Lord Pleasance continued to search his face for a moment and then, with a loud exclamation of delight, slapped Frederick’s back and grinned broadly at him.
“How wonderful! I am truly delighted for you. It may be a little sudden, yes, but I think that this is right. I see how happy you are in her company, and the fervency with which you pursued her when Lord Wellbridge had her speaks, I think, of the fervency of your feelings in your heart. You say that you wish to love her as she always ought to have been loved. Can I ask if that means that your own affections are strong?”
“I have not paused to consider them in depth but yes, I am certain that what I feel is very strong indeed,” Frederick stated, firmly. “My intention is now to return home, to rest for the evening, and to let myself consider all of this. I will think about what I want to say to Miss Fairley, what it is that I truly feel for her, and what words are best to use to express that desire. Iam convinced, however, that my feelings and affections are truly very strong indeed. They are growing, they are fervent, and they will, I hope, bring us both a new sense of happiness and joy.”
“I am sure that shall be true,” Lord Pleasance smiled, though a slight, flickering frown took that smile from him almost at once. “Though all of this does not answer one particular question, does it?”
A little confused, Frederick looked back at him.
“What do you mean?”
“About Miss Fairley and all the clumsiness,” Lord Pleasance replied, with a scowl. “It does not answer anything in that regard, does it?”
Frederick bit his lip and then shook his head.
“No, it does not,” he agreed, quietly. “That is something which still requires an answer… though I think I may know exactly who it was, and why it is that they have done this to Miss Fairley.”
Lord Pleasance lifted an eyebrow in question, but Frederick shook his head.
“No, my friend. I will keep my own counsel until I have the opportunity to speak of it all with Miss Fairley,” he said, as his friend nodded in understanding. “But you may wish me luck for tomorrow afternoon, yes?”
Lord Pleasance chuckled as they climbed into the carriage again, their task now completed.
“I do not think that you will require even the smallest measure of luck, my dear friend,” he said, making Frederick smile. “I have every certainty that, by this time tomorrow, you will have Miss Fairley as your betrothed.”
Chapter Nineteen
Emma sat down in the most comfortable chair in the drawing room, letting out a long, slow breath as she did so. After yesterday’s ordeal, she felt herself a little shaken still, but a good deal recovered… though if it had not been for Lord Yeatman’s swift actions, she might well have found herself in a very different situation. The maid came in with a tea tray and set it in front of her and Emma murmured a small word of thanks before dismissing her. She was relieved to have a little quiet this afternoon. No doubt, Martha and her mother would soon come to join her, once Martha had finished her preparations for afternoon calls.
And Lord Yeatman will call upon me soon,Emma thought to herself, smiling.What a joy that will be.
The door opened quickly, stealing her solitude from her and Emma offered her sister a small smile despite the flickering irritation within her.
“Martha. You look quite lovely.” Martha offered her a thin-lipped smile but said nothing, sitting down opposite Emma and then eyeing the tea tray. “I am certain that many a gentleman will come to call upon you,” Emma murmured, a little confused as to why her sister had remained silent and now appeared to beso sour-faced. “Though I should like to speak to you about Lord Wellbridge. I think–”
“Why should you have an interest in Lord Wellbridge?” her sister snapped, her eyes flashing with a fire that took Emma completely by surprise. “You are already betrothed, are you not? Why should you eventhinkof him?”
“I…. I am not.” Confused, Emma attempted to catch her sister’s gaze, but Martha would not look at her, stubbornly staring somewhere around Emma’s left shoulder instead. “I was only about to say that there is something about him which I should like to tell you about. I find myself rather concerned that you might still be considering him.”
Martha let out a harsh, cold laugh.
“Is that so? And here I was, quite certain that you hoped he would be calling uponyouinstead. Was that not what you wanted? Is that not always what you have desired?”
Emma blinked, her eyes widening as Martha’s furious gaze finally fixed on hers. She had very little understanding of what it was that her sister was saying, and was just about to ask her to explain when the door opened, and the butler stepped inside.
“Lord Yeatman has come to call, Miss Fairley.”
Emma’s heart leaped almost at once as she rose to her feet, the butler having been instructed to bring the gentleman in at once. When he walked into the room, Emma could not help but hurry towards him and, despite her sister’s presence, stepped directly into his embrace and sighed with contentment as he enfolded her into his arms.
“My dear Emma,” he said, softly. “How glad I am to see you.” Stepping back, he caught her hands in his, but his eyes searched her face. “Are you quite well? “
“I am.” Emma turned her head and let her gaze slide towards her sister, though Martha only scowled and looked away. “I havenot yet spoken of all that has taken place, but I was intending to do so.”
Something flashed across Lord Yeatman’s face, something which Emma could not quite make out. He opened his mouth, seemed to think better of it, and then closed it again, giving her a small shake of his head before moving forward.
“Miss Fairley.”
Smiling, Lord Yeatman inclined his head as he greeted Emma’s sister, though Martha did not so much as get to her feet, making Emma frown hard at the ill manners displayed. She did not understand what had put Martha into such a dark mood, and certainly had no knowledge of what it was that Martha was attempting to express.
