She watched Elijah's back disappear into the darkness and sighed, longing to speak with him without her mother, his family, or Mr. Quigley there to interrupt.
"Well," Mrs. Crosgrove said brightly as the door shut and the last of the guests had departed, "this evening turned out quite successful, did it not, Lilyanna?"
"Yes, Mother," Lilyanna responded as she followed her up the stairs, "The meal was delicious and the entertainment was more than sufficient. I am certain all of our guests enjoyed themselves."
"Oh, I am sure they did, but that is not the only reason I feel particularly triumphant."
As they reached the top of the stairs, they each retrieved a candle from a nearby table, and Lilyanna noticed a sly smile stretching across her mother's face. "May I ask what you mean?"
"I believe we have finally secured Mr. Bainbridge's attachment to you. You performed exactly as you should have tonight for him to notice your accomplishments."
Lilyanna stopped walking. "I am not trying to ensnare him, Mother."
"Oh, Lilyanna," Mrs. Crosgrove said, turning around, "do not begin to profess you were not vying for his attention the whole of the evening."
"I will not," Lilyanna said, her brows pulling together in a frown. "I admit, I have formed quite a liking to Mr. Bainbridge, and I can only hope he enjoys conversing with me as I do with him. However, I can speak truthfully when I say I do not wish to trick him into feeling any sort of fondness for me."
Mrs. Crosgrove sighed as she continued down the hallway, her back toward Lilyanna. "It matters not, for you have obtained quite the desirable outcome."
Lilyanna followed after her mother, biting back her words until she reached her. "Do you now wish for me to seek out a relationship with Mr. Bainbridge rather than Mr. Quigley?"
"Goodness, child," Mrs. Crosgrove said, with a roll of her eyes, "do try to use the brain given you. Mr. Bainbridge earns twofold more than Mr. Quigley a year. Not only that, the Godfreys appear more agreeable than the Fenimores, if only in appearances, and that is something to consider. I also learned a great deal of Elijah's manners while speaking to him, as well as his family's history. Do you know he is to inherit a large estate in Warwickshire? I had to practically drag the information from him, but I suppose his humility was simply showing forth, which is not a bad trait to possess either."
Lilyanna's giddiness increased as Mrs. Crosgrove explained her approval of Elijah. In that moment, she cared not if her mother thought he only liked her because she pretended to be someone she was not, for Mrs. Crosgrove approved of him, and that was something to celebrate.
"Still," Mrs. Crosgrove said as they reached her door and paused, "we must not give up on Mr. Quigley, for he is wealthy enough, and his manners are flattering. Yes, keeping him near would be beneficial, especially since there is the great chance of Mr. Bainbridge not falling in love with you, which, as we well know, could happen very easily."
Lilyanna frowned once again because of her mother's words.
"Yes," Mrs. Crosgrove continued, her eyes staring at the large countryside mural painted on the wall next to her door, "I do believe you will have a husband by the end of the season, and that is blessed news, indeed. I shall leave you now, for I am quite exhausted from the excitement of the evening. Goodnight."
Mrs. Crosgrove disappeared into her room with a flip of her dress, leaving Lilyanna to stand alone in the hallway, her lit candle being her only light in the darkness.
She made her way slowly to her room, her thoughts swirling around in her mind. Her mother seemed overjoyed at the prospect of Lilyanna having two men interested in her, however, Lilyanna only felt sickened at Mrs. Crosgrove's request to deceive anyone, even if it was Mr. Quigley, a man she felt nothing beyond acquaintanceship with.
He may have forgotten his manners tonight, Lilyanna thought, but Mr. Quigley is a gentleman, and no gentleman deserves to be treated in such a way.
She reached her bedroom, dismissing her maid with a smile as she assured her she would undress alone that night. As the young woman scuttled from the room, however, Lilyanna plopped herself still dressed on her bed, her thin brows pulling together with concern.
What if Mother is right and Mr. Bainbridge does lose interest in me? she thought as she watched the flames dance in the fireplace near her bedside. Does that mean I will have to settle for Mr. Quigley?
She sighed, lying down on her side on the bed as exhaustion overcame her. She tossed her slippers onto the floor and pulled her knees, still covered by her evening gown, up to her chest, hoping to push aside her mother's muddling words to regain some of the carefree joy she experienced whenever she thought of Elijah Bainbridge.
