Priscilla hesitated, but with an encouraging glance from Victoria, turned back to Allison.
“Your Lord Hardwood isn’t so easily dismissed,” Priscilla explained. “And I implore you to rethink your decision.”
“Never!” Allison shuffled through her skirts and removed her hand from the front pocket of her gown. “I received a letter from James this morning.”
James. A footman, no less!
“No letter arrived here for you.” Miss Primm would know.
Allison wrinkled her nose. “That’s because he didn’t send it to the school.”
Of course, he had sent it to the mercantile. That was why Allison had refused to walk Fiddlesticks this afternoon.
“Well, what does it say?” Victoria asked, sounding more like a schoolteacher than a countess.
“He is securing a home for the two of us. He wants to marry me.”
“He wants to marry you because he’s a former footman, and you’re a bloody heiress.” Chloe threw her hands in the air, ignoring Primm’s reprimanding frown. “Of course, he wants to marry you.”
“That has nothing to do with it!” Allison sat on the edge of the chair.
“I’m sure he cares a good deal for you,” Priscilla said.
The mere idea that Allison would marry the footman her father sacked was a ridiculous one. However…
From her own experience, Priscilla knew the worst possible thing they could do was mock her for it. Their disapproval would only serve to enhance Allison’s romantic imagination.
“He loves me.”
“Of course, he does.” Victoria, it seemed, understood as well.
“However…” Primm pinned her gaze on the student, causing even Allison to squirm. “Lord Hardwood will not break the agreement unless you are willing to travel to his home for a house party.”
“For two weeks,” Chloe said.
“In order to become acquainted with him,” Victoria supplied.
“And with his family,” Priscilla added. “And if you have not changed your mind by the end of the fortnight, he has promised to break the agreement with your father. So, you see, ending the betrothal is totally up to you.”
Allison’s expression could only be described as horrified. But then she relaxed and turned to Priscilla. “I don’t see the problem then. Miss Fellowes will make the journey. She must if she’s going to follow through with our agreement.”
Priscilla shook her head. “I can’t pretend to be you for two entire weeks. I barely managed the hour he was here!”
Allison folded her arms across her chest. “But I cannot leave the school. James has promised to visit me. How would he feel if he arrived to learn I was entertaining a proposal from another man? I would die. I would simply die.”
Priscilla glanced across the room to where Victoria sat, and by the look on her face, she was thinking the same thing Priscilla was. There was no way Miss Primm would allow a footman to meet with one of her students. Not while she was alive, anyway. Permitting such an inappropriate meeting would be nearly as ruinous as this original scandal.
“Don’t you want to be a countess?” Miss Addy asked quietly. “Lord Hardwood is very handsome, and he seems kind enough. He’s the fellow who saved Fiddlesticks this afternoon.”
“Fiddlesticks would have been just fine.” Allison set her chin. “And it wouldn’t matter to me if he was the most handsome prince in the world. I love James.”
Silence and then, “This James fellow must be quite the dashing footman,” Chloe mumbled.
“As a matter of fact, he is.” Allison clasped her hands together beneath her chin as though she was praying but also pouting. “Please, Miss Fellowes? It’s only a fortnight. I’d think you would welcome the chance at a holiday.”
“We are just coming off of the holiday,” Chloe pointed out.
“Miss Fellowes?” Allison ignored everyone but Priscilla.
