Page 43 of Scandalous Heiress
“You can,” Ada insisted and bent to kiss her cheek.“It’s only one more day.But I cannot bear to stay.And you will do well here.Sir James really likes you.I see it.You feel it, too.”
“I don’t have him yet,” Ezzie pointed out.“If you stay, I’ll have you to help me negotiate my dowry.With anyone!”
Refusing to fault Ezzie for using that to keep her here, Ada knew Richard would not stop at his attempted seduction of her.“If I stay, I will not be happy.Nor will you.Edgecombe is the man who is worthy of you, Ez.”
Nothing for it.Ezzie had to learn to navigate society and men by herself.Either as a marchioness or a countess, Ezzie would feel the pressures as well as the freedom of her position.
In the end, Ezzie had agreed, hugged Ada to her chest and with tears in her eyes, bid her safe journey.
The hansom cab idled at the broad front steps of the London residence of Killian Hanniford.Chaumont fished in her reticule for money to pay the man as Ada stepped out to the sidewalk.She inhaled the marvelous air.So close to Hyde Park, the breezes carried fragrances of trees and grasses.London in the springtime, especially in the early afternoon, was more than pleasant.The winter snows and rains cleansed unhealthy aromas wafting from the Thames.So early in the day, it was even possible to see clearly.The fog and the danger of it as dusk fell changed the atmosphere of the town from the Palladian bustling beauty of it at noon to a shrouded nightmare in the dark.
She climbed the steps and let the knocker fall.Chaumont joined her and Ada took the opportunity to encourage the lady to go to her room straight away and rest.Last year, Chaumont who had initially rented her own little house not far away, gave it up as inflation ate at her income.Ada’s father and step-mother invited her to live with them in their fashionable Piccadilly home.She’d accepted and brought her own maid with her.
“I will, Miss.I promise you,” Chaumont said.“I am quite exhausted from the morning’s travel.”
Concerned that the butler had not yet answered the door, Ada lifted the knocker again and let it fall.
Foster pulled it open, surprise widening his droopy eyes.“Miss Ada?”
“Yes.I’m a day early.”
“Welcome home.MadameChaumont,bonjour.I’m sure your arrival will be welcome.”
Ada stepped into the sanctuary of her father and step-mother’s home, handing over her reticule and discarding her cape and gloves.“Who’s at home?My step-mother?Is Papa here?”
“No, Mister Hanniford is at his office in the City.But your mother takes her luncheon in the dining room with your sister, Her Grace, and your cousin,Madame la Princesse.If you’d like to join them—?”
“I would.I will.”Off she went, up the stairs toward the first floor and the comfort of those she loved.“No need to announce me, Foster.Do go to your tasks, please.I’ll surprise them!”
She flung open the double doors and chuckled at the three women who gaped at her in surprise.“My favorite ladies!”
Each of them rose and each, in varying stages of pregnancy, with some difficulty.Her step-mother, Olivia was a tall lady with fiery red hair and dark chocolate eyes.Her older sister, Lily, the duchess of Seton, beamed at her with crystal blue eyes so like Ada’s.Her beautiful blonde cousin Marianne,duchesse deRemy andprincessed’Aumale, rushed to her, hands out to bring her into their fold.
Hugging each in turn, Ada hung back to consider each of their figures.“I see all of you are doing your duty and remaining disturbingly healthy.”
Lily lifted a shoulder.“We’re increasing the family as quickly as we can.”
“We speak of you, dear girl,” said Marianne with a flutter of her long pale lashes, “and your need to find a man and join us in our healthy endeavors.”
At that comment Ada rolled her eyes.But she kissed and hugged each one in turn.
“Do sit down, dearest,” said her step-mother Liv with a chuckle, “and we can bore you with details which will make you reconsider any man’s proposal of marriage.”
“You’ll have a difficult time selling me on the idea that all of you are unhappy.”She took at chair at the table and one of the footmen appeared with a pitcher of iced water and began to assemble china and cutlery in front of her.He draped a napkin in her lap and poured for her.“Now do recount all the details I’ve missed.”
If her relatives wished to dissuade her from marriage and procreation, they did a poor job of it.All of them naturally slender, they had gained weight.Liv looked as though she’d gained the most, but she was farthest along at six months.Lily had recently learned she was pregnant with her third child and with two sons, she and Julian wished for a daughter.Marianne was expecting her second child with her husband the sculptor, theduc deRemy, in November.Ada, as had often been the case for many years, felt as if she did not belong to this group.How many times had she gone to a party as she had this past week, and wished to meet a man she could love?Marry.One who talked with intelligence, listened with eagerness, danced with grace and wanted only her.
She sat, polite and eager for their news, but jealous of their good fortune.Sinking deeper into her sadness about her conflict over Victor Cole, she put a bright face on it.
“What’s wrong?”asked Lily, her clear blue eyes intent on her.
“You’re not yourself,” said Marianne with a toss of her platinum curls.
“Didn’t they treat you well at Brentwood?”her step-mother Liv asked, concern making her frown.
“No, they were courteous,” she tried to brush it off and paid attention to her cutlet of veal.“It was amusing.”
“Amusing?Oh, my dear, that’s all?”
