Page 5 of The Lady and the Duke

“Yes. Yes, there is. I recently made the acquaintance of a Miss Caroline McAlister of Upper Windom. It was quite by chance and we… well, we formed an instant bond.” He began pacing again. “I am so very, very sorry. I know you had expectations, and I am most mortified to disappoint you. But I must be honest. And I, therefore, beg you to release me from any commitment you may feel I havegivenyou.”

“Henry. Sit.” She patted the benchagain.

Henrysat.

“It is quite all right. Please take a breath and settle yourself. I don’t want to marry youeither.”

He looked at her with shock. “Youdon’t?”

“No. I have come to the same conclusion. Well, not because I met a Miss McAlister, but because… well, let us be honest, Henry, we are not really amatch.”

“Oh, what a relief. I was soafraid…”

“It is quite all right. You need not bother yourself anylonger.”

Henry’s face lit up, and his pinched look disappeared. Never for one moment did she suspect that she was the cause of that. But it seemed she was. And she felt a great release, and a lightnessovercameher.

“Henry, please answer a question for me ifyoucan.”

“Yes,Lydia.”

“Why ever did you court me this long if you were not interested in ourmarriage?”

“I only recently met Miss McAllister, and it never occurred to me that we might not be the perfect match. You were close by, available, and you came highlyrecommended.”

“By whom?” Lydia asked in astonishment, seeing herself in his eyes like a prime piece of realestate.

“Why, your sister Emily always spoke so highly of you. And you have the most charming mother and father. It just seemed like the thingtodo.”

“How flattering,” she said, amused at hisdenseness.

“Think nothing of it. It has been a great pleasure knowing you and I hope that you will visit Miss McAlister—but by then she will be Mrs. Howell—and me when we tie the knot. I am sure you will find her to be a charming companion. And she seems eager to make youracquaintance.”

“I’m sure we will become fastfriends.”

Henry took a deep breath and smiled the first genuine smile she had seen from him. “Well, then. That is that, isitnot?”

“Indeed it is. So, shall we go in to tea?” Lydiasuggested.

“Yes, I am quiteparched.”

* * *

Lydia was sittingin the sitting room window seat that overlooked the back garden. She was attempting to mend a petticoat hem but was not having much success as her gaze kept wandering to the beauty of the garden in the late afternoon sun and shadows. The casement was open and a soft summer breeze wafted through, enchanting her with its soft caress. She sighed in deep satisfaction and leaned back against the wall, and for a moment was in a state of simplepeace.

It was three weeks after she had announced to the family that her expectations with Mr. Howell had come to naught. She was so relieved, she thought nothing more of it, and had begun to settle into the comfort of being unattached once again with no expectations other than to be a supportive and productive familymember.

Margaret opened the sittingroomdoor.

“Lydia, if you have a moment Mother and Father would like you to attendtothem.”

Lydia was surprised that Margaret had spoken of ‘mother and father.’ It was so formal. At home, they always spoke of MammaandPapa.

“Of course. Wherearethey?”

“In Father’sstudy.”

“I shall attend to them shortly. But first I must put away my mending or I shall forget it and who knows who might be embarrassed to see a lady’s undergarment lying about thesittingroom.”