Page 103 of The Unfortunate Debutante
Simeon came to stand next to her but stopped when Luke cleared his throat rather aggressively.
“You two will not be without a chaperone until after the wedding,” Luke warned.
“Leave the engagement ball to me,” Rachel said in a cheerful voice.
Simeon spoke up. “I have a few thoughts on the engagement ball, as well.”
“You do?” Emma asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
He winked at her. “Trust me.”
Emma couldn’t help but smile back at Simeon. He was going to court her! Her fairy tale dreams were finally coming true.
18
HoldingSimeon’s gloved hand in the moving coach, Emma couldn’t help but be nervous about meeting her grandfather for the first time. After all, she had so many questions that she needed answered.
“Cheer up, my dear,” her companion said, sitting across from her in the coach. “You are an engaged woman.”
“My apologies, Mrs. Morton,” Emma replied softly. “I am just anxious, I suppose.”
“Which is perfectly natural. I would be concerned if you weren’t nervous,” Simeon said lightly.
Emma smiled up at him. “Thank you for agreeing to come with me.”
“There is no place I’d rather be,” he declared, returning her smile.
Mrs. Morton sighed. “True love. It’s rather exciting, is it not?”
The carriage came to a stop in front of a three level, whitewashed townhouse in a fashionable part of town. An iron gate lined the property. A footman appeared and opened the carriage door.
As they walked up to the front door, Simeon offered one arm to her and the other to Mrs. Morton.
The door opened, and an imposing butler asked, “May I help you?”
“I am here to see Sir Alymer Blackmore,” Emma announced.
The butler glanced at her in surprise. “Do you have a calling card, miss?”
“No, but you can inform him that his granddaughter has called upon him.”
The butler’s eyes widened as he opened the door. “Please come in, Miss Pearson.” He escorted them to the drawing room. “I will inform Sir Alymer and Lady Blackmore of your arrival.”
She gasped. “My grandmother is alive, as well?”
“Yes, miss,” the butler answered with kind eyes. “They’ve been expecting you.”
Mrs. Morton walked up to her and placed her hand tenderly on her arm. “I think it would be best if I wait in the entry hall.”
Once her companion stepped out, Emma turned to face Simeon and looked up at him. “I have a grandfather and a grandmother.”
Simeon gave her a crooked smile. “Soon, you will have my side of the family to contend with, as well. You’ll have so many relations that you may grow tired of some.”
“I doubt that,” she replied.
The sound of clicking on the tile alerted them to someone approaching. They stepped apart, creating proper distance.
A man bearing a striking resemblance to her brother David walked into the room, followed by a petite woman with white hair pulled back in a high chignon. They stopped and stared at her.
