Page 62 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

“I have every intention of attending the evening assembly.”

“Well, good, for I have just seen Miss Charlotte Robbins in Trafalgar Square, and she says she will be there with her friends, Miss Millicent Skidmore and another young lady, who she said is arriving today. I believe her name was Hattie Something-or-other. And you had better not tiptoe around, for I believe that Anthony Welton may very well ask her to marry him soon.”

“What makes you say that?” He imagined himself demanding a duel with that blackguard, pistols at twenty paces. Or better yet, swords—all the better to give vent to his feelings with lunging, slashing, and striking.

“He was escorting her and her friend, but it was obvious that he was after Miss Robbins.”

“And she? How did she behave?” He wouldn’t have asked anyone besides his aunt, but it still rankled that he asked.

“You’re not still testing her, are you? Truly, William—”

“I’m not testing her. I never said I was testing her.” But he wasn’t certain yet if Miss Robbins cared for him. Besides, the whole point of giving her the fortune was to allow her to choose for herself what she wanted to do with her life, not to test her.

“I can hardly blame you, I suppose, after what happened with Letitia, but Miss Robbins is artless in the best possible way, and yet also clever. I do wish . . .”

He was no longer listening. Lady Derringer knew he never wished to speak of his former fiancée, that her name was not to be spoken around him.

It all came rushing back, the memories he tried so hard not to think about. What a fool he was to trust her. But at least he’d escaped, and it was that whey-faced Wexford who was married to her now.

Not only had she not loved him, but she must have hated him to treat him thus—

“William? Did you hear me?”

“No.”

“I said, I fear for what she will say and feel when she discovers her fortune came from you. So why not marry her? Now that she has a fortune, no one will judge you.”

“How strange that people would judge me for wishing to marry someone for herself and not her money.”

“That isn’t exactly what I was saying. You know how people would have talked if you’d married her when she was your governess. You know this as well as anyone.”

“And why, exactly, should I care about how people would talk?”

Lady Derringer frowned at him in her scolding, older-aunt way.

“I’m going for a ride. I shall be ready when it is time.” He bowed out of the room with her still frowning at him.

Twenty

“An evening assembly,” Hattie said, her eyes wide. “I cannot believe I am attending an evening assembly in London.”

“You will probably meet the Earl of Brookhaven,” Millicent said. “He is Charlotte’s good friend, you know.”

Hattie kept clasping and unclasping her hands in the carriage. “Are you sure my dancing is good enough for an evening assembly such as this?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” I patted Hattie’s hand. “Just take a deep breath and don’t look at your feet. I assure you, you dance as well as most of the young ladies who will be there.”

Hattie still looked frightened, but she said, “Thank you so much for loaning me your dress.”

“I shall have some made for you now that you’re here.”

“That is too generous, Charlotte. I would say no, but I don’t want you to be embarrassed by me around your new friends.”

Mrs. Drake was staring out the window, fanning herself. I could guess her thoughts. She thought I should find new friends, ones of higher birth than Hattie and Millicent, as I sought the approval of this new social class. But what good was a fortune if I had to cower to others, people who were neither related to me nor to anyone I loved and therefore should have no bearing on my opinions?

We arrived at the assembly rooms at the same time as everyone else in London.

“What a line of carriages,” Mrs. Drake said. “We shall sit here half the night waiting for our turn, I dare say.”