She’d not felt chilled when Lord Carlisle watched her from across the carriage.
“Slip this on, Miss, while your hot bath is prepared.” Lucy held up Rhoda’s dressing gown.
Rhoda would be glad to get out of Town. Hopefully, whatever gossip was circulating about her would sort itself out after a few weeks of her absence. She hated to think Emily had heard it, or Sophia. Oh, Lord, and her mother!
“Rhoda?” Her mother stood in the open door. “Are you well? I came home as soon as John returned with the coach. What is this business I hear that you fell into the lake?”
Rhoda considered telling her mother about Miss Redfield’s part in all of it but decided to keep it to herself instead. Because her mother would begin asking questions and then questioning her behavior. She only hoped her mother hadn’t heard anything untoward already.
“Lord Carlisle had offered to row me about the pond and the boat moved away from the jetty before we were secured. He tumbled in as well.”
“Oh, my! The Earl of Carlisle, you say?” And then a cunning spark materialized behind her eyes. “Quite an honor for you, I’d venture to say, for him to make such an offer. It’s a shame you never got him alone on the water. I think an earl would make a suitable husband for you. After all, you did nearly marry a duke.”
Rhoda groaned. She hated these outlandish expectations! St. John had not proposed to her. In fact…
“It sounds as if this Carlisle fellow might be interested in you. He wouldn’t have made such an offer if he wasn’t.”
“He was being kind, Mother.”
Her mother laughed. “So humble. My daughter is so humble. I was just telling Mavis how you never lorded your relationship with St. John over anybody.”
Wonderful. Rhoda wondered what Mavis Torrey had had to say about that.
Her mother wandered across the room and picked up a bottle of Rhoda’s perfume thoughtfully. “Mrs. Potter acted quite strangely today, though. Gave me something of a snub. I don’t think I’ll invite her to my next at-home. I certainly didn’t appreciate her attitude.”
Rhoda stilled at her mother’s words.What was being said?
Rhoda intentionally made her voice breezy. “Perhaps she wasn’t feeling well, Mother, and whatever bothered her will have passed by the time we return from the duchess’s party. Think of all the morsels Mrs. Potter will be wishing to hear. Not just anybody receives an invitation to a ducal estate for two weeks.”
Her mother contemplated Rhoda’s words. “Hmm, I suppose. Yes. You’re likely right.” And then she did something quite out of character. She crossed the room and embraced Rhoda briefly. “I’m going to send Wesley up here to light a fire. I don’t want you catching a chill.”
Rhoda found herself blinking away tears for the second time that day. “That sounds lovely, Mother. Lucy’s having a bath prepared. I think I’ll take my supper in here and have an early night. If you don’t mind, that is.”
“Of course not, dear.”
After her mother left and the fire was lit, Rhoda curled up on the comfortable chair in front of the hearth. Hugging her knees, she wondered how things might have turned out if she’d never met St. John—if Sophia had never engaged herself to Lord Harold. Would the three of them still be huddling together in the wallflower section of all the prominent balls? Would Rhoda still flirt and laugh the way she’d done before?
St. John had seemed like a dream come true. A future duke! He’d acted attentively toward not only her but her mother and Coleus and Holly as well. He’d ingratiated himself with all of them.
Rhoda had believed he loved her. He’d not ever said the words, but he’d indicated such with special looks, and… other ways.
How foolish she’d been! She should have waited. She should have followed the one rule that every girl with half a brain knew to be of utmost importance while being wooed by a gentleman. Because sure enough, after Rhoda had broken that one rule, St. John’s attentions had changed. And then there’d been that awful afternoon at Priory Point.
Rhoda squeezed her eyes together tightly in an attempt to make the memory disappear.
But it never did. Surely, it would be with her forever.
The journey to Eden’s Court didn’t take more than half a day and aside from a little rain, proved uneventful. By keeping the windows open, they even managed to prevent Coleus from getting sick. Rhoda’s mother hadn’t mentioned her lady friend’s strange behavior again and so Rhoda allowed herself something of a sigh of relief. Maybe it had all been nothing. Maybe she’d imagined it.
Rhoda had visited Eden’s Court only once before, for Sophia’s wedding, but she’d traveled then with Cecily and Mr. Nottingham. Today would be her mother and sisters’ first visit and as they entered the long, stately drive, she enjoyed the looks of awe on their faces. “Oh, Rhoda,” her mother effused. “And to think this was all nearly yours.”
Argh! She needed to put a stop to this somehow. An idea struck her just then. Only one thing could change the direction of her stubborn mother’s thoughts.
“Mother,” she said firmly. “Every time you say something like that, every time you remind me of St. John’s demise, you send me into a painful melancholy. How can I possibly consider marrying another gentleman when I am filled with such grief?”
Her mother didn’t respond right away. And then, after all of thirty seconds passed, she backed herself away from the window and turned to Rhoda, her face covered in remorse. “I am so sorry. I didn’t think… But of course, of course, I will do as you ask.”
Rhoda almost felt guilty. “Thank you, Mother. I’d appreciate that.”
