Mr. Grant led Jane to the dance. Lady Maxwell was clearly annoyed but politely excused herself, and Letitia and Mrs. Pembroke were left to revel in their excitement.
“Why, Letitia, that young man seems to have taken a great fancy to your pretty sister. Do you not agree?”
“Yes, certainly. There are very few who could blame him, however.”
“No, indeed. This is just the sort of thing I had wished for,” Mrs. Pembroke replied.
“Dear aunt, do not get carried away. He has only asked her for a dance, after all.”
“I do not, I assure you. However, I have rarely seen a young man so struck with a young lady.”
Letitia had to agree.
11
The next morning was a sunny one. The air was quite cool as it had been the evening before, but the sun warmed the ground, the trees, the flowers, and everything else in its path, including the faces of the young ladies that presented themselves at the windows of Mrs. Pembroke’s Mayfair house.
Both Letitia and Jane were in their respective bedrooms. Letitia had approached her window first and opened it, and Jane had soon done the same after. It was such a beautiful day that few people could resist admiring it. Both of their chambers looked onto a lovely back garden, with an abundance of colorful flowers. Jane soon made her way to Letitia’s chamber. She wanted to chat about everything that happened at the ball the night before.
Once she had come in, she sat on Letitia’s bed and watched as Letitia brushed her hair with a silver brush at the cherry-wood vanity. They started to talk. The scent of rosewater filled the air as Letitia used the tiniest bit to scent her wrists and behind her ears. She then came to sit beside her sister.
“What a charming evening it was last night, do you not think, Letitia?” Jane asked.
“It certainly was. Everyone was admiring you. Especially Mr. Grant,” Letitia said, with a gentle and pleasantly teasing tone.
“Nonsense. Well, I suppose he did ask me to dance. That was very surprising.”
“Surprising? Not at all,” Letitia responded. “The only surprise is that he did not ask you sooner. He certainly did not seem very enchanted with Lady Maxwell’s Georgina.”
“No, perhaps he did not,” Jane said, giggling. “But I have been told that she does tend to have very boring conversation.”
“Not to mention that she could not possibly compete with you on any other level!”
Jane blushed and looked down.
“Did you like him?” Letitia asked. “What was he like?”
“I thought he was very pleasant. I must say I did like him.”
“I am very glad!” Letitia exclaimed.
“But what about your Mr. Lambert, my dear Letitia? What about him?”
“My Mr. Lambert? What on earth are you talking about, Jane?”
“He certainly liked you a great deal. He asked you to dance twice in one evening, and he had only just met you. Some people think only engaged people should do that!”
“I know, but Mrs. Pembroke and none of the company minded. I certainly did not give him any significant encouragement, although I was as pleasant as anyone would be. I did like him, I think, but there’s something rather flippant in his manner that concerned me. I cannot easily describe it, but it seemed to be there. However, I only just met him last night. I might be wrong. He was certainly quite attentive,” Letitia explained. “But let us talk about your Mr. Grant again. I wonder when we will see him again?”
“Oh! I forgot to mention. He said he would be at a small private party that he had heard our aunt and we are attending next week,” Jane replied.
“Oh, yes! You did not mention that, you sly thing!” Letitia said affectionately to her sister.
Jane blushed shyly. “He happened to think of it and mention it in conversation, when I was talking about our aunt and her engagements.”
“I would wager that he will be eager to see you again, Jane.”
The two girls soon made their way downstairs to breakfast. They found their aunt sitting at the table, with the food already served.
“Oh my, we are sorry, Aunt Pembroke. We lost track of time in conversation,” Jane said.
“That’s all right, my dear. This was only just brought in, and it is only breakfast, after all. I am sure you two had a great deal to discuss alone,” the lady said, glancing teasingly at her nieces.
Jane and Letitia only smiled and sat down. A maid poured tea for the two young ladies, and each of them took a slice of toast that they started nibbling on.
“Was it not a charming ball last night?” asked Mrs. Pembroke.
“Yes, certainly it was, aunt,” Letitia said.
