Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Are you sure? Marlow won’t be home again for some time.”
Rosalind loved her mother so much. She was about to do such a bad thing. I won’t be home for some time either, she thought, and tears welled in her eyes.
“I can’t go today, Mama. I just can’t bear to say goodbye to him.”
“My sweet girl.” Her mother crossed to her and hugged her in sympathy, and Rosalind clung to her, sobbing out loud. This wasn’t goodbye forever, but it was still a goodbye. She would miss her friends too, especially Elizabeth, her closest friend since childhood. Keeping this secret from her had been the hardest thing.
Her mother pulled back and smoothed her tightly wound braids, her proper mourning bun. “We’ll have no more of these dark gowns and tears beyond this week, my love. It’s time to put your face to your future.”
To marry Lord Brittingham, she meant. Rosalind pretended to agree. “Yes, Mama. I suppose it will get easier when Marlow’s gone.”
“It will, darling. We all hope to see you in better spirits.”
Rosalind tried not to burst into tears again as her mother left. Now was not the time to lose her composure or her nerve. She waited until she heard the carriage pull away in the courtyard, then rose and rang for a footman.
“I’ve changed my mind about going to the docks,” she told him. “I wish to see Lord Marlow off after all.”
“You’re too late, my lady. They’ve left.”
“Oh, but I must go! I won’t see him for ages. I don’t know why I thought I could stay away. I’ve even got a trunk all ready for him with going-away presents.” She fluttered her hands and dragged it from behind the bed. “He’s going all the way to India, you know.”
The footman sized up the trunk, then went to confer with the butler, who summoned the groom.
“We must hurry,” she cried. “I must have a chance to say goodbye. How foolish I was to refuse to go.”
Her tearful pleas played well, for they had a small curricle ready to go within ten minutes. Her unsuspecting lady’s maid barely had time to pull on a walking coat in the ensuing fuss. She looked askance at Rosalind’s black layers, and her mourning hat with its newly added, obscuring veil. She must seem ridiculous to them, a lovesick ninny. She knew this was madness, but she also knew this was her only chance at the life she wanted, her only chance to be with Marlow rather than Boring Brittingham. She was so nervous she nearly forgot her reticule, packed with more items she’d need for the trip.
Anxiety made her tremble all the way to the docks. Her maid believed she was only upset to see Marlow sail away. Over her past few weeks of “mourning,” the whole house had become aware of her heartbreak. Her maid had been patient if quietly disapproving.
She would send the maid and grooms home once they delivered the trunk shipside. She would assure them she was fine, that she would join her family for the farewells. If they were not wont to leave, she would need to send them on some errand. It was important that they returned to Townsend House separately from her family, that neither faction discovered her missing until dinner at least.
So much risk. So much to go wrong. Please, she prayed, gripping her black reticule in her lap. Please let things work out as I wish. She had never been rebellious before, never asked for anything beyond a young girl’s sedate life and her parents’ wishes, but this was important. Oh goodness, they had arrived. She steeled herself to tell more lies.
But after all her worries, the staff did not argue with her directions. One of the grooms lugged the trunk over to the Providence’s porters, not realizing the card he handed him had the direction of Widow Lintel’s berth, not Lord Marlow’s. Her lady’s maid did not insist upon staying with her and the family to see Marlow off, since in the rush to leave, she had grabbed her shabbiest walking coat with one button missing.
In the bustle of other ships and passengers, Rosalind walked toward her family and friends with her veil drawn down until she heard the curricle start away. Then she stopped and watched her loved ones from afar. Marlow was there, looking smart for travel. His mother, Lady Warren, bent her head near his, looking sad as any parent might as their son sailed away. The others—her parents, the Barrymores, the Arlingtons, as well as her eldest brother and his friends—stood about, ready to wave to the ship and wish him a bon voyage. Marlow’s cousin Lord Augustine looked very put out he was leaving. Of course, no one wanted him to leave.
It was her fault, all of this. If she had not kissed him, not insisted he propose…