Page 69 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

Mr. Welton seated himself as near to me as he could. Hattie looked as if she was suppressing a grin as she glanced from Mr. Welton to Mr. Merritt and then to me. Millicent just lifted her brows slightly as she met my eye.

There were long lulls in the conversation. I felt so weary, I wondered if the hours for accepting calls would never end. Finally, Mrs. Drake said, “Mr. Merritt, I wonder that your mother can spare you for so long. I hear she is in town.”

I gave Mrs. Drake a look. I would have to tell her later that even though Mr. Welton was a favorite of hers, it was not acceptable to be rude to our other guests.

As Mr. Merritt was leaving, he said quietly, “Shall I see you tomorrow? For our walk?”

“Nine o’clock is when I like to have my morning walk.”

“I will be here then.”

Mr. Welton had a smug look on his face as he bid Mr. Merritt a good day. I was fairly certain he’d heard what we had said.

When Mr. Merritt had gone, I saw Mr. Welton wink at Mrs. Drake.

“Come, Miss Skidmore, Miss Jacobs. I have some fabric I want to consult you about, whether it will make a good afternoon dress. Miss Robbins, you stay here and keep Mr. Welton company until we return.” By the smirk, I knew something was afoot.

I felt my stomach drop.

Millicent and Hattie glanced back at me as they left the room.

As soon as they were gone, Mr. Welton slid to one knee on the floor in front of me.

“Miss Robbins, I think you’ve been able to see what an attachment I have to you, and I believe that you have formed an attachment to me as well. In fact, my feelings for you are too strong to be restrained, and I beg you to marry me and put me out of this misery I find myself in, longing for your company every moment of every day.”

The first thought that came to me was that he reminded me of a fish with its mouth open. The second was that if he longed for my company every moment, why had he left me at the dance and not returned for nearly two hours?

But I needed to be serious, for Mr. Welton was obviously very serious and needed a serious answer. Oh dear. I didn’t wish to give him pain, but I had to give him an honest answer.

“Mr. Welton, I am very flattered by your sentiments and by your proposal, but I am afraid you have mistaken my friendship for something more. I am sorry, but—”

“Before you say anything else, I beg you to think it over. I can wait for an answer. I should have realized you would need more time, and I should have spent more time courting you. Is that why you are reluctant to say yes to my heartfelt proposal? I am willing to share all my worldly goods, everything with you.” He grabbed my hand from my lap and squeezed it between both of his. “Please, Miss Robbins. Won’t you give me a chance to make you love me?”

I pulled my hand out of his grasp as I stood, leaving him kneeling on the floor.

“Miss Robbins, do you feel nothing for the pain you are causing me? You led me to believe you felt as much affection for me as I did for you.”

“No, Mr. Welton, I did not. I—”

“What of the assembly last evening? You danced with me two times, one after the other. Everyone saw your preference for me. No one will believe that you did not prefer me over every other gentleman in the room.”

I started for the door.

“Wait, please. Let us not quarrel.”

I did not stop until I had snatched the door open and startled when I found the servant standing there. “Lord Brookhaven is here to see you, ma’am.”

And indeed, he stood just behind the servant and was looking past me and at Mr. Welton in the room behind me. And he was scowling.

William could see over Miss Robbins’s shoulder that Welton was there, and he was getting up off his knees.

“Come in, Lord Brookhaven,” she said, standing aside, and told the servant, “Please fetch Mrs. Drake, Miss Skidmore, and Miss Jacobs.”

The servant bowed and strode away.

Mr. Welton was now standing. William hoped the man could see the warning in his eyes, for if he had accosted Miss Robbins in any way, he would regret it.

They waited for Miss Robbins to sit before taking their seats. They had to immediately return to their feet as Mrs. Drake, Millicent, and Hattie entered the room and made their polite greetings.