Page 54 of Dare to Risk it All

Heavens. A secret rendezvous with the handsomest man in Europe. I may swoon. A good thing for you, I have no romantic sensibilities.

I will indeed be at Beverwyck. My parents and Felix and Emmeline will stay for a week before heading down to Holbrook. They will spend Christmas with Florence and Sterling and the new baby. I must admit I was torn whether to go too, but Beverwyck will be so merry, and I will visit in the new year and have little Betty all to myself.

Truly, though, I am touched by your anger on my behalf, but we must be sensible. I am not a great beauty. I admit I am vain enough to be relieved I am not so plain as I once was, but that is as far it goes. Perhaps “passably pretty” would not be an outrageous compliment, but I am too short and too round to be considered anything more. Pray, do not flatter me. Spanish coin from you of all men is too dreadful to contemplate. I trust you and do not wish to hear things I know to be untrue. I should feel foolish indeed to receive such comments.

I really cannot conceive how you think you can improve the dratted gown. Do you have hidden talents as a seamstress? I am beset with curiosity. Or are you simply planning to set light to it? I won’t object.

I am on pins to discover what you have in mind.

―Excerpt of a letter from Miss Evie Knight (daughter of Lady Helena and Mr Gabriel Knight) to Louis César de Montluc, Comte de Villen.

15th December 1840, on the road to Rowsley Hall, Derbyshire.

On the ride back to the Hall the following day, Greer and Raphe shared a carriage with her parents, and the discussion turned to their engagement and the coming nuptials.

“We could get a special licence, couldn’t we?” Greer asked, for she wanted to marry him at once. The sooner the better.

Raphe looked uncertain, but before he could answer, her mother spoke up.

“There’s no rush, child,” she said, shaking her head. “I know you want to be together, but I think there is no harm in waiting a while and getting to know each other better. Besides, we must have a grand wedding.”

“Mama!” Greer exclaimed with indignation. “You’re supposed to be the impulsive one.”

Her mother laughed, unrepentant. “Guilty as charged, but you are my daughter and sometimes I must at least pretend to be a sensible parent. Oh, don’t look so aggrieved, I’m only talking about a few months.”

“A few months!” Greer stared at her in horror, and then at her father, who shrugged.

“I don’t think it would be a terrible idea, love. We both like Raphe very much and we want you to be happy together, but, even by your mother’s standards, this has been something of a whirlwind.”

Greer’s heart pounded. How could her usually outrageous parents have chosen this of all moments to be sensible? “But Elspeth married Dare quickly.”

“Elspeth had no choice. She was ruined,” Mama said dryly.

Greer turned a mutinous expression on Raphe, who paled.

“No!” he said hastily. “Don’t even think it.”

“Too late,” Greer muttered. She folded her arms and glared out of the window. “It’s not fair,” she said, aware she sounded like a spoiled child and too disappointed to care.

“Love,” Raphe said gently. “I don’t want to wait either, but… I think your parents are right.”

She turned to stare at him in astonishment. The turncoat!

“Hear me out,” he said in a rush. “Where will we live? I haven’t been to my home since I was a boy. It’s been utterly abandoned. It could take months, years even to get it into a state where we can live in it.”

“You’re surely not proposing we wait until then?” Greer asked in alarm.

He smiled and shook his head. “I couldn’t,” he admitted. “I’d rather die, but I need a bit of time to see what’s what. That’s all. If it’s too far gone, we’ll make other arrangements while the work is done. I promise.”

Greer frowned and looked between him and her parents. “How long?”

“An April wedding would be nice,” her mother offered.

Greer shook her head, appalled.

“The end of January,” she countered.

“May?” Mama suggested.