To Suit a Suitor Page 7

  A

  Chapter 9

  Julia watched Mr. Chamberlain walk away. He didn’t have any choice of course. Miss Pathetic, or rather Miss Clifton, actually, had left him with no option but to gallantly help her with her slipper and then stand up with her for the next dance. He didn’t seem to mind, but Julia wanted to feel outraged on his behalf at her forwardness. But she shouldn’t feel possessive of him. He wasn’t hers and he never would be. Despite the fact that he had tried to find similarities between them, there was sure to be something dissimilar. They both hated the quadrille, and enjoyed hunting apparently, but what if he enjoyed walking aimlessly in horrible weather, or some other trivial thing? Every other gentleman of her acquaintance had found her lacking; surely he would too.

  Julia felt unsettled as she watched him lead Miss Clifton back into the room for the next set. If not dancing with him left her this flustered, how much more would actually dancing with him affect her? Part of her hoped to never find out and part of her wanted to chase after him and demand a dance this instant, regardless of the possessive Miss Clifton.

  Her confidence had deserted her, but she knew it didn’t matter. If this had been her first season, she would never have resisted her attraction to him. She would have pursued him with all the fervor of the other girls. She wouldn’t have heeded her cousin’s warning that he would leave her broken-hearted. She would have thought she had a chance. But three London seasons had taught her there was something about her that drove men away. The best she could do for herself now was please Martha so that she wouldn’t have to return to London and marry someone her mother chose.

  Disheartened by the thought, Julia left her spot on the wall and found Martha and asked, “May we leave for home now? I’m awfully tired. I suppose I’m not used to such long parties as this.” Before her non-dance with Mr. Chamberlain, anticipation had made her feel she was on the verge of something exciting. But now that the anticipation was gone, she just wanted the evening to be over.

  Martha probably didn’t want to leave so soon, but she said, “I had forgotten that London parties are more frequent but not as long. We can leave if you like. I haven’t had a chance to speak to Lady Chamberlain yet. Just let me bid her and Mrs. Stephens farewell and we can be on our way.”

  Julia accompanied Martha as she made her way to where Mrs. Stephens and Lady Chamberlain were talking. Julia moved to the background while Martha visited with them, hoping to avoid the introduction for now. But Lady Chamberlain almost immediately addressed her as though they were already acquainted, “Miss North, I very much want you to meet my son. Now where has Henry got to?”

  Another interview with Mr. Chamberlain was exactly what she was trying to avoid, so she quickly said, “I’ve already met him.” It sounded rude and abrupt, so she added, “Thank you, though, Lady Chamberlain.”

  She didn’t seem to notice the rudeness. She just asked, “I didn’t see you dance with him. Surely if you were introduced he asked you to dance?”

  Julia very much did not want to explain to his mother that he had asked her to dance, that she had said no, and why she had said no. Martha answered before she had to, “I’m sure they can arrange things without our help, Lady Chamberlain.” An ironic statement from her cousin, who had told Mr. Hibbert to ask her to dance. “If Henry had wanted to ask her to dance, I’m sure he would have.”

  Julia was anxious not to be asked a direct question again and so she said, “We spoke for several minutes, but he left to dance with Miss Clifton. They seemed almost inseparable.”

  Lady Chamberlain’s brows went up at this information and she seemed quite interested. “Miss Clifton, you say?”

  Julia nodded and Lady Chamberlain looked as though she had more questions to ask, but Martha spoke first, saying, “We’ll have to call on you tomorrow to talk over the whole evening. I’m sure our carriage is waiting for us by now. Goodbye, Lady Chamberlain. Thank you for a delightful evening, Mrs. Stephens.”

  On their journey home, Martha asked Julia what she had thought about Martock Priory, the fine dinner they had enjoyed, and her dance with Mr. Hibbert. It seemed quite intentional that she never mentioned Mr. Chamberlain once.

