Gentlemen Prefer Spinsters (Spinsters Club #1)(23)

He chuckled at his mother’s foul language. As much as she was the epitome of a grand lady in Society, there was no covering her bold personality at home.

“I shall do my duty, I promise.” And hopefully sooner than his mother expected. “But I will not attend any ‘at homes’.”

She gave a dramatic sigh. “Well, you cannot say I do not try.”

“That I cannot. Enjoy your tea and cakes.”

He chuckled to himself when his mother swept out of the room. She’d been in Bath for several months and although he’d rather hoped she’d stay there while he dealt with the...Merry situation...he did not dislike having her home.

Though, he had no plans to tell her about Merry yet. She would approve, even if she did not think Merry was exactly countess material. Of course, his mother had been wanting him married for years, ever since the early death of his father really. He suspected her preoccupation with his marriage was not just her doing her motherly duty. It gave her something to focus on instead of grieving for his father. He’d be quite glad when he no longer had to deal with his mother’s rather unsubtle matchmaking skills.

Perhaps, if he was clever, he could turn her attention to Griff. His friend might not thank him, but it would leave him time to worry about the Merry situation alone. He grinned to himself. Poor Griff had little idea what he had let himself in for when he’d decided to accompany him here.





Chapter Ten





A brisk wind fluttered the ribbons of Merry’s bonnet. It blew in off the sea, bringing with it the fresh scent of salt. Bella looped her arm through Merry’s as they made their way along the beach, not far from where the sea was slowly retreating in waves tipped with white.

Bella glanced back at Arabella who walked alongside Sophia and leaned in. “She is still terribly melancholy.”

Merry nodded. Arabella had never been the most gregarious of them, but she was never miserable either. The recent news had affected her badly. Somehow, they would have to cheer her up.

The four of them strode up toward the end of the cove, where huge rocks jutted up and marked the end of the crescent-shaped beach and offered shelter from the breeze. Merry settled on the sand and peered out at the ocean. Guilt jabbed at her. While she had been contemplating Harry’s handsomeness and getting herself tangled into an odd twist of emotions, Arabella had been hurting from the news. She would have to rectify that somehow, and certainly avoid any more thinking of Harry’s strong arms or how he looked with his cravat undone.

A laugh threatened to bubble from her and she clamped down on it. To think he had said he loved her. How preposterous. He was either mad or teasing her. Whatever game he was playing, she was not falling for it.

Merry eyed Arabella, who had been wearing this odd strained smile for days. Already pale, her skin had taken on an ashen cast and it was clear she had not been sleeping.

“Stop looking at me like that, Merry.” Arabella shook her head. “I know what you are thinking.”

“I’m concerned for you, we all are,” Merry said.

Bella nodded. “You have not been the same since you heard that snake’s brother is returning to Lulworth.”

Arabella’s throat worked. “It is hardly his fault that his brother is a cad.”

Sophia snorted. “He’s more than a cad. He took advantage of you. He promised you marriage, knowing full well he would never return from America, he—”

A shiver visibly wracked Arabella. Merry put a hand to Sophia’s arm. Out of all of the injuries her friends had suffered at the hands of men, Arabella’s was the worst in many ways. The man who had stolen her innocence had sworn he would return for her once he had made his fortune, but he never did. No word ever came and Arabella was left waiting for many years.

And given her young age of sixteen, it had been a rude awakening to the folly and arrogance of men. Arabella was only lucky that no one had discovered her ruination, or she might have been sent off to Ireland or some godforsaken place like Miss Lucy Gable had.

“He is coming to look after his sick mother,” Arabella said softly. “I cannot begrudge him that.”

Bella frowned. “I do not remember the brother, do you, Merry?”

Shaking her head, Merry sifted grains of sand through her fingers. “He is older than us and he studied away for most of the time I believe.”

Sophia nodded. “I believe so. And Mrs. Bryce said he has been in Scotland for some time and fears he will be all rough manners now.”

“Well, wherever he has been, I will treat him courteously. He has done me no wrong.” Arabella lifted her chin but Merry could not miss the slight quiver of her lips.

The brother might be completely innocent and for all they knew, could be a good man, but the family connection was still a sore reminder of what Arabella had given up to a man who had lied to her and used her in the most horrible way.

“I think we should all ignore him,” determined Sophia. “After all, he shall be caring for his mother. I doubt he will have time to socialize with the people of Lulworth. We can pass him by quite easily should we see him.”

“And if we do, we shall all be there for you, Arabella.” Merry reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

Arabella smiled. “I know you will. How I would have survived these years without you all, I do not know.”