Elijah smiled as he, Isaac, and Hazel rode home from the Crosgrove's dinner party, his eyes focusing on the dark countryside rolling past him as the carriage jostled along the bumpy road.
"What are you thinking about, Elijah?" Hazel asked.
"I was simply thinking about the party," he replied, knowing his sister would, no doubt, want more.
He smiled again as he thought of what a fine time he had had. Hazel's earlier warning of Lilyanna's potential union with Mr. Quigley had shaken him somewhat, but his confidence had returned when he saw Lilyanna's clear favoring of himself over the lanky gentleman, and the thought gave him a feeling akin to pride.
"It was very lovely," Isaac said. "I quite enjoyed myself."
"As did I," Hazel agreed. "The Crosgroves are a fine family, are they not?"
"Yes, indeed." Isaac nodded. "It was fascinating to hear Miss Crosgrove's account of her father's time in the navy."
"And Mrs. Crosgrove seemed a great deal interested in our own family's history and name," Hazel said.
"She spoke with Elijah about it for nearly the whole of the meal," Isaac added.
Elijah nodded. "She seemed to have a never ending amount of questions about our parents, as well."
"She seems very proper," Hazel said.
"Yes," Isaac said. "It would be quite entertaining to watch her meet your mother, would it not?"
The Godfreys laughed, but Elijah's smile quickly faded away. Mrs. Crosgrove would, no doubt, disagree with Mrs. Bainbridge's peculiar ways. Did that mean her daughter would disapprove, as well?
An image popped into his mind of Lilyanna stuffing her torn lace underneath a chair's cushion, and he grinned.
Yes, Mrs. Crosgrove is sophisticated, he thought, possibly to the point of perfection, but Lilyanna has proven herself to be different from her mother in many regards. And I would not choose to have her any other way.
"I am glad you enjoyed yourself this evening, Elijah," Isaac said, breaking into Elijah's thoughts.
He nodded. "As am I."
Hazel scoffed. "I wonder at how you could have enjoyed yourself so much," she muttered under her breath.
Elijah looked to his sister, his smile lessening. He thought of the kindness Lilyanna portrayed through her ready smile and bright blue eyes, despite Hazel's aloof behavior that evening.
"I know you do not approve of Miss Crosgrove, Hazel," Elijah said turning in his seat to face her directly, "but I will not deny or try to hide my attachment to her any longer. She is kind, of good conversation, and very pretty. I admit to having already grown quite fond of her."
Hazel stared at him, her eyes softening. "Forgive me for my behavior this evening, brother," she said, looking to her hands folded in her lap. "It was uncalled for. As I said before, I simply fear for your well-being. That being said, I only witnessed kindness from Miss Crosgrove this evening, even if she did not receive it from my end."
"And what of her supposed attachment to Mr. Quigley?" Elijah asked.
"I must have been wrong in that regard, as well," she said, nearly smiling, "for I did not see her take her eyes off of you the entirety of the party. I am sure it is you who has captured her attention."
Elijah smiled, satisfied as he looked out the carriage window once again. "I certainly hope so, Hazel," he said. "I certainly hope so."
Chapter Five
"I feel like reading for awhile, Mother," Lilyanna said as she stood from her chair in the parlor. "I shall be in the library until it is time to make ready for the evening's party."
"Very well," Mrs. Crosgrove responded, though she did not look up from her embroidery.
Lilyanna made her way to the large library and chose a book before settling down into one of the room's comfortable, oversized chairs. Upon opening the leather-bound book, however, her eyes glazed over, blurring the words in front of her as her mind once again traveled to the approaching evening and what it held.
Not a week had passed since their dinner party when Lilyanna and her mother received an invitation from the Godfreys to attend an evening at their home. Lilyanna had been ecstatic from her mother's instant acceptance to the request and had counted down the hours until the day finally arrived.
Yet, as she sat in the library, only a few hours left until she could see Elijah, her patience continued to thin. Her eyes traveled across the room's brown furnishings and dark colored walls before settling on the large window overlooking Heatherhill's back gardens and stables. Mr. Lowick, the estate's groom, was leading a chestnut horse through the stable doors, and Lilyanna smiled, clapping her book shut and rushing out the door.
