Page 72 of Foolish Bride
Dory patted her arm. “Not to worry, dear. I think your secret is safe. Though, I would recommend you stifle the constant humming and the daft smile.”
“What?”
Dory lowered her voice. “You came into the breakfast room humming, ignored that we were sitting here, and turned from the buffet with the most ridiculous smile on your face. I shall not even mention the quantity of food you procured. Suffice to say, at this rate Sophia will have to send the servants to market on a more constant basis.”
“Oh.” Elinor wanted to crawl under the table.
“Should we take a long walk after you’ve finished that troth? Perhaps you could stand a talk between friends?” Dory smiled.
It was exactly what she needed. “I would like that very much.”
It took a significant amount of time, but Elinor finished every bite of food on her plate.
The two ladies walked to the far end of the gardens, where there was a lovely fountain and some bushes that were not so high as to conceal prying eyes. A series of benches lined the square, and there were several varieties of flowers in bloom.
They sat, and Dory looked from one end of the garden to the other before turning back to Elinor. “So you have slept with Michael Rollins.”
“Yes.” Elinor liked her directness and loved that she could answer honestly without worry of recrimination or judgement.
Dory watched her for several moments. “You do not seem devastated by the event, at least not in the negative sense. Does his grace intend to marry you?”
“Yes.”
“And you wish this as well?”
“Of course. I love Michael. You know I do. I am still working out my anger over him abandoning me, but last night went a long way toward that goal. The problem is Middleton.”
Dory waved it off. “I see no issue. Kerburghe has offered. Middleton has not. You have only one option. Your mother can’t argue with that.”
Elinor stared at the pebbled path at her feet.
Dory’s legs swung back and forth. She stopped them. “Oh, I see. Middleton has also offered. Has he gone to your mother?”
“No. He said he would wait for my answer before he did.”
“Then perhaps this will all work out. You will have to tell Middleton that you will not marry him.” Dory lowered her voice. “It is imperative that your mother never knows he has offered.”
“Yes. I know.”
“And, forgive me for saying so, but your mother is easily influenced by the ideas of others. We must start to talk up Kerburghe until she thinks him a saint.”
“Yes. I agree. I confess I planned to ask for your and Sophia’s help with that.”
“Consider it done.”
“Thank you.”
She and Dory had been friends since infancy. Their families’ country estates were next to each other. They had been through everything together. Elinor cleared her throat. “Shall I tell you everything, or would you prefer to be left in the dark?”
Dory grinned and clapped her hands. “I thought you’d never ask. I want to know every detail. From the look of you, I can see that it was not what my mother describes as a horrible experience.”
Elinor placed her palm against her cheek. Something would have to be done about all that blushing. She willed any embarrassment away. “It was the farthest thing from that, Dory. It was spectacular.”
For more than an hour, Elinor related every detail of the previous night. When she wasn’t asking questions, Dory sat wide-eyed and listened intently.
The hour grew late. The gentlemen would have returned from shooting. Elinor bubbled with the memories of the previous night.
Dory pulled on her hair and wrung her hands. Her eyes grew wide and her cheeks pale.
