But his cousin followed him, James trailing behind.
“Why does she want you to make her mother angry?” Marian pressed. “Couldn’t she just jilt you herself?”
“She seems to think that if the decision comes from her mother, it will make it easier for her to avoid marriage altogether.” Silas hung his coat in his wardrobe and brushed out the wrinkles.
“You sure she don’t intend to keep you?” James caught up to them, his broad shoulders filling the doorframe.
“Her feelings aren’t my concern,” Silas said shortly, refusing to look at his brother’s grinning face. That knowing tone was grating on him. “She’s asked me to do a job, and I intend to do it. All that matters is the pay.”
“But what about your reputation?” Marian had a furrow between her brows. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you behaving badly about town to try to goad some woman into forbidding your engagement.”
“What reputation?” Silas couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice. He regretted the words almost immediately. He didn’t want to invite a debate on whether or not his name was ruined beyond redemption, so he repeated the only essential point: “All that matters is the pay.”
James seemed inclined to say more, but at Marian’s sharp look, he shut his mouth again.
“We’re grateful to you,” Marian said. “Don’t hesitate if you need our help with anything.”
“There won’t be anything to help with,” Silas assured her. “It will be over and done within a week.”
* * *
As it turned out, the molding of Mr. Corbyn into a proper gentleman was to be quite a drawn-out affair. Hannah had expected it to begin with their attendance at Mrs. Godfrey’s wild rose party on Friday and end with the arrival of Papa in London the following week. Easy come, easy go.
As it turned out, her father wrote back to say that he had a fishing trip planned with the Lamburns this week and he didn’t want to cancel, so he would come to London the week after. And Mama hadn’t even told her! Hannah had to find his letter on the desk and read it for herself. It was really very difficult to plan a false engagement and lure her parents back together when no one saw fit to inform her of anything!
In keeping with this habit, Mama took it upon herself to outfit Mr. Corbyn in a new wardrobe without so much as a by-your-leave from anyone.
“I can’t bring him to Mrs. Godfrey’s in that ill-fitted suit,” she announced, after ordering their driver to ready the carriage the morning after their supper. “He needs to look more presentable if we’re to persuade the ton that this is a good match for you. I don’t like the expense, but there’s no help for it.”
Hannah still couldn’t decide if her mother was baiting her, or if all this was genuine. The references to money seemed designed to provoke a sense of guilt, and thus a confession.
I refuse to feel guilty for any of it.Hannah put on her best walking dress and a pair of matching gloves.It isn’t my fault Mama’s decided to turn Mr. Corbyn into her idea of a perfect groom.
They descended upon the unsuspecting man’s doorstep, where Mama only paused long enough to wrinkle her nose at the country relatives who answered before ordering Mr. Corbyn into the carriage and on to a tailor’s.
If he protested, it was more in the set of his mouth and shoulders than with any words. Whatever his true thoughts on this intrusion might be, Mr. Corbyn kept them to himself as he obeyed her mother’s commands in stoic silence
Now he sees what I’m dealing with.
Hannah had never been inside a men’s tailor’s before. She tiptoed in with some hesitation, though Mama suffered no such qualms as she marched up to the gentleman at the counter.
“He’ll need some black formal wear, a few trousers and waistcoats, and at least three morning coats. That should get him through the next two weeks.” She turned abruptly to Mr. Corbyn after delivering these instructions, as if only just remembering that he was there. “Oh! Do you have a better top hat? Silk, I mean. Not that felted thing you wore at the house the other night.”
Mr. Corbyn looked as though he were biting his tongue. Hard. “No, ma’am.”
Mama frowned. “I suppose we’ll have to go to the haberdasher’s as well. This promises to be a long day.”
“May I show you a few fabrics, madam?” The tailor motioned hastily to his apprentice, having quickly identified the paying customer in their number. “Blues and browns are very practical colors for a morning coat. There’s a lovely check to this one that gives it some depth, do you see…?”
While Mama was thus occupied, Hannah inched closer to Mr. Corbyn.
“I’m sorry about all this fuss.”
Her apology did nothing to soften the stern line of his jaw. Was he still angry with her for last night?
“Look on the bright side,” she tried again. “You get a new wardrobe.”
“That I’ll never wear after this farce is over,” he muttered under his breath. “It’s wasteful.”