  A

  Chapter 10

  It was late the next morning when Julia and Martha made their promised visit to Barrington Court. She had seen Barrington Court from a distance several times. And twice on her morning walks, she had been close enough to really gauge its size. But still, walking up to the front door with her cousin and knocking felt more intimidating than she imagined it would. The house was a grand structure and just going from one end to the other of the long building would be considered a significant walk. It had been built from golden stone, like so many of the buildings in this part of England, but it was more impressive than most in that it stood alone and was much larger than the many smaller buildings built of the same golden stone in a place like Bath, for instance.

  A long, straight path led from the gate to the front door, providing plenty of time for butterflies to take up residence inside her. She recognized that it was not just intimidation of the place affecting her, but of its owners. Mr. Chamberlain probably wasn’t even home; in her experience men weren’t usually home for morning visits, but she couldn’t help but wonder if being in his home would reveal more about him. She had also spent a few moments prior to the visit contemplating how she would avoid revealing to Lady Chamberlain that she had refused to dance with her son last evening. She thought she would probably manage as long as Lady Chamberlain didn’t ask her directly again if he had asked her to dance. It was such a trivial thing to worry about and completely unlikely that the subject would come up, so Julia had brushed aside her concerns.

  Lady Chamberlain received them in an elegant drawing room that befitted the Barrington Court estate. The fine furnishings could have caused her visitors to feel more acutely the difference in their stations, but Lady Chamberlain’s informality prevented it. She welcomed them with real gratitude for their visit and asked a servant to bring in refreshments. She made sure that Julia and Martha were comfortable before she sat down herself. It was only then that Julia realized how eager their hostess was to discuss last night’s party. She began by asking, “Miss North, you mentioned that you saw Henry dancing with Miss Clifton last evening, didn’t you?”

  The abruptness of the question caught her off guard and she wasn’t sure what reply to give. She hesitantly answered, “Yes, I saw them dance together. I believe it was shortly before Martha and I left.”

  “Were they together most of the evening?”

  “I’m not sure. It did seem to me as though wherever Mr. Chamberlain went, Miss Clifton was nearby.”

  Lady Chamberlain seemed disappointed by her answer. “You don’t think he showed a marked preference for her?”

  “I’m not … um … I don’t know your son well enough to say.” Julia’s words were true. She wished she could tell just from observing him what his thoughts and feelings were. But all she had noticed was that he didn’t mind the admiration he was surrounded by. It didn’t seem that he showed a preference for Miss Clifton’s admiration more than the other young ladies, but he hadn’t been annoyed by it either.

  Lady Chamberlain turned her attention to Martha, “Did you notice if Henry was particularly attentive to Miss Clifton during the dancing last night?” She clarified her question by stating, “I was visiting with Mrs. Stephens and didn’t pay attention like I should have.”

  Martha smiled politely and said, “No I didn’t notice any behavior out of the ordinary. Henry danced with her I believe, but I don’t think he gave her any more of his attention than he usually does.”

  “I asked Mrs. Thurston after you left if she had noticed anything between them and she told me that Henry had stepped out into the hall for several minutes with Miss Clifton before coming back in and dancing with her.”

  “I’m sure Henry was merely being helpful as Miss Clifton often has something or other that she needs hel
p with. Did you ask Henry about it?” There was something in Martha’s voice that made Julia think she already knew the answer to that question.

  “Yes, Henry was disinclined to tell me much of anything, though. You know how everyone knows every detail of his life before he ever thinks to tell his own mother.”

  Julia had been with Martha for a little over a week now and even in that short time she had gained a few insights into her character. As her cousin patiently answered Lady Chamberlain’s questions, Julia could hear the underlying amusement she felt at her friend’s obsession with her son. It became clear to Julia that Martha was very used to having these conversations with Lady Chamberlain and that she was quite capable of calming her down.

  “I don’t think Henry has the kind of character that shares his deepest feelings openly with anyone, Lady Chamberlain. So I’m sure there is no need to think anyone will know his heart before you do.”

