Page 115 of Three Weeks with a Princess
Lia let out a faint, hollow laugh. She’d wanted plain speaking from her mother and she’d certainly gotten it. “I don’t think I do anymore.”
“You should give up this silly notion of becoming a courtesan,” her mother blithely carried on. “It’s not the life for you, Lia. The best thing you can do is marry Jack and return to Stonefell. God knows you’ve earned the right to be mistress of that blasted place.”
Earned it? How did one earn something like that? Love and all that came with it was a gift that must be freely given or it wasn’t worth having at all.
“I must say,” her mother added with a sly smile, “I wish I could see Lady John’s expression when Jack tells her that he’s going to marry you. That would be quite delicious.”
“None of that, Mama,” Lia said in a sharp voice. “There’s been enough pain in our families and I will not have you gloating. Besides, it’s far from settled that Jack and I will be marrying at all.”
“Oh pish. You’d be a fool not to marry him, and I know very well that your grandmother would never raise a fool.” She glanced at the small watch pinned to her waist. “Goodness, look at the time. Your stepfather will be waiting for me.” For her, the discussion was clearly over.
Mama stood and made for the door but then paused to look back. “I would advise you not to keep him waiting long. Men are not the most patient creatures on the planet, and you certainly don’t want to give his mother any more time to influence his decision. I strongly suggest you take at least that bit of advice from me.”
“Mama, wait,” she said, getting up and following her out into the hall.
“Yes, dear?”
“If I’m not able to take care of Granny, you will, won’t you?”
She smiled and again patted Lia on the cheek. “Of course I will. She’s my mother and she gave up everything for me, too.”
And with that, her mother turned and bustled off in the direction of the stage. After the sound of her short train swishing over the floorboards faded, the old building seemed to settle into a decrepit silence. With a sigh, Lia made her way toward the dressing rooms of the principal dancers and singers. She had the answers she’d come for, most of them dreadful. She might as well try to salvage a bit of good by stopping in to see how Amy was faring.
As she traversed the dingy corridors of the theater, they made her feel slightly claustrophobic for the first time. The city, with its cramped spaces and high walls, was beginning to wear on her. She missed the country more than she cared to admit and longed for a good, clean breath of brisk Yorkshire air.
“May I come in?” she asked, pausing at one of the dressing room doors.
Amy was sitting on a stool, fiddling with her dancing slippers. She glanced up with an eager smile. “Miss, it’s so good to see you.” She dropped her slippers and rose to give Lia a fierce hug. “You’re looking a bit peaked for someone who’s keeping company with such a handsome gent as Lord Lendale. Everything all right?”
Everyone asked Lia that same blasted question. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. How are you? It’s your first day back, is it not?”
Amy nodded. “’Tis, and I’m happy to be here. Your ma and Mr. Lester were grand to take care of me, but I was like to crawl out of my skin being laid up in bed for so long.”
Mama and Stephen had been horrified by how Prudhoe had abused Amy and had insisted on bringing her to their town house to recover. Stephen had been so infuriated that he’d been ready to challenge the baronet to a duel, or at least tomill him down, as he’d put it. Only Jack’s insistence that he was taking care of the matter—and Mama’s frantic demands that her husband not tangle withquality—had stopped him.
“You’ll be dancing in no time,” Lia said, pleased to see the bruising had mostly faded from Amy’s lovely face. “You’ve not had any more trouble, have you? With Sir Nathan, I mean.”
“Not a peep from that bloody degenerate,” Amy said with a sneer. “Lord Lendale said he would see to it that he never bothered me again and so far he hasn’t. Mr. Lester even sent a note telling him that he wasn’t welcome anymore at the Pan.”
“Huzzah. Good for my stepfather.”
Amy gave her a rueful smile. “I’m not sure Sir Nathan would give two hoots about that, or even listen to Mr. Lester. But I think your beau put a real scare into him. Sir Nathan would never have the guts to go up against a marquess.”
“I’m happy Lord Lendale has been so supportive, but he’s not really my beau,” Lia said.
“That’s not what the gossips are saying. According to them, Lendale’s been sniffing around your skirts like—”
“Yes, well, never mind the gossips,” Lia interrupted. “They’ll say anything.”
Amy looked disappointed. “That’s too bad. I was hoping you would marry him. He’s such a fine-looking fellow, and if anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s you, miss.”
“Thank you, but I’ll have to find my happy ending some other way,” Lia said, trying not to sound depressed by the notion.
Amy cocked her head and studied her, like an inquisitive sparrow. “You love him, don’t you, Miss Lia?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“It is to anyone with eyes in her head. You light up when you’re around him, even when you’re sniping at each other. And it’s clear he’s mad about you, too.”
