A decision made, Jonathan lowered and folded his paper, ready to depart.
On exiting, he saw two men before him on the pavement stop and greet each other.One was the Reverend Brody, the other a stranger.Catching the clergyman’s eye, he smiled and stepped over to talk with him.Greetings over, the reverend introduced Jonathan to his eldest son, William, lately of a cavalry regiment, who was in London for an interview that day as secretary to Lord Stacy.
Through talking with the two gentlemen, Jonathan gained more insight into the Brody family.The easy, warm relationship between father and son was obvious.
As the conversation dwindled to its conclusion, they wished William success with his interview and parted from him.
Jonathan said, “I’m headed to your house now, Reverend Brody, for a promised visit to your daughter if she is available.”
“Excellent, excellent.I’ll walk you there.I’m due back to tutor the children after luncheon.Join us for lunch, Dalton.
My lucky day.A luncheon invitation was more than he had hoped for.“Thank you.As long as Miss Brody does not mind an extra person at a family meal at short notice.”
“I’m sure Jane can accommodate another diner, but we’ll ask her.She’s sure to give a direct answer.”He chuckled.They set off for the Brody residence.
After a few moments of silence, Jonathan spoke.“Reverend Brody, I have some questions about Miss Brody.”
The elderly gentleman glanced at him speculatively.“Indeed?Ask away then.”
“Is she likely to marry, do you think?”
The reverend raised a gray eyebrow.“I can’t say for certain.She’s very busy with home management, tutoring her siblings, and her charitable work, but that doesn’t mean she won’t marry.”
“She is a little beyond the usual age for marriage though, isn’t she?”
“Well, her mother was good deal younger, but of age, when we married.And if Jane’s sister Charlotte’s marrying so young is anything to judge by, then yes, she is somewhat older than the norm.”
Jonathan plowed on with his questions.He needed to find out her attitude to a relationship of any sort.“Do you know whether she has any current suitors?”
Reverend Brody slanted a narrow-eyed look at him.
Jonathan kept his features impassive, merely lifting an eyebrow as he waited for an answer.The pause stretched on.
The reverend’s response came slowly.“Well, Dalton, I’m unaware of any suitors of Jane’s, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.She has given a few young men the right about in the past.”The reverend halted and turned to Jonathan.“You may be lucky.She might like the cut of your cloth, but a wise man would go carefully with her.She hasn’t had much encouragement to see marriage as an advancement of her state of being.Her mother died eight years ago, leaving us, mainly her, to raise her younger siblings.She may think she has done her share of raising children.Why marry and have more?My Jane is an intelligent girl ...and a beauty, just like her mother.”Reverend Brody smiled to himself and lapsed into a reverie as they resumed walking, leaving Jonathan to contemplate what had been said.
Within a few minutes, they had reached the now-familiar front door in Harley Street.Reverend Brody let them in with his key and called to Jane.
She emerged through a doorway down the hall.
“I’ve brought another for luncheon, Jane.I hope it won’t be an inconvenience.”
“Of course not, Father, always room for another.”Stepping down the hallway, she looked past her father to see Jonathan standing near the door.“Lord Dalton, you’re our luncheon guest?”
“Does it make a difference?”he asked.
Drawing breath, she said, “Of course not.”
“I’ll let cook know.Take our guest into the sitting room, Jane, while I change my coat for something more comfortable, if you would?”said her father.
***
JANE WAS LEFT STANDINGin the hall with Dalton, still with his hat, gloves, walking stick, and coat in his hand.She rushed forward to take them just as he turned to put the items on the hall table.He turned back to her to find her a step away with her arms outstretched.He smiled and took her apparently proffered hands.“This is the type of greeting I would like to receive upon all of my visits, Miss Brody.”
Jane’s heart flip-flopped.Lord Dalton was smiling warmly at her, and there was laughter in his eyes.She tugged her hands from his quickly and stepped back.“I believe you were to call on me today with regard to finishing our conversation from last night.Do come into the sitting room.Anna is with me there, and we can talk comfortably.”
Jane found that Anna was no longer in the room.She must have left through the study door, which stood ajar.“Oh, dear,” she said.“We’re on our own.”
“Hopefully you can trust me to behave honorably, Miss Brody?”
