“Very likely.” Roger turned to Maria. “And Miss Maria, thank you for your most gracious hospitality and friendship.”
“Mr. Roger, it has indeed been a pleasure.” She handed him a basket with a cloth over it. “I prepared you a lunch for your journey and you will also find a selection of the jams you helped us with the other day. Enjoy.”
“And will I see you at the fair next year?”
“Most likely not. I made an exception going this year. But Mother will most likely be here next year and will need my attention.”
Roger took her hand, kissed it and said quietly to her alone, “I am sorry we were not right for each other and I wish you all the very best in your future life.”
“Thank you and you take good care of your daughter. It is difficult only having one parent. She is going to need a lot of your attention.”
“And she shall have it, I promise you.”
Roger put the basket on the wagon’s seat, mounted, and flicked the reins for the horses to start up. Just before he disappeared around the bend of the road, he turned and waved.
Harry moved over closer to his sister. “I did not hear all he said to you, but it sounded as though there might not be a future for the two of you.”
Maria wiped her eyes with her apron and said, “Sadly that is so.”
“Then what next?”
“More of the same, I expect. It looks for the time being that we must settle for each other’s company.”
“That is not a hard task,” he said, taking her arm and leading her back into the house.
* * *
“No, Father, I am not going to London,” Percy insisted. “Anna will be returning any day now and I see no reason to waste my time starting another hunt for a bride when I feel quite certain Anna will accept my suit shortly.”
Percy and the Duke were at the breakfast table when Arnold had asked his son about his plans for London. The Duke’s walking stick was not nearby so he was unable to threaten Percy with it.
“Damn you, boy. I swear you had better have an engagement by the end of the week after she returns. Do you understand me?”
Percy found his father to be increasingly pathetic. He understood that the family was in crisis, but who had brought on the crisis? Not Percy. It was his father. And with his father’s failed efforts to right the ship he was putting the onus on Percy to fix the problems. Percy was not going to stand for it any longer. He was exhausted by the effort and furious that this responsibility had been put upon him.
He stood at the table. “No, Father, damn you. I am fed up with your insults and abuse. I have already promised you I would marry Anna if she will have me. But if not, then I am going to ask Maria to marry me. We love each other, and I will be content with whatever dowry she can offer—whether it can pay off your debts or not. If not, then the family can go to hell and you with it. Now… do you understand me?”
Arnold’s face was turning red as he now stood. “You insolent whelp! You had better pray Anna accepts you, for if she does not I will beat you within an inch of your life. You hear me?”
“No Father, you will not. I have held back out of respect for you being my father, but if you try and strike me, even once, I shall pummel you to within an inch ofyourlife. And know I can and will do it.”
“I swear you will rue the day to spoke to me like this.”
“Oh, yes, and how is that? What could you possibly do that could hurt me? Disinherit me from nothing?”
The Duke collapsed back into his chair, looking pale and drained.
