Lila’s hair. “But for the favor you have to tell me something. Is there a reason for this sudden interest in looking more ladylike?”
A burning sensation rose in Lila’s cheeks and quick check of the mirror confirmed that she was blushing.
“If I tell you, promise not to laugh,” Lila said.
“Promise,” Nora declared.
Lila hesitated, then admitted in a rush, “Maggie doesn’t care a thing for Teddy Fitzhugh and he’s bound to tire of the way she treats him. Maybe, though, if I could manage to get his attention, he might fancy me, instead.”
“Humph,” Nora grunted.
“You promised not to laugh!” Lila exploded, mortified by Nora’s reaction.
“Humph is not laughter,” Nora insisted, still brushing. “I’m thinking is all.”
“Thinking what?” Lila demanded with a petulant frown playing on her bow-shaped lips.
“Well, here’s the thing. The other day I was coming upstairs when I heard Teddy standing in the upstairs hallway telling your sister that if she would agree to become engaged to him—”
“Engaged!” Lila cried. “Already? Why, that’s outrageous! Why hasn’t anyone told me about this?”
“Don’t panic. She didn’t agree. It seemed so hasty on his part. Maggie told him it was too soon and she would have to see how their feelings for each other developed. He didn’t like it but he agreed.”
“Why didn’t she just tell him no? Anyone can see thatshe has no feelings for him whatsoever. Oh, she’s horrid!”
Nora twirled Lila’s hair into a knot at the top of her head and starting pinning it into place. “She may have her reasons,” Nora allowed.
Lila was so irritated she could barely sit still. “What reason could she possibly have?”
“That Teddy Fitzhugh is a sly one. He reminded her that he was about to come into a fantastic inheritance. More money, he says, than even the Duke of Cotswall. He points out that Wentworth Hall is in need of some serious repairs and says that if he and Maggie were betrothed he would feel it was his duty and obligation to preserve her ancestral home.”
“See, that’s how he is,” Lila said, “sweet and willing to help.”
“Sounds more like a bribe to me,” Nora pointed out candidly.
Lila considered Nora’s words. She just couldn’t see Teddy that way. Teddy’s offer wasn’t a bribe but rather an inducement to love just as a man might bring flowers to the woman he was pursuing. “I think it’s a lovely offer,” Lila maintained. “Romantic, even. It’s wrong for Maggie tomislead Teddy just so he can pay for repairs on the estate.”
“He’s already offered to pay to renovate the front entrance once the inheritance comes through. At first your father wouldn’t hear of it but Teddy said it was the least he could do to repay your family’s kindness to his sister and himself.”
“She has no kindness or sense of decency,” she said dismally.
“Oh, don’t be so hard on your sister,” Nora said. “She’s doing what’s best for the family.”
“Maggie is only playing with Teddy because it strokes her vanity,” Lila insisted.
“Aw, don’t be bitter against your own sister,” Nora counseled. With delicate finger work she coaxed small frills of hair out from Lila’s hairline. “There. What do you think?” she asked.
Lila gazed at her new hairdo. It made her look grown-up, which was precisely what she’d wanted. Lila decided that her new hairstyle looked pretty and made her feel the same way. This was just the way to get Teddy to notice her.
“It’s nearly dinnertime. You’d best get dressed,” Nora said.
Lila glanced at the sailor jumper she’d tossed on the bed. “I can’t put that jumper back on. It would look all wrong with the corset and new hair. Isn’t there anything else I can wear, something more stylish?”
Arms folded thoughtfully, Nora considered Lila’s request.
“There are two dresses that were ordered for Maggie before she went on her trip last year. She left before
A burning sensation rose in Lila’s cheeks and quick check of the mirror confirmed that she was blushing.
“If I tell you, promise not to laugh,” Lila said.
“Promise,” Nora declared.
Lila hesitated, then admitted in a rush, “Maggie doesn’t care a thing for Teddy Fitzhugh and he’s bound to tire of the way she treats him. Maybe, though, if I could manage to get his attention, he might fancy me, instead.”
“Humph,” Nora grunted.
“You promised not to laugh!” Lila exploded, mortified by Nora’s reaction.
“Humph is not laughter,” Nora insisted, still brushing. “I’m thinking is all.”
“Thinking what?” Lila demanded with a petulant frown playing on her bow-shaped lips.
“Well, here’s the thing. The other day I was coming upstairs when I heard Teddy standing in the upstairs hallway telling your sister that if she would agree to become engaged to him—”
“Engaged!” Lila cried. “Already? Why, that’s outrageous! Why hasn’t anyone told me about this?”
“Don’t panic. She didn’t agree. It seemed so hasty on his part. Maggie told him it was too soon and she would have to see how their feelings for each other developed. He didn’t like it but he agreed.”
“Why didn’t she just tell him no? Anyone can see thatshe has no feelings for him whatsoever. Oh, she’s horrid!”
Nora twirled Lila’s hair into a knot at the top of her head and starting pinning it into place. “She may have her reasons,” Nora allowed.
Lila was so irritated she could barely sit still. “What reason could she possibly have?”
“That Teddy Fitzhugh is a sly one. He reminded her that he was about to come into a fantastic inheritance. More money, he says, than even the Duke of Cotswall. He points out that Wentworth Hall is in need of some serious repairs and says that if he and Maggie were betrothed he would feel it was his duty and obligation to preserve her ancestral home.”
“See, that’s how he is,” Lila said, “sweet and willing to help.”
“Sounds more like a bribe to me,” Nora pointed out candidly.
Lila considered Nora’s words. She just couldn’t see Teddy that way. Teddy’s offer wasn’t a bribe but rather an inducement to love just as a man might bring flowers to the woman he was pursuing. “I think it’s a lovely offer,” Lila maintained. “Romantic, even. It’s wrong for Maggie tomislead Teddy just so he can pay for repairs on the estate.”
“He’s already offered to pay to renovate the front entrance once the inheritance comes through. At first your father wouldn’t hear of it but Teddy said it was the least he could do to repay your family’s kindness to his sister and himself.”
“She has no kindness or sense of decency,” she said dismally.
“Oh, don’t be so hard on your sister,” Nora said. “She’s doing what’s best for the family.”
“Maggie is only playing with Teddy because it strokes her vanity,” Lila insisted.
“Aw, don’t be bitter against your own sister,” Nora counseled. With delicate finger work she coaxed small frills of hair out from Lila’s hairline. “There. What do you think?” she asked.
Lila gazed at her new hairdo. It made her look grown-up, which was precisely what she’d wanted. Lila decided that her new hairstyle looked pretty and made her feel the same way. This was just the way to get Teddy to notice her.
“It’s nearly dinnertime. You’d best get dressed,” Nora said.
Lila glanced at the sailor jumper she’d tossed on the bed. “I can’t put that jumper back on. It would look all wrong with the corset and new hair. Isn’t there anything else I can wear, something more stylish?”
Arms folded thoughtfully, Nora considered Lila’s request.
“There are two dresses that were ordered for Maggie before she went on her trip last year. She left before
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