Page 54 of The Spinster's Stolen Hear
He didn’t seem to notice the icy fury in her tone. Lord Barwick chuckled, reaching out to pinch her chin.
“What a sweet, modest thing you are. I’m quite fond of you, Miss Randall, and your mama likes me terribly. I think perhaps I should call on you and your mama, sooner rather than later, and we might talk about our futures. Ah, now, don’t let your maiden modesty frighten you, all shall be well!”
Pippa thought that the flush of ‘maiden modesty’ which he’d seen in her cheeks was in fact a rush of red-hot anger to her face. She breathed in deeply, steeling herself.
“I think I shall return to my mother now, Lord Barwick,” she said, voice tight.
Once again, he was oblivious to her tone and merely chuckled benevolently.
“Of course, of course. Shall we?”
He offered his arm again, but this time Pippa turned her back, ignoring him, and set off striding back by herself. It was the only expression of chagrin she’d seen on his face so far.
***
“What did he say, then?”
Pippa had had her eyes closed, head leaning back against the jolting carriage seat. It had been quite an ordeal, the family all fitting themselves into their respective carriages, along with the blankets and boxes and hampers and whatnot. In the end, Pippa and her mother had gotten into the last carriage, along with the picnic supplies. There was really not very much room.
She opened her eyes at her mother’s question.
“What do you mean?”
Bridget gave an impatient sigh. “Don’t be a fool. I know Lord Barwick means to make you an offer, although of course he’ll make his intentions formally known to me, first. We arranged that he should speak to you today.”
Pippa clenched her jaw. “You planned that ‘accidental’ meeting, then?”
Bridget sniffed. “Well, yes, of course I did. One can’t leave such things to chance.”
“No, of course not.”
There was a silence, during which Bridget regarded her stonily.
“I do not like this attitude of yours, Pippa. Not one bit. Tell me what Lord Barwick said to you, at once.”
Pippa breathed out slowly, trying to calm her impatient nerves.
“It was a lot of nonsense, Mama. He talked about the sort of wife he’d want – quiet, modest, never nagging or complaining, sweet, and so on. And then he seemed to think thatIembodied those qualities. Me!”
Bridget gave a satisfied smile, leaning back in the seat.
“Well, yes. We’ve worked hard to make sure he sees the ladylike, wifely qualities in you. It seems we’ve succeeded.”
“But Mama, I’m not like that. I’m not! Why should I pretend to be somebody that I am not? It’s deceitful. I don’t want to be a quiet, meek little wife. I shan’t ever be that person! You certainly were not.”
“Enough,” Bridget snapped, the smile dropping from her face. “You are not to use my marriage to your father as an example. Your marriage will not be like that, Pippa. You must understand that now.”
Pippa groaned aloud, knuckling her eyes. “Why can’t it be that way? If I could only find a man to love and respect, then…”
“You will love and respect whoever you marry. Marriage comes first, then respect, then love. In that order. And don’t you dare try to say that my marriage was not like that, because as I said, you are not to consider our marriage asordinary. Life is not like that. Anyway, we sacrificed wealth and position to marry, whereas wealth and position are your priorities here. Now, we…”
“Your priorities,” Pippa corrected, before she could stop herself.
Bridget glared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“They are your priorities, Mama. Not mine. I don’t care about position, and as for money, I only want enough to live upon.”
Her mother stared at her for a long moment, and Pippa forced herself to stare back.
