Page 84 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

“Then why do you let that come between us? Things have changed. The circumstances are different now.”

Mycircumstances were different. His were unchanged. But why should I point out that he only wished to marry me because of these changed circumstances? He knew it as well as I did. Why should I defend myself?

“You will forgive me,” I said. “I wish you all the happiness in the world. May you find love with the woman who will make you truly happy.”

“I wanted that woman to be you.” He turned away from me, picking the bark off a small birch tree beside us.

My chest ached, and I wondered if I’d done the right thing. Had I just thrown away my best chance at happiness? But something told me that it was all right. Mr. Merritt would forget me, and I would find true and lasting love.FatherGod,please let it be so.

My mind was in a fog. I wasn’t sure how we’d ended up deciding to leave the park and start back home, but we hadn’t gone far when Mr. Merritt said, “Forgive me, but I shall leave you here. Good day.” He nodded to each of us, not meeting my gaze, then turned and strode away.

We did not converse very much as we walked. No doubt Mrs. Drake and Hattie could both surmise what had taken place between Mr. Merritt and me, and I said nothing, as I was in no mood to listen to Mrs. Drake’s barely disguised criticisms.

Meanwhile, my thoughts were turning to anger. It certainly wasn’t very chivalrous of Mr. Merritt to be offended at my refusal. How could he expect me to believe that he was in love with me in so short a time after he’d said I wasn’t good enough for his friend, or that anything less than true love would induce me to marry him when all he had to offer was his name?

I was in a right rotten mood.

We were not far from home when a man stepped out of a side street directly in front of us. It was Gilbert White.

Twenty-Five

Gilbert White’s leering smile showed black, rotting teeth. He lunged, making Hattie and Mrs. Drake cry out and step back. But I stood my ground. How dare he think he could intimidate us?

“You will excuse us,” I said. “We need to pass.”

“You had better watch yourself, missy.” He pointed his finger a few inches from my face. “If you want me to stay out of your way, you can give me my kin or pay up.”

“Get out of our way.” I concentrated on not looking the least bit afraid. He couldn’t see my heart beating hard and fast, after all.

I took Hattie’s arm and steered her around the man, but he sidestepped to block us.

“Your money or my kin,” he said. “I’ll take a hundred and fifty quid, and you’ll never see me again.”

“I will not bribe you to leave me alone, but I will tell the constable. He will arrest you for harassing ladies on the street.” I gave him the meanest glare I could conjure.

“You give me that money.” He snarled like an animal and lunged at me again.

I stepped away, and he stumbled. His foot slipped off the raised sidewalk and he fell face-first on the road.

Hattie screamed, and Mrs. Drake cried, “Run, girls!”

I was pleased with how fast Mrs. Drake was able to move when so motivated. She held onto Hattie’s arm, and I kept to the rear and glanced back to watch Mr. White lift himself out of the muck of the street. He scowled and yelled in our direction. I couldn’t make out his words, and he did not follow us.

After changing clothes and freshening our hair after our walk, we had just got settled in the parlor when our first caller was announced—Lord Markeley.

Millicent’s gaze went to the doorway while mine went to her.Dear God,please don’t letLord Markeley ruin my friendship with Millicent.

Lord Markeley looked directly at me, bowed with a flourish, and came and sat to my right. He made small talk and said charming things to Mrs. Drake, Hattie, and Millicent. But his words were so similar to each of them, complimenting them on their dress and their smiles, that they sounded rather meaningless. Then he turned to me and said in a more intimate tone, “You are looking particularly beautiful today, Miss Robbins. I would that this were a ball and that I was dancing every dance with you.”

Because of his low tone, I wasn’t sure if the others heard what he said, but in my desperation, I laughed. “What pretty words you have for us all today, Lord Markeley,” I said brightly.

“Yes, and it hasn’t been a very pretty day so far,” Mrs. Drake said, a peevish note in her voice.

“What do you mean?” Lord Markeley turned toward Mrs. Drake. It was all the encouragement she needed.

“As they say, no good deed goes unpunished, and Miss Robbins’s‘good deed’of taking in those two street urchins continues to cause no end of trouble for us all. This morning we were taking a nice walk in the park with Mr. Merritt and Lord Brookhaven—although Lord Brookhaven left us when we reached the park. And unfortunately Mr. Merritt left us too, before we got to our street, which is moreMiss Robbins’s fault than any failing of Mr. Merritt’s, but we shall say no more on that subject.”

I was fairly certain that Mrs. Drake would, on the contrary, say much more on that subject, but hopefully she would spare Lord Markeley.