With her shawl overhead, Lilyanna scuttled across the grounds of the large estate, blinking away the spare raindrops that managed to sneak past her makeshift shelter.
As soon as she made it through the stable doors, she replaced her shawl around her shoulders and secured the pins in her hair, noting the mud-soaked hem of her dress before looking up to see a smiling, elderly man in front of her.
"Hello there, Miss," Mr. Lowick said from where he stood in the nearest horse's stall, his thick, northern accent causing giving her cause to smile.
"Good morning, Mr. Lowick," Lilyanna replied, walking to the stall and resting her hands on the door. "How are you today?"
"Oh, fine, Miss, fine," he said, his old eyes wrinkling warmly with his grin. "Come to see Silhouette, have you?"
"Indeed," Lilyanna said, craning her neck down the aisle of stalls to see if she could spot her horse. "That is, if he is not already out."
"No," Mr. Lowick said, "not yet. I was going to take him as soon as I wipe down Ginger here, though."
"Wonderful," she said as she watched Mr. Lowick rub the chestnut's shining coat. "It looks as if you are almost finished with him."
"Almost, Miss."
"Then I shall wait for you," she said, noting every firm stroke Mr. Lowick made against the horse.
Ever since Lilyanna could remember, Mr. Lowick had been the groom at Heatherhill, and she often recalled the day she first spoke with him. For her fifth birthday, Captain Crosgrove had purchased Lilyanna a dapple gray gelding which she had promptly named Silhouette, her new favorite word, despite complaints from her mother of it being a name fit only for a mare. Her father had promised Lilyanna to teach her how to ride Silhouette, however, his duty to the navy had called him away soon after, leaving Lilyanna without a single lesson.
She had cried in the stables the day he left, but Mr. Lowick had quickly approached her, saying, "Do not worry, little one. I shall teach you, if your mother will allow it."
The kind man had wiped her tears away with a gray handkerchief until Lilyanna had dashed away to ask for her mother's consent. After weeks of Lilyanna pestering, Mrs. Crosgrove finally allowed it, and Lilyanna soon learned to ride with the groom's patient instructing. Ever since, Lilyanna had felt a kinship with the man, more so than she would ever reveal, for her mother would certainly look down upon any friendship with a groom.
"After you, Miss," Mr. Lowick said, and Lilyanna blinked as she came out of her reverie.
She smiled as she led the way past each stall, stopping at the last one holding Silhouette.
"Hello, there," she said, reaching out to scratch the horse on his gray forehead. "I am sure you are most excited to ride with Mr. Lowick today, are you not?"
The horse nickered in response.
"The trails have been quite muddy the past few days," Mr. Lowick said, retrieving a saddle from across the hall and entering Silhouette's stall. "The horses have been getting quite anxious to get out of the stables."
Lilyanna nodded. "I understand their plight."
Mr. Lowick eyed her, but she quickly changed the subject. "I trust my mother has called for the carriage for this evening?"
"Yes, Miss," he said, placing the saddle atop Silhouette and tightening the strap under the horse's wide girth.
"Very good," she continued. "We are to attend a dinner party at Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey's."
"Yes, Miss."
"I am quite looking forward to it. Especially because of the company," she continued.
"Of course, Miss," Mr. Lowick said, finally looking up from his task. "And…is it Mr. Quigley's company you are looking forward to?"
Lilyanna shook her head emphatically. "Heavens, no," she said. "Mr. Quigley is only a friend, although I do admit he may feel something for me that I am uncomfortable with."
Mr. Lowick nodded and went on to secure Silhouette's bridle as she continued.
"In truth, I hope Mr. Quigley has not received an invitation at all."
The moment she said the words, she clamped her small hand over her mouth. "I should not have said such a thing. That was terribly rude of me."
She was surprised to see Mr. Lowick's weathered face stretching into a smile, causing more wrinkles to form across his skin.
"I will not hold it against you, Miss," he said.
"Thank you," she said. "And again, no, Mr. Quigley has not captured my attention." She paused when she thought she saw a look of relief in Mr. Lowick's eyes, but she shrugged it aside and continued. "However, there is another gentleman, Mrs. Godfrey's brother, Mr. Bainbridge."
