Page 29 of An Offer for a Spinster
He never imagined for a moment that he would find love. Plenty of women would want to be the Duchess of Dunleigh, and that was the best he could hope for. William was not a man who threw his heart open wide at the slightest flash of feeling – his father had knocked that out of him early on. There was no time to try and pry his heart open.
Well done, Father,William thought, with a surge of bitterness that tasted as sour as bile in his mouth.You’ve made us just as miserable now that you’re dead as we were when you were alive. Congratulations. Wherever you are, I hope you’re satisfied.
Chapter Nine
“I can’t believe you’ve never seenMuch Ado About Nothing,Becky,” Amelia laughed, twitching back the carriage curtain to look through the window. “When I was young, I saw it all the time. It was – and is, I believe – Timothy’s favourite play.”
Outside, the rain was beginning to fall, and dusk was coming on. Not that it mattered – even from here, Timothy could see the bright lights of the Theatre beckoning them forward.
The carriage moved slowly, weaving its way through the crowded streets.Much Adowas one of the more popular plays, with plenty of comedy and likeable characters, and he had no doubt that the theatre would be packed tonight. Ordinary people with just enough money for a standing ticket were filing into the main auditorium, while ladies and gentlemen of a higher standing would be escorted to their reserved boxes.
Occasionally, Timothy had deliberately bought a standing ticket, and pushed his way through the crowded floor, solely to experience it for himself. It was a thrilling experience. Crowded, to be sure, as well as hot and bothersome, but hefeltthe play in a way he hadn’t quite before, experiencing it breathlessly with hundreds of others, elbow to elbow. It was a worthwhile experience and had served as the basis for one of his hero’s scenes inNorthwood Castle.
The carriage jolted to a halt at last, before the wider, neater entrance for ‘proper’ ladies and gentlemen.
A theatre attendant came forward to open the carriage door and pull down the steps. Amelia and Rebecca climbed down almost together, chattering excitedly, leaving Timothy behind.
He didn’t mind. He followed, smiling to himself, watching his aunt and sister lean on each other, happy without the cloyingpresence of the Rutherford family. He was glad he’d offered to take them today. It would be a good thing for them both.
And then the two ladies stopped so suddenly he nearly walked into their backs.
“Oh,” Rebecca exclaimed. “Lady Katherine is here!”
Timothy’s heart plummeted into his stomach, his good mood evaporating immediately. He glanced past the two women, and sure enough, there she was.
Lady Katherine looked breathtakingly beautiful tonight. She was wearing a pale blue gauzy dress with long white gloves, a delicate white lace shawl around her shoulders. That shawl was currently being taken by none other than Lord Barwood himself. Of course. He assiduously folded the shawl, handing it unceremoniously to the maid accompanying her mistress.
Lady Katherine looked… well, it was hard to identify her expression. She kept a pleasant smile on her face, of course, but the smile seemed fixed in place, and did not reach her eyes. When Lord Barwood reached out to take her arm, she flinched, almost imperceptibly. Steeling herself, she accepted his arm with a gracious smile, and the pair turned to leave the foyer and find their seats.
“Wait!” Rebecca called, louder than a lady was meant to speak in public, making them all jump. “Lady Katherine!”
The woman in question turned, and Timothy was perfectly placed to see relief and happiness spread across her face.
“Miss Rutherford! Lady Amelia!” she exclaimed, slipping her arm away from her escort and hurrying towards them. “How excellent to see you! Can I assume you are going to see the Shakespeare play, too?Much Adois one of my favourites.”
Lord Barwood was obliged to follow Lady Katherine, although he looked rather displeased about it all. Lady Katherine swept her eyes over Timothy, sparing him a small smile which made him feel oddly nervous, then returned her attention tothe two women. Lord Barwood gave him a brief nod, and that was all. No matter, though. Timothy was happy to stand and be quiet. They formed a little group in the foyer, chattering happily between themselves.
And then – miracle upon miracle – Rebecca discovered that they were, in fact, all sitting in the same box.
Lord Barwood looked almost comically annoyed, and Timothy fought to suppress a pleased smile.
Up in their box – number twenty-four – the entire theatre spread out below them. Candles glittered everywhere, uncountable, and Timothy found himself wondering who had the responsibility of lighting all of those candles each evening and putting them out afterwards. A novelist had to consider these details, even if they were never written down. Books, as everyone knew, were not simply paper and binding. They were stories, and stories ran deeper than black print on white paper. Much, much deeper.
Their box was comfortable, affording a good view of the stage. Talking amongst themselves, the ladies took the seats closer to the balcony, leaving Lord Barwood and Timothy to sit behind.
And then Amelia hesitated, glancing behind her.
“Wait, Timothy, take my seat. It’s not fair for you to sit behind, it’s your favourite play.”
“No, Amelia, I’m fine.”
“I insist,” she said firmly, getting up and gesturing to her empty seat. “You let me sit in the best seat when we went to seeHamlet. It’s only fair.”
And so, Timothy found himself sitting between Rebecca and Lady Katherine, with Amelia and a disgruntled-looking Lord Barwood sitting behind with the maid. His skin became covered in goose-flesh.
Stop it,he scolded himself.Concentrate on the play. Have you never sat next to a pretty woman before?
It wasn’t just any pretty woman, though. It was Katherine Willoughby, the woman who’d occupied his thoughts for longer than he could remember.
