Page 10 of A Lesson in Propriety (Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies #1)
Ten
I t was certainly uncommon to be the object of what seemed to be blatant flattery on Rhenick Whittenbecker’s part, and in all honesty, Drusilla couldn’t claim to not be a little charmed by it, until she realized that Rhenick and Norbert were both watching her warily, probably because she’d taken to smiling—an odd reaction to be sure after being told members of the criminal underworld might soon descend on the castle.
“Maybe she’s in shock,” Norbert muttered. “Think I should hie myself off to the wine cellar and fetch a bottle of Madeira? Miss Ottilie always swore it could cure you of any ailment, physical or mental.”
“I’m not in shock, nor do I need a glass of Madeira right now, although I might need some to calm my mother down—if I can convince her to get out of the hired hack,” Drusilla said, causing Rhenick, who was nodding in answer to Norbert’s question, to stop nodding and frown.
“That sounds as if your mother isn’t keen to live here, which I would think would be an excellent reason to sell this place as quickly as possible.”
“Except that I gave my word to my aunt that I would keep the castle in the family. So no, I’m not able to sell it, no matter if that would delight my mother or not.”
Rhenick cocked his head to the side. “That certainly puts a new twist on the matter, and also leaves me wondering why your aunt gave you the castle.”
“Why would you wonder that?”
“Because Ottilie and I had a long discussion before she left Chicago about how she was being plagued by offers from developers,” Rhenick said. “She was adamant about not entertaining any offers, as she had no intention of selling the place. That makes it more than curious that she gave the castle away.”
“That is curious,” Drusilla admitted. “However, it wasn’t unusual for her to lavish extravagant and unexpected gifts on me and my sister.”
“Which I can certainly see her doing, but what I can’t see her doing is giving you an extravagant castle that threatens to put your life in danger.”
“I can’t see her doing that either, but...” Drusilla gave her temple a rub, stilling a second later. “There is the possibility that Aunt Ottilie wouldn’t have expected Annaliese or myself to take time out of our busy schedules to travel here even for a visit, let alone move in, which might suggest...”
“Suggest what?” Rhenick prodded when Drusilla stopped talking as her thoughts began swirling madly about.
“I’m not quite sure just yet. I need a moment to think.”
After glancing around the courtyard, Drusilla spotted a stone bench and made a beeline for it, brushing aside some old leaves before she sat down. She then took to rubbing a temple that was once again beginning to ache as she sorted through thoughts that weren’t exactly cohesive yet.
It took a good few minutes before she felt she was capable of explaining where her train of thought was heading, time in which Rhenick and Norbert took to speaking in hushed tones to each other, their conversation coming to an abrupt end when Rhenick looked her way.
“Done thinking?” he asked.
“For the most part. And if you’ll indulge me, I’d like to voice what I’m thinking and get both of your opinions on it.”
Rhenick strode into motion with Norbert by his side, stopping directly in front of her.
“We’re listening,” Norbert said, holding a hand up to his ear, which either meant he was taking the fact that she wanted his opinion seriously, or that he was somewhat hard of hearing.
She fought an unexpected smile. “I suppose I’ll start by asking this—what if my aunt gave me the castle as a way to keep it safe from the developers while she was gone? And also, what if her solicitor disappeared after rumors of Ottilie’s ghost started swirling around because he knew certain members of the criminal persuasion were going to start pressuring him to settle her affairs?”
Norbert rubbed a hand over his face. “Begging your pardon, Miss Merriweather, but that’s a lot of questionable what-ifs. Besides, I don’t really understand why your aunt wouldn’t have expected you to come and at least visit the castle since everyone knows Lake Michigan is beautiful in the summer.”
“My aunt knows my family only summers in Newport, so she wouldn’t have expected us to change our plans, not when the social Season in Newport is something we spend months preparing for—well, until we experienced a bit of a financial catastrophe. That catastrophe is the reason why we’re now in Chicago, and why, since I can’t sell the castle, I’m considering turning it into an academy for young ladies.”
Rhenick’s mouth went slack. “I would advise you against that.”
“I wasn’t asking for your opinion on that particular topic,” she shot back before blinking at the distinct trace of snippiness that had been lacing her tone, something that would have most assuredly had her decorum teachers passing around a vial of smelling salts.
She blew out a breath. “Forgive me, Mr. Whittenbecker. I didn’t mean to be terse with you. With that said, though, opening an academy is the only way I can think of to avert financial disaster, since I can’t sell the place. And it’ll also allow me to put to good use my only credible talent.”
“I highly doubt you only possess one credible talent.”
“Which is kind of you to say, but I’m not portraying false modesty just now. I honestly do possess a singular talent—that being that I’m overly proficient with all matters of social propriety. I had the honor of being top of my class at the academy for young ladies I attended and have recently been told that if I hadn’t been born into one of the wealthiest families in the country, I would have excelled at being a headmistress of a finishing school, something I’m now going to prove wasn’t the insult it was intended to be.”
“You will not be able to prove anything if you’re dead, a state you might very well soon experience if you don’t at least consider selling.”
Drusilla shook her head. “I gave Aunt Ottilie my word, and while I’m sure she wouldn’t want me or my sister to be in danger, I’m not going to sell a castle my aunt might not have wanted to part with but merely gave to me as a way to keep it safe for her until she returns. Hopefully, if keeping the castle safe was her actual objective, she won’t be too annoyed with me over turning it into an academy.”
“Given Ottilie’s philanthropic efforts to improve the lives of women in general, I’m sure she’ll be anything but annoyed,” Rhenick said. “However, even though it’s admirable that you want to protect the castle for when your aunt returns—if she returns—can you not at least consider moving somewhere else until you hear from her, which will keep you safe from people who’ll go to extreme measures to get their hands on this property?”
“If I wasn’t experiencing that financial catastrophe I mentioned, of course I’d reconsider, but that’s not an option.” Drusil la’s forehead furrowed. “Out of blatant curiosity, though, what exactly would those extreme measures be that you mentioned?”
“Given that you’re adamant about not selling, I don’t think that it would be comforting for you if I were to expand on that.”
“I really must insist.”
Rhenick raked a hand through his hair, leaving the black strands standing on end. “Well, if you insist—know that the most extreme measure would be finding yourself at the bottom of Lake Michigan without a way to get back to the surface.”
“That would be extreme,” Drusilla admitted as she gave the slightest bit of a shudder, something she suspected Rhenick had seen because his eyes narrowed for the briefest of seconds before he raked his hand through his hair again and started pacing around the courtyard.
He made four complete circles before he stopped to look out over the water for a long moment, then turned and strode back toward her, taking a seat beside her on the bench.
“You seem to believe you don’t have any other option but to open an academy as a means to bring in some income. However, I have an alternative for you, one that will fix your financial situation, allow you to keep possession of the castle so you can return it to Ottilie when she returns, and lets you avoid the whole finding-yourself-on-the-bottom-of-Lake-Michigan problem.”
Her sense of apprehension was immediate. “That sounds more like a miracle than a solution, but before you tell me what you have in mind, tell me this—why does it seem as if you’ve decided to take it upon yourself to assume responsibility for me?”
Something interesting flickered through Rhenick’s eyes before he settled a smile on her. “I told you, I’m good friends with your aunt, and Ottilie would certainly expect me to step in, especially now that you have no other men available to protect you. The only way I can truly protect you, though, is this...” He leaned closer. “The way I see it, in order to keep you safe from members of Chicago’s underworld, you’re going to have to marry me, and the sooner the better as well.”