  Lady Chamberlain looked skeptical at this observation, but finally admitted, “That could be true. I will definitely pay better attention next time. I have been asking Henry about it since last night and he has denied that he has any special feeling for her, but it could possibly be that he just isn’t ready to admit it yet.”

  With a consoling voice Martha replied, “It’s much more likely that he isn’t ready to fall in love again.”

  Lady Chamberlain looked grieved. “I just want him to be happy. I wish there was some way I could give him the happiness he deserves.”

  “You are a good and kind mother to him; right now I’m sure that’s all he needs.”

  Again, Julia had the distinct impression that this was a regular exchange between these two women.

  After a somber moment or two, Lady Chamberlain looked over at Julia again and said, “I had hoped my son might be interested in you, Miss North.”

  Julia’s eyebrows went up in surprise and her eyes darted involuntarily to Martha, who she knew had the opposite hope. She couldn’t think of an appropriate response to such a statement, but Lady Chamberlain made one unnecessary by continuing, “We meet with all the same families so often that I had hoped a new young lady in our midst would be the one to finally catch his interest. If only he would agree to spend the season in London, I’m sure he would fall in love, but he refuses to go. I stay here with him now, while his father attends Parliament alone every year. I just can’t leave the poor boy on his own.”

  It was quite an uncomfortable position to be in, listening to his mother talk about his private matters so openly. Julia knew that if she expressed an opinion that Lady Chamberlain would read far too much into it. Knowing the consequences of her offhanded comment last night, Julia was quite nervous to say anything. She felt she needed to think over each word before she said it to be sure it couldn’t be misinterpreted in some way. Any opinion on the subject would only continue the discussion and Julia was ready for a change of topic at the very least. Hoping to achieve that, she said, “London does have plenty of variety, but I don’t think it can compare to the beauty of Somerset. I have so enjoyed exploring Barrington.”

  “Henry isn’t interested in the variety of London either; he prefers to be at Barrington Court above anything else.” Her change of topic hadn’t worked and now they were apparently going to discuss Mr. Chamberlain’s likes and dislikes.

  “Did you not think him handsome?” Lady Chamberlain asked. Julia was slightly incredulous she was being asked this again. No one could deny that Henry Chamberlain was handsome, but a discussion of it would only make her sound hopelessly smitten, which she was very conscientiously trying not to be, so she just smiled slightly and nodded.

  Her less than rapturous response wasn’t satisfying to Lady Chamberlain and she said, “He was just as handsome as a boy too. The truly remarkable thing about Henry is that it hasn’t spoiled his character. He is always a perfect gentleman. Did you not think so, Miss North?”

  Julia was almost surprised at herself for not hesitating with her answer. “Yes.” Reflecting on it, she realized it was true. He had teased her, and he seemed arrogant with all the attention he received, but despite that, his manners were disarming. Then, because Lady Chamberlain was still looking at her expectantly she added, “Quite gentlemanly.”

  Julia could tell it wasn’t as much praise as Lady Chamberlain had been hoping for, but Julia wasn’t about to say more. Lady Chamberlain asked several more questions, trying to prompt Julia into admitting admiration for her son. She was grateful when her diplomatic answers led Lady Chamberlain to take up his praises herself.

  A sigh escaped her when Lady Chamberlain finally paused for breath, prompting Martha to say, “Julia, why don’t you go for your walk and I’ll meet you at home later?”

  “Do you really not mind?” she asked, already beginning to rise. Martha reassured her it was fine, and after bidding Lady Chamberlain goodbye, Julia gratefully let herself out. Lady Chamberlain’s questions had kept her tense through the whole visit and she felt her escape keenly. Once she reached the main gate, she felt the freedom to take a deep breath and she turned away from the village, hoping for a silent walk in the countryside after the interview with Lady Chamberlain.