“It was a wonderful evening, Aunt Pembroke!” Jane exclaimed.
Letitia gave her a knowing look.
“I am so glad you think so, my dear girls. I am so very pleased that I can bring you to such places and that your beauty has the chance to be properly seen and admired. Anything less would be a dreadful waste.”
“You are so very kind, aunt,” Letitia replied with affection.
“Thank you. But it is no more than any good aunt with the necessary means would do,” Aunt Pembroke said, dismissing any idea that what she had done deserved praise. “And you two would do any aunt or mother proud. Indeed, your mother has constantly told me how proud she is of both of you and that she could not imagine having better daughters.”
“My mother wrote to us recently,” Letitia said. “I cannot remember if I mentioned it to you, Aunt Pembroke. As you know, even with my inheritance from Aunt Maria, she still wants to keep the school open. It is certainly a very prudentially correct decision, I believe. We will not have to worry so much about finding more students, but it is beneficial for us to continue with three or four and making all of society aware that we have a respectable school.”
“Oh, I quite agree with that. You are such a sensible girl. That is a very wise decision. The school is begun and is doing well, so certainly it should continue. Your mother has told me that the joy she finds in teaching has quite surprised her. And the young lady whom she has engaged to help while you and Jane are away is very good. She is looking for another, as well.”
12
The small private party that Mr. Grant had mentioned he would attend arrived, and Jane was having some difficulty in hiding the combination of nervousness and anticipation that filled her mind and spirit. Yes, it must be said that she did like this young gentleman a great deal. The circumstance, of course, very much suited her Aunt Pembroke that the young man who seemed to like the young lady so much was heir to an earldom. And it must be said that it did occur to Jane how much the possibility of such an alliance could help her family. But that was not her only consideration.
The party would be held at the home of a longstanding acquaintance of Mrs. Pembroke, a fellow wealthy widow called Mrs. Oliver who also lived in Mayfair. Once they had dressed and prepared themselves that evening, they made their way to Mrs. Oliver’s London home. As a Mayfair property, Mrs. Oliver’s town home was a grand one. The abode was very much like the Pembroke mansion but a touch smaller. However, the home was graciously appointed and certainly very comfortable and inviting.
When they arrived and were admitted, they were introduced by the butler into a large room where numerous people were already assembled. Their names were announced, and Mrs. Oliver came forward to greet them. She seemed very friendly and happy to meet Mrs. Pembroke’s nieces. Letitia and Jane discreetly scanned the room to see if Mr. Grant were there, but it seemed he had not yet arrived. One familiar face they did see, however, was the young Mr. Lambert. He had seen Letitia but was talking to another young lady. She was rather pretty, though no one would think she could be compared to Letitia.
After a short time had passed, Mr. Grant was admitted and announced into the room. Almost as soon as he arrived, he noticed Jane’s presence. This was unmistakable. Letitia glanced at her sister and saw that she was blushing. While he was obliged to speak to others
at that moment, it was evident that he would make his way over to the admired young lady as soon as he could.
Letitia suddenly realized that Mr. Lambert was making his way in her direction.
“Hello, Miss Hayward,” he said when he reached her. “I am so pleased to see you here.”
“Hello, Mr. Lambert. Thank you. The occasion seems a very pleasant party, indeed.”
“Yes, I believe you are right,” he said. His face was taking on the pleasantly flirtatious look it had shown at the ball. Letitia noticed the young lady that he had been speaking with before coming over.
They continued to chat, and the young gentleman seemed more and more to show signs of liking Letitia very much. He seemed to have completely forgotten about the presence of the other young woman who very evidently had not forgotten him.
“May I bring you some punch, Miss Hayward?” he asked.
“Oh! Certainly, yes. Thank you,” Letitia replied.