"Indeed, Miss?"
"Yes," she said, smiling as she thought of Elijah's handsome smile. "I admit, I rather like him. Though, there is a problem I face now."
She trailed off, frowning at her thoughts. When she noticed Mr. Lowick's studying gaze on her, she continued. "You see," she said, "the trouble is my mother. I enjoy Mr. Bainbridge's company far more than Mr. Quigley's, but Mother would like me to keep both gentlemen interested. However, I…I do not think it right to mislead either of them."
"I see, Miss."
Lilyanna waited for Mr. Lowick to say more, but after a few moments, she grew impatient.
"Please share your opinion with me, Mr. Lowick," she said. "I am at a loss."
He patted Silhouette on the cheek, giving the horse one more look over before his old, graying eyes stared into Lilyanna's youthful blue.
"I believe, Miss," he said, "you are wise beyond your years."
He gathered the shining leather reins into his worn fingers and said, "Now if you will excuse me, Miss, I must be about my work."
"Of course," she said, stepping aside so he could lead the horse out of the stall. "Do forgive me for speaking so long."
"Nonsense, Miss," Mr. Lowick said, pausing as he placed a tattered, brown cap over his thick, white hair. "Any time you feel the need to speak, I will listen."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He gave her a wink. "You must learn to trust yourself, Miss, then you will do no wrong."
After tipping his cap, Mr. Lowick led Silhouette out of the stable doors, leaving Lilyanna alone to her thoughts. She visited the rest of the horses in the stables, willing time to move faster, until she made her way back inside, deciding to sidestep the parlor and go straight to her room so her mother would not see another of Lilyanna's gowns speckled with mud and hay.
She dressed for the evening, choosing a pale blue gown she thought made her eyes look the prettiest, then moved downstairs to wait for her mother.
To Lilyanna's surprise, however, Mrs. Crosgrove still sat in the same spot as before, her dress unchanged.
"Mother?" Lilyanna asked as she walked inside the room.
/> Mrs. Crosgrove's head popped up. "Lilyanna," she said, "there you are."
"Are you ready for the evening?" Lilyanna asked carefully.
"I am afraid I shall not be attending the party after all," Mrs. Crosgrove said, placing a hand to her forehead. "I do not feel well at the moment."
"I am sorry," Lilyanna said, going at once to her mother's side as she ignored the disappointment she felt. "Is there anything I can do to be of some comfort?"
"I do not believe so. You had better go without me."
"Go to the party?" Lilyanna asked with surprise. "Without you?"
"Yes, Lilyanna, without me," Mrs. Crosgrove said in a snippy tone as she stood, brushing Lilyanna's hands off her arm. "There will be chaperones enough there, including Mrs. Godfrey and Mrs. Copley, so my attendance is unnecessary."
"I should not like to leave you alone, though, Mother. Not if you are ill."
Mrs. Crosgrove held a hand to her temple as she momentarily closed her eyes. "Nonsense, dear. I will be fine. It is only a headache that ails me. Now, let me look at you."
Lilyanna straightened her back at her mother's perusal, but Mrs. Crosgrove, seemingly distracted, did not gaze for long. "You look fine," she said, closing her eyes again. "Now, you had best mind your manners tonight, especially where Mr. Bainbridge and the Godfreys are concerned."
"Yes, Mother."
"And on no account must you be rude to Mr. Quigley, should he be in attendance."
"I will be sure to treat him with the same kindness as I do others," she said.
Though not more than Mr. Bainbridge, I assure you, she thought.
"You must be certain both he and Mr. Bainbridge feel attended to."
Lilyanna bit her lip. "Mother," she began carefully, "I must…I must admit to feeling more drawn to Mr. Bainbridge than to Mr. Quigley. Is it absolutely necessary for me to treat both men equally, even if I feel more inclined to be with Mr. Bainbridge?"
"Of course it is necessary, Lilyanna!" Mrs. Crosgrove screeched, wincing before lowering her voice. "You possess the advantage of two men hunting for your attention. Do not let pride meddle with good sense and think both gentlemen will remain interested forever."
When Two Rivers Meet (Regency Romance) Page 7
