Page 44 of A Zephyr Rising
Her father’s reaction oddly didn’t disappoint her with the acute pain she felt she ought to have expected.How long had she spent telling him that Stephen wasn’t right for her?Too long.And he’d insisted all the same.Whatever was blinding her father in this way was something she couldn’t change.He’d thrown his lot in with Stephen, perhaps for Henry’s sake.
And his son and heir was ultimately less expendable than his troublesome daughter.
Her heart panged with the thought.
Her father folded the map over, revealing the open newspaper underneath it.Her engagement announcement was on display below it.“Care to explain this?”
Had he led with the terrible news about Mr.Martin to unnerve her?
Her mouth was dry.“You met him in London—the doctor who cared for?—”
“Yes, I know who the fellow is.That’s not the point.”
“I love him.”Not the whole truth, but she didn’t dare say any differently to her father.The thought of James made her happy.That was enough.It might not be the passionate excitement she’d once believed possible, but who knew if that even existed.“We’re compatible.He’s a good man, from a fine family.His parents are delighted.”
“He should have come to me.”Her father stood straighter.“This…running around, behind my back?—”
“There was nothing inappropriate in this, Father.And you can find no flaw with the man.He may not have Stephen Fisher’s wealth, but he’ll be a fine husband.And he’s willing to wait until after the war to be wed.”
“After the war?”The surprise in her father’s face was evident.
She counted her heartbeat by the soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the study.“Yes.I’m going to join the Queen Alexandra’s.You said I had to be engaged and I am.I spoke to the matron and she’s agreed to send me to Egypt for my post after my training.In fact, James is going to request the RAMC send him there, as well.”
“The Queen Alexandra’s…” Her father’s anger burned in his eyes.He pointed toward her.“You’re young and naïve.You know nothing of war.Nothing of how inhumane men can be toward one another.You think the situation with the Martins was a travesty?You’ll see soon enough.You’ll even learn to hate in a way you never thought possible.”
His shoulders sank as he squared off with her, his mouth set to a line.
At last, he gave a curt nod.“You’ve made a worthy adversary, Virginia.Beaten your father at his game, as it were.”
“It’s not about that?—”
His laugh was sardonic.“Isn’t it though?”He folded the newspaper and thrust it in her hands.“Have your doctor.And your nursing.But don’t think I’ll ever trust you again.”
Then he walked out the door, leaving her alone in his study.
Ginger braced herself against his desk, her emotions jumbled.
He’d said yes.
Yes.
Tears welled in her eyes and she covered her mouth, a choked, joyful laugh caught in her throat.
He would let her be a nurse.And she and James would be married.
The map on the desk promised something else…
Egypt awaited.
She sank back into her father’s chair, where she’d crawled as a girl to take shelter among the books and the sturdy scent of her home.The old leather was soft and worn and she ran her fingertips along the cracks in the grain.
…don’t think I’ll ever trust you again…
Nothing would ever be the same.