As Matthew went on his errand, Letitia happened to look over at her sister, who was standing with William Grant. Jane gave her a meaningful and teasing look. Letitia knew that she was thinking, “Ah, he is your Mr. Lambert!” Letitia thought something very different, however. It was true that she had known Mr. Lambert for only a very short time, but there was something about him that made her think that he was the type of young man who would make his preference clear to as many young ladies as he wished. He had reminded her of Robert Clarke in his countenance, and maybe this was the source of her distrust. She could not be sure.
Matthew Lambert soon returned with the punch and continued to talk to Letitia, seemingly increasing his attentions at every moment. He was eventually obliged to go when a friend arrived whom he said he had not seen in a long time. He departed and greeted this friend with a friendly and enthusiastic manner, and they disappeared elsewhere in the room.
Letitia was now at leisure to more closely watch her sister and her admirer, Mr. William Grant. She was impressed by what she saw. It appeared that they got along extremely well, and she thought she had rarely seen her sister looking so pleased.
Mrs. Pembroke then approached. “My dear, I am so pleased about your sister! Mr. Grant is clearly entirely smitten with her.” She looked around. “Where is Mr. Lambert? I saw him speaking with you earlier, and he brought you a glass of punch.”
“Oh! He was obliged to go and speak with a friend. The gentleman, I do not know his name, had presently arrived and apparently, they had not seen one another in a great while.”
“I see. Well, that does not seem a good enough reason to neglect a young lady such as you, my dear. If he had any sense, nothing would lure him away!”
Letitia and her aunt took notice of the fact that Mr. William Grant remained talking with Jane almost the entire evening. This was very striking, and they were certainly not the only ones to notice it. A young gentleman who is heir to an earldom is always noticed, and the young lady he decides to favor is always viewed with a combination of envy and admiration.
13
Two more pleasant weeks passed in which the girls continued to enjoy a dizzying social whirl. Mr. Grant made the effort to ensure that he was able to see Jane again several times, so many that Letitia and her aunt felt quite startled and expectant. As for Jane, she felt a surge of affection and hope that the best efforts could not possibly hide. The young gentleman seemed so devoted that, on occasion, the aunt and sister almost expected a letter for him to arrive for Jane. This was impossible, of course, as they were not engaged, but the possibility of such an engagement happening seemed more and more likely.
One lovely morning, Letitia and her aunt strolled around and sat down in the charming back gardens of the Pembroke house. Birdsong permeated their surroundings, and they enjoyed the wonderful sense of privacy for a confidential conversation. Jane was out, visiting a friend, and Letitia had excused herself from accompanying her by telling the fib that she had a tinge of a headache. The truth was that she wanted to speak privately to her aunt about Jane and her admirer.
“Well, my dear aunt. Jane seems very smitten with Mr. Grant. Do you not think so? She endeavors ever so hard to hide it but cannot,” Letitia said, smiling.
“Oh, yes. I think so, my dear.”
“But aunt, what do you know of his parents? Of Lord and Lady Grant? So little seems to be known about them other than they generally dislike London. But if the young man were to propose, do you believe that they would embrace the engagement? Or do you think that they might object and try to obstruct it?” the young lady asked, concerned.
“I cannot say. As you so correctly said, so little is known about them other than their titles and wealth and dislike of London,” Mrs. Pembroke replied. The lady then paused, as if carefully considering. “I must say, as much as it pains me, that there does seem a strong likelihood that they would object. I know that you have said that you will make sure to settle some of your own inheritance on Jane when she marries, and I have committed to help as I can as well, but these are nobility.”
“Yes, I know, aunt. I am very worried about Jane. It would so pain me to see her heart broken. But at the same time, I do not want to discourage her either. What if the young man is in love with her and his parents would not object? Or what if his love for her is so great that he will object to any objection? I do not want her to think that I want her to give up.”
“Very wise and measured words,” her aunt replied.
“I will strive to help her maintain some sense of caution while taking care not to be discouraging. Jane is such a sensitive girl. I do not want to depress her spirit.”
“That is an excellent plan, my dear. I will strive to do the same, as well,” Mrs. Pembroke replied.
At that moment, they heard noises that indicated that Jane had arrived back. The young lady herself soon appeared in the garden.