  A

  The day hadn’t passed over to afternoon yet, but Henry felt as though he had already had a long day. Last evening, his mother had insisted on riding home in his carriage and had asked him subtly at first, but gradually more directly, if he was thinking of courting again. He had insisted he wasn’t. Then this morning, she had sent for him to come up to the main house for breakfast and repeated her questions about whether he was forming serious intentions for any young lady. Miss North had immediately come to mind. He was starting to think he might want to court her. But it was the last thing he would ever admit to his mother.

  Henry hadn’t been able to guess what had caused his mother’s sudden suspicions, but something had set her off. He had given vague answers to her subtle questions and waited for her to give specific reasons for her suspicions so Henry could refute them. Finally, his mother had said, “Miss North mentioned that you and Miss Clifton were inseparable last evening. Are you sure you aren’t thinking of courting Miss Clifton? Because you can tell me, you know.”

  He had been startled for a moment when his mother had said Miss North’s name, and he could only be relieved when his mother named Miss Clifton as the one she thought he was interested in. He didn’t even want to admit to himself, much less his mother, what his real feelings were for Miss North. It was strange that the blame for his interrogation was because of something Miss North had said. Why would she say such a thing to his mother, of all people?

  Henry reassured his mother more times than he could count that he wasn’t at all interested in Miss Clifton. His reassurance left his mother looking disappointed and, knowing he couldn’t change that, he escaped to the stables and off on a ride. It had been refreshing and helped restore his optimism that his mother would let the subject drop … eventually.

  He was just returning from his ride and as he made his way to the stable, he saw Miss North walking down the west lane. Her back was to him, but he could tell that it was her by the way she held herself. Changing his course, he rode toward her. He dismounted and called out, “Miss North!”

  She stopped and turned back and he could see her reluctant expression right away, but he didn’t let that deter him. “May I accompany you on your walk?”

  “Er, yes, of course.”

  Henry knew that it was his abrupt appearance and direct question that had caused her to say yes. She looked as though she would rather not have his company, an unusual reaction in his experience, but he chose to ignore that and accompany her anyway. If she was going to be in Barrington for two months, she would need to understand a few things about his mother. His horse drifted to the side of the lane as they walked, keeping Henry between his horse and Miss North.

  “You spoke with my mother last night.” It was a statement, but he waited for her to confirm it.

  She close
d her eyes briefly before answering, “Yes, before we left.”

  Making sure there was no accusation in his voice, Henry said, “I’m sure you didn’t mean to, but a comment of yours has inadvertently made quite a bit of trouble for me.”

  Miss North winced at his statement and he realized that she had likely just come from speaking with his mother. He gave a rueful smile and said, “I don’t blame you, Miss North. You didn’t know of course, but my mother is like a tenacious bloodhound. You have to be so careful around her. I’m sure you only made some small comment as an observation, but she has hounded me ceaselessly since last night, trying to get me to admit I’m in love with Miss Clifton.”

  She held up her hands as if to hold off any accusations, “Yes, I don’t doubt it. I have just spent the last hour being questioned by her myself,” she confirmed. She looked slightly overwhelmed by remembering the conversation with his mother. With wide eyes she gently shook her head. “Why is she so overly concerned about you?”

  Mr. Chamberlain looked at her with some surprise, “Surely you’ve heard my history by now, that I was engaged a few years ago but my fiancée …” He paused momentarily. Even after all this time it was difficult for him to speak of it. “… She died, tragically, a few weeks before the wedding.”

  She cleared her throat uncomfortably but met his eyes as she kindly responded, “I did hear about that; Martha told me what happened.”

  “Yes, well, my mother is convinced that I won’t be happy again until I … find another young lady I want to marry.” He had been about to say “fall in love again,” but stopped himself, not wanting to sound emotional about it anymore.

  Miss North looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, “I wonder if your mother thinks her interference is helpful.”

  “I doubt she has considered the fact that her extreme interest is actually hurting her cause. I do try to be quite careful about whom I speak with and for how long when I know she is watching.” After a moment he added with candor, “It’s actually exhausting. Every time I have to be in company with her is such an unpleasant task.”