at tea. ‘I would not have minded if I could accompany you—but we hardly know him, and I do not trust him near Melia...’
‘I believe him to be a gentleman.’ Jane smiled and placed a gentle hand on his arm. ‘Do not concern yourself, dearest. Lord Frant has no interest in Melia other than as his ward. I think he found the whole business troublesome and was glad to leave her in my care once he understood that we were respectable. He is to settle five thousand on her, which is a decent sum. Not that you care one iota for a dowry, but others might.’
‘It does not matter what others think,’ Will said loftily. ‘Melia is already sure of her future...should she wish it.’
Jane looked at him intently. ‘Melia is very young, my love. I think her sweet and gentle and I am sure she would make you happy—but you must not be too certain of her yet. Bringing her to London may not prove to have the result you hoped for.’
‘You think she might fall in love with someone else?’
Will looked so hurt that Jane felt terrible. Yet she had to make him aware of what she sensed. They had only been in company twice so far, but on both occasions Melia had been introduced to attractive, wealthy men, and she’d shown her pleasure in the attention paid her.
‘I do not know, my love. I only felt that you should be a little wary. Melia has not given you her promise—has she?’
‘No, but she knows how I feel. I spoke frankly the last time I visited near her home. She said that she needed to know me better and that’s when the visit to London was first discussed...’
‘Yes, I see.’ Jane was thoughtful. If Melia had been a schemer she might have suspected her brother had been used, but she did not think it. Perhaps not always truthful, and sometimes careless of others’ feelings, Melia might hurt Will but not intentionally. She liked him, considered him her friend and thought that she might like to marry him, but that did not mean she’d given her heart and, until she did, she might well bestow it on another. Jane hoped she would not, but Melia had to have her season; she had to have her chance, because otherwise she might do something regrettable after marriage. She was a girl who liked excitement and adventure, and Will preferred a quiet life in the country. Melia would have to be very certain that she loved him to settle for that life.
‘Well, time will tell,’ she said now and smiled lovingly at her brother. ‘Things happen and people change...but I should not worry about us attending the theatre with Lord Frant. I do not believe you have anything to fear from him.’
In that much Jane was right, but if she wanted to safeguard her brother’s interests she should have refused the invitation until Will could go with them, but perhaps even that would not have made much difference.
* * *
Melia was not sure how she felt about going to the theatre with Lord Frant. He had been kind to her, and she was grateful for the five thousand pounds he was settling on her through the family lawyer. Yet she thought him stern and was a little in awe of him, though her dear Jane seemed to like him and that must mean he was all right. However, the moment he introduced his friend, Captain, Viscount Hargreaves, Melia began to enjoy the evening.
His smile made her heart race and she thought him the most handsome man she had ever seen. Indeed, he resembled the pictures of Greek gods she’d once seen in an art book in her father’s library, but was so much more impressive in the flesh. Not that she could see any flesh other than his hands and face—but after seeing that picture she could imagine what he might look like stripped to the waist.
How immodest she was! Her imagination did not go further than his waist, though his long legs looked powerful and strong in pale pantaloons and she thought would show to even more advantage in riding breeches.
She lamented that she had no horse in London, not realising that she had done so
‘I believe him to be a gentleman.’ Jane smiled and placed a gentle hand on his arm. ‘Do not concern yourself, dearest. Lord Frant has no interest in Melia other than as his ward. I think he found the whole business troublesome and was glad to leave her in my care once he understood that we were respectable. He is to settle five thousand on her, which is a decent sum. Not that you care one iota for a dowry, but others might.’
‘It does not matter what others think,’ Will said loftily. ‘Melia is already sure of her future...should she wish it.’
Jane looked at him intently. ‘Melia is very young, my love. I think her sweet and gentle and I am sure she would make you happy—but you must not be too certain of her yet. Bringing her to London may not prove to have the result you hoped for.’
‘You think she might fall in love with someone else?’
Will looked so hurt that Jane felt terrible. Yet she had to make him aware of what she sensed. They had only been in company twice so far, but on both occasions Melia had been introduced to attractive, wealthy men, and she’d shown her pleasure in the attention paid her.
‘I do not know, my love. I only felt that you should be a little wary. Melia has not given you her promise—has she?’
‘No, but she knows how I feel. I spoke frankly the last time I visited near her home. She said that she needed to know me better and that’s when the visit to London was first discussed...’
‘Yes, I see.’ Jane was thoughtful. If Melia had been a schemer she might have suspected her brother had been used, but she did not think it. Perhaps not always truthful, and sometimes careless of others’ feelings, Melia might hurt Will but not intentionally. She liked him, considered him her friend and thought that she might like to marry him, but that did not mean she’d given her heart and, until she did, she might well bestow it on another. Jane hoped she would not, but Melia had to have her season; she had to have her chance, because otherwise she might do something regrettable after marriage. She was a girl who liked excitement and adventure, and Will preferred a quiet life in the country. Melia would have to be very certain that she loved him to settle for that life.
‘Well, time will tell,’ she said now and smiled lovingly at her brother. ‘Things happen and people change...but I should not worry about us attending the theatre with Lord Frant. I do not believe you have anything to fear from him.’
In that much Jane was right, but if she wanted to safeguard her brother’s interests she should have refused the invitation until Will could go with them, but perhaps even that would not have made much difference.
* * *
Melia was not sure how she felt about going to the theatre with Lord Frant. He had been kind to her, and she was grateful for the five thousand pounds he was settling on her through the family lawyer. Yet she thought him stern and was a little in awe of him, though her dear Jane seemed to like him and that must mean he was all right. However, the moment he introduced his friend, Captain, Viscount Hargreaves, Melia began to enjoy the evening.
His smile made her heart race and she thought him the most handsome man she had ever seen. Indeed, he resembled the pictures of Greek gods she’d once seen in an art book in her father’s library, but was so much more impressive in the flesh. Not that she could see any flesh other than his hands and face—but after seeing that picture she could imagine what he might look like stripped to the waist.
How immodest she was! Her imagination did not go further than his waist, though his long legs looked powerful and strong in pale pantaloons and she thought would show to even more advantage in riding breeches.
She lamented that she had no horse in London, not realising that she had done so
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