her daughter's cheek affectionately and smiled. "Yes, very well, thank you, Bella." She cast a glance at Sir Robert. "We have some delightful news for you, love."
Sir Robert smiled kindly. "The Duke of Stratton called upon us last evening while you rested in your rooms—I take it your headache is better?"
Guilt threatened to overcome Annabella, but she swallowed it down. "Oh, yes, yes, quite! It is gone now, I assure you."
"You looked a little flushed in the face last night, and your mother and I were worried you might have contracted an illness."
Annabella remembered how she had blushed at the falsehood, and another wash of guilt came over her. Oh, how she wished she'd never pretended to a headache!
"I—the rest did me a great deal of good, I assure you, Papa."
Her father patted her hand and smiled broadly. "I am glad to hear it. Well, then! I must tell you—and you will be happy to hear this, I am sure—the Duke of Stratton has asked permission pay his addresses to you! What do you think of that, Bella?"
"Oh!" The guilt intensified and mixed with a distinct, trapped feeling. Annabella swallowed.
" 'Oh'? Is that all you have to say, child?" her mother asked with a smile.
"I do not know what to say. I... I am sure I do not deserve it."
Sir Robert laughed. "Oh, come, Bella! You are a mischievous puss at times, but never beyond what most children have been. You have always been a good girl, and I am proud a man such as the Duke of Stratton has taken an interest in you."
"Interested only? He has not asked for permission to marry me?"
Her mother leaned forward. "No, and that is what is so admirable about him. He fully understands the sensibilities of a young lady, and would not impose his wishes upon you until he knows your affections are wholly engaged. There are few men who are so considerate, my dear."
Relief flowed into Annabella, and this made her feel more guilty than ever. She should be glad the duke had asked to court her in such a proper manner, but she was not. How silly she was being, to be sure! There was nothing to object in him. Surely, her parents would have seen it if there was. If there was anything to object in anyone, it was in her, for did she not go against her parents' wishes and go to the masquerade last night?
"Is there something the matter, Bella?" her mother asked.
Oh, heavens. "I—I did not have the headache last night, Mama."
Lady Smith raised her brows in question, and Sir Robert looked at her in surprise.
"I know you said I should not, for the duke was to come last night, but I wanted so to go to the masquerade with Corisande Bentley, and I went out the servants' door—"
"Annabella!" cried her mother.
"By God, girl, if he had known! Not deserve his attentions, you said! I almost think you are in the right of it!" Sir Robert exclaimed.
Annabella hung her head. "I am sorry. I... perhaps I am not ready to marry."
She felt a hand push up her chin, and she met her father's stern eyes. "None of that, my girl! You are nearly one and twenty years of age, and have been out on the town for more then two years now. You are quite old enough to be betrothed. To be stealing out behind our backs!" He shook his head. "We have been indulgent, your mother and I, with your choosiness. When you turned down Lord Ebberly, we knew you could do better, and agreed perhaps he was a little flighty. We even acknowledged perhaps the Viscount Windover was a little young to be setting up his nursery. You were young, also, and we saw no harm in your enjoying parties and such."
Sir Robert turned and paced the room. "But now you are a woman grown, and must look to the future. We have already heard talk about your flightiness. This is not what I like to hear about my daughter. There is nothing to which anyone can object in the Duke of Stratton, and we thought perhaps you had a little tendre toward him. I recommend you consider his addresses quite seriously." He looked at her sternly.
Annabella wet her dry
Sir Robert smiled kindly. "The Duke of Stratton called upon us last evening while you rested in your rooms—I take it your headache is better?"
Guilt threatened to overcome Annabella, but she swallowed it down. "Oh, yes, yes, quite! It is gone now, I assure you."
"You looked a little flushed in the face last night, and your mother and I were worried you might have contracted an illness."
Annabella remembered how she had blushed at the falsehood, and another wash of guilt came over her. Oh, how she wished she'd never pretended to a headache!
"I—the rest did me a great deal of good, I assure you, Papa."
Her father patted her hand and smiled broadly. "I am glad to hear it. Well, then! I must tell you—and you will be happy to hear this, I am sure—the Duke of Stratton has asked permission pay his addresses to you! What do you think of that, Bella?"
"Oh!" The guilt intensified and mixed with a distinct, trapped feeling. Annabella swallowed.
" 'Oh'? Is that all you have to say, child?" her mother asked with a smile.
"I do not know what to say. I... I am sure I do not deserve it."
Sir Robert laughed. "Oh, come, Bella! You are a mischievous puss at times, but never beyond what most children have been. You have always been a good girl, and I am proud a man such as the Duke of Stratton has taken an interest in you."
"Interested only? He has not asked for permission to marry me?"
Her mother leaned forward. "No, and that is what is so admirable about him. He fully understands the sensibilities of a young lady, and would not impose his wishes upon you until he knows your affections are wholly engaged. There are few men who are so considerate, my dear."
Relief flowed into Annabella, and this made her feel more guilty than ever. She should be glad the duke had asked to court her in such a proper manner, but she was not. How silly she was being, to be sure! There was nothing to object in him. Surely, her parents would have seen it if there was. If there was anything to object in anyone, it was in her, for did she not go against her parents' wishes and go to the masquerade last night?
"Is there something the matter, Bella?" her mother asked.
Oh, heavens. "I—I did not have the headache last night, Mama."
Lady Smith raised her brows in question, and Sir Robert looked at her in surprise.
"I know you said I should not, for the duke was to come last night, but I wanted so to go to the masquerade with Corisande Bentley, and I went out the servants' door—"
"Annabella!" cried her mother.
"By God, girl, if he had known! Not deserve his attentions, you said! I almost think you are in the right of it!" Sir Robert exclaimed.
Annabella hung her head. "I am sorry. I... perhaps I am not ready to marry."
She felt a hand push up her chin, and she met her father's stern eyes. "None of that, my girl! You are nearly one and twenty years of age, and have been out on the town for more then two years now. You are quite old enough to be betrothed. To be stealing out behind our backs!" He shook his head. "We have been indulgent, your mother and I, with your choosiness. When you turned down Lord Ebberly, we knew you could do better, and agreed perhaps he was a little flighty. We even acknowledged perhaps the Viscount Windover was a little young to be setting up his nursery. You were young, also, and we saw no harm in your enjoying parties and such."
Sir Robert turned and paced the room. "But now you are a woman grown, and must look to the future. We have already heard talk about your flightiness. This is not what I like to hear about my daughter. There is nothing to which anyone can object in the Duke of Stratton, and we thought perhaps you had a little tendre toward him. I recommend you consider his addresses quite seriously." He looked at her sternly.
Annabella wet her dry
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