A Wedding In Springtime(83)

“Answer me when I am talking to you! How could you have ruined this for me?!” demanded Lady Bremerton.

“Stop, Mother!” interrupted Louisa.

Everyone looked at her. Had she actually spoken?

“Can you not see that Genie is terribly upset?” continued Louisa. “If she says he has done something horrid, then he must be a cruel man unworthy of our notice. She needs the full support of her family right now, and I for one am going to give it!”

Lady Bremerton gaped at her daughter. Genie dried her tears. It was more words strung together then she had ever heard Louisa utter.

“Come, Cousin,” said Louisa, taking charge of the situation for once. “Let us get you up to your room for a quiet rest. Mother, I suggest you start a rumor that we found Mr. Blakely unworthy of Genie and we will no longer be admitting him into our presence.”

“Yes,” said her mother sliding into a chair. “Yes, of course you are right.”

Genie walked upstairs, emboldened by a new ally at her side.

Louisa followed Genie into her bedroom and shut the door.

“Are you all right?” asked Genie.

“No, not quite. I have never spoken like that to my mother.” Louisa put her hand to her forehead in an unconscious mirror of her imposing matriarch. “But I should be asking you if you are all right. What happened?”

Genie collapsed on her bed. “I have been entirely deceived by the character of Mr. Blakely.”

“I thought him amiable.”

“Me too, but he… Louisa please do not let this be widely known, but my brother has done something very stupid. He left Oxford for a lark, got taken advantage of at a gaming establishment, and now owes Mr. Blakely a vast sum of money. I thought Mr. Blakely would forgive the debt, but he rescinded his offer of marriage and is demanding to be paid.”

“That is horrible! But perhaps I can help. How much does your brother owe?”

“Twelve thousand pounds.”

Louisa said nothing for a painful minute.

“I am so sorry,” said Louisa, “I could not even begin to raise that kind of money. You will need to go to my father.”

Genie put her own hand on her forehead. It did seem to help when the moment called for dramatic despair. “Would he be inclined to help? I was not sure he had ever forgiven my mother for breaking their engagement.”

“He does not speak of it,” said Louisa. “But my mother has spoken of it to me much. I was always admonished never to do as Lady Mary had done. She has told me many times she married Lord Bremerton so her children could enjoy a high station in society. But I do not care for society life. I hate to be a disappointment, but I have not the temperament for it.”

“Are you going to marry the Duke of Marchford?”

“I cannot.” Louisa shook her head firmly.

“How are you going to tell your parents?”

Louisa sighed. “If I knew how, I would have done it already.”

“Have you tried talking to the duke?”

“I tried at Almack’s, but he talked at length about his determination to be a good husband. I did not know how to tell him that—”

“You are in love with somebody else?” asked Genie gently.

Louisa stilled, suspicion in her eyes. “How did you know?”

“I heard you and a man in the garden at Lord and Lady Devine’s party. I confess, ever since, I have been trying to help bring you and Marchford to more friendly terms.”

Louisa nodded slowly, as if processing the information. “I understand. It would be easier if I could love the current duke, but I do not. One cannot always chose whom she loves.”

Genie was quiet for a moment. “Very true.”

“Perhaps if it would help, I could support you when you ask Father to help pay off your brother’s debts.”

Genie cringed. “I should hate to do it at all, but I suppose alone would be worse. I could support you talking to him about your engagement.”

“It is a plan,” said Louisa with a tentative smile.

***

“Twelve thousand pounds?” Lord Bremerton’s face grew so red Genie feared for his health. “You want me to pull your idiot brother out of debt to the tune of twelve thousand pounds?”

“Young people do make unwise choices. We should not fault them for it,” said Louisa in a small voice.

“Yes, they do, my dear,” said Lord Bremerton. “And I can only assume asking me to dissolve the engagement to the Duke of Marchford must be one of those unwise choices. You will marry the duke as planned. And Eugenia, your brother’s financial embarrassments are not my concern. Good day!”