“Hello! How is your headache, Letitia? I hope it is better now?” Jane asked in a kind and caring voice.
“Yes! Oh yes, certainly it is. Our aunt and I were presently enjoying a bit of fresh air. These gardens are so lovely, are they not, Jane?”
“Oh, yes. Certainly, they are. Your gardeners have done wonderfully, aunt.”
“Thank you, my dear. I do carefully monitor and direct all of the plans, and my head gardener is very experienced. He has worked for some of the first families, you know,” Mrs. Pembroke said, drawing herself up.
“That is clear. Only look at the red and white roses, and all the beautiful foliage,” Jane replied, admiringly.
Jane seemed a bit quiet in her manner. Usually, she would tell Letitia and her aunt about the visit she had paid to her friend, but she offered nothing. Letitia decided to ask about it.
“Did you have an enjoyable visit, Jane? I am sorry I could not accompany you. I hope that you passed on my compliments?”
“Yes, certainly, I did.”
Letitia noticed that her sister was slightly blushing. This seemed unaccountable! Why would her sister be blushing over a simple visit to a friend known to both of them?
“What is it, Jane? What has happened?” she asked.
“Mr. Grant was there.”
“Indeed!” Mrs. Pembroke interjected. “Mr. Grant? Why, how was that possible?”
Letitia wore a wide smile and touched her sister’s arm. “Yes, Jane. Tell us all!” she said.
“Very well. My friend had some other acquaintances over as well, and he was the acquaintance of an acquaintance.”
“An acquaintance of an acquaintance? And he made the effort to be there, for a simple tea? He must have heard that you would be there, Jane!” Letitia said excitedly.
“Oh, my dears! I know we should be cautious, but I cannot contain myself. I think this young man must be in love with you, Jane!” Mrs. Pembroke said.
Letitia could not help but feel a little frustrated with her aunt for potentially raising Jane’s hopes too high. At the same time, though, it was difficult to think of any other explanation for why he would be there.
The next day, all questions were finally answered. Mr. William Grant visited in the morning. One can easily imagine the excitement and surprise of the ladies when they happened to see him emerge from a carriage outside the front door. Everyone knew that a gentleman would never visit a young lady in the morning in this sort of way unless he wanted to make a proposal.
Flustered and bashful, Jane almost had to be coerced into the drawing room to be alone with him so he could say what it was he wished to say. Letitia and her aunt could not resist but trying to listen outside the door, but they could not hear anything. After a while, Jane and Mr. Grant emerged and announced that they were engaged. Of course, Mr. Grant would need to write to Mrs. Hayward, and he asked for Mrs. Pembroke’s blessing as well, which she freely gave.
14
The next month passed in a flurry of preparations. To the surprise of many, Mr. Grant’s parents, Lord and Lady Grant gave their permission after the expression of only a few mild misgivings. Mrs. Hayward heartily approved of the connection, leaving Jane and Mr. Grant wonderfully happy.
It was decided that Jane would be married from the Hayward house, in the parish church in which generations of the family had been christened and wed. The wedding went off splendidly, and Letitia was overcome with emotion as she stood as a bridesmaid and watched her younger sister be married.
We all know the way of the world and how most people in it sadly think, and it must be said that there were numerous people in the congregation who wondered whether Letitia must secretly resent her sister for not only marrying earlier than her but also marrying so extremely well. The younger sister now the wife of the future Lord Grant while the elder is still unmarried and, to all appearances, is soon to return to being a teacher in a school! She must seethe with jealousy, they thought.
But those people did not have the integrity that these two young women possessed. Letitia did not feel at all envious of her younger sister. She was pleased that Jane had found such a pleasing and kind young man with whom to spend her life. It cannot be denied that she was happy that the person with whom Jane happened to fall in love was the heir to an earldom and would help ensure the security of the family, but this was a secondary consideration for her. This was one of the many characteristics that made Letitia so very superior in the world in which she lived.
The Spurned Sister: A Regency Romance Novella Page 4
