A Prince for Aunt Hetty (17 page)

Agatha laughed. “I know it is hard to admit that your younger sister might have some wisdom that you need at the moment. Don't reject whatever this is before it even becomes something, Hetty. Don't say no to it because you are afraid of what might happen eventually. That's no way to live life. And I wouldn't expect my big sister, my model in so many ways, to give in to pressure to live a retiring and unfeeling life just because it might be more proper or expected for her to do so. That would go against everything I know of you.”

“Thank you,” Hetty squeezed her sister's hands.

“Maybe you have read too many fairy tales over the years. You have princes on your mind. And you
should
expect a prince, but if you do, you should also trust him to know what kind of a princess he is looking for. Don't doubt him.”

“How did my little sister get so wise?”

“Marriage, children, the example of my sister.”

“I think you have convinced me that I have very much over-thought the whole thing.”

“Good. I do think he is a good man. And I would be happy to see you with a good man. I would be happy to know that someone loves you as we all love you.”

Hetty's eyes filled with tears. “Thank you.”

“I love you, sister. And I want to see you happy, whatever that happiness may be. And you know your nieces and nephews would love it if you would stay here with us forever. You have a home here for as long as you'd like, if you want to see where things go when Mr. Henderson returns.”

“And you don't think I'm being silly?” Hetty asked sheepishly.

“Well, I think you are always very silly,” she grinned. “But no more so than usual in this case. He has given you strong indications that he at least feels something for you. I am of the firm opinion that it is worth pursuing.”

Hetty smiled at her. “Then you may have a house guest for longer than you anticipated.”

Chapter Thirteen

H
ETTY DID STAY
longer at Hayes house than she had expected to, not that it made a difference. Rupert Henderson did not return. Nor did he send any word of his eventual return.

All the good her sister had done with their talk evaporated day by day as Hetty waited without any indication that he would be back at Armstrong house in the near future. She did not even know where he had gone to, though Jonathan had expressed his belief that Henderson was in London somewhere attending to some vague business that no one seemed to know much about.

Even that did not lighten her mood as she and Annabella packed to return to the very city where Rupert Henderson might well be. The girl chattered away, asking all kinds of questions about how to pack certain things and what she wished to take.

Hetty concentrated as well as she could, not wanting the girl to think that she had done anything wrong. Eventually, the girl's cheerful chatter helped Hetty throw off the deeper shades of her melancholy. It still struck her that she had been a fool when it came to Rupert Henderson. It stung like a hundred tiny cuts that once again she had fancied a romance with a man who didn't really care. But she had survived it once and she could survive it again. Time and distance from him were helping. And in any case, she was headed back to London and the comfort of her own house and friends.

Indeed, there was not a moment to spare once she arrived. Everyone demanded her attention and she was happy to give it. There were household arrangements to make and their visitor to attend to. Hetty's niece on her brother's side was back in London for the season. Catherine Masters, called Cat by all who knew her, was a beautiful blonde-haired girl of nineteen years. She had first come to town with her older sister Isobel at the end of the previous year.

But now Isobel was married and Hetty was in charge of shepherding Cat around to all the social events possible. The goal was to find her a husband. Hetty knew it would not be hard, especially with the girl's beauty and delightful disposition. But she was also invested in seeing her niece into a happy marriage, one like Jonathan and Agatha had, or one like Isobel and Miles had. Cat was in the enviable position of having no need to marry for fortune or title. She might marry only to please herself.

And so the two women threw themselves into the endless whirlwind of town events. Hetty garnered many invitations of her own accord. But with a beautiful young niece at her side, she could hardly keep up with the number of balls, musical evenings, afternoon picnics, visits to museums, day trips to the outskirts of London, and all other manner of events to which they were invited. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings were filled with all the delights they could muster.

Hetty enjoyed seeing Cat toasted highly by all who met her. The girl had a generous spirit, but was also savvy enough to find her way through the mess of bounders and cads that tried to take advantage of her inexperience. Many were heartily disappointed to find their potential prey had claws of her own. But to those with good intentions, Cat gave much of her attention and care. And so she was nearly always occupied, especially at balls, when men would queue and neglect other partners in favor of her.

Sometimes as she watched her niece dance, Hetty's mind wandered. She daydreamed about what would happen if she suddenly saw Rupert Henderson. She did not remember ever seeing him before at any of these town events, so she did not expect to see him now.

But her imagination insisted on playing out the romantic scenario now that she thought he might be somewhere nearby. In her fantasy, he would appear suddenly on the opposite side of the room. Upon seeing her his whole countenance would change and he would rush to her side, pushing out of his way anyone who stood between them. He would take her in his arms and they would dance so splendidly. Perhaps they would kiss. He would apologize for neglecting her and publicly declare his love. The whole town would talk but they wouldn't care. They would marry and live happily ever after.

It was utter silliness, of course, and Hetty knew it in her bones. But her mind had other ideas of what it wanted. However, after a number of weeks of them not coming true, the daydreams began to fade. After all, no one around her knew what had passed in the country. They only focused on their own lives and what was happening in their small circles in town. And Hetty became absorbed in their little dramas at the happy expense of her own.

Two months passed easily in this way and the never-ending tumble of events folded over her like a warm and familiar blanket. Agatha wrote to Hetty regularly about all the nieces and nephews at Hayes house. They did well. Little Stephen had recovered fully and they were all back to their usual level of noise. That is one thing she did value about her own house: the ability to have complete silence when she wanted it.

Although lately, there had been much welcome noise. In addition to the normal round of calls from friends and potential suitors, Jack Shepherd had made an appearance. His older brother Miles was the one who had recently married Cat's older sister Isobel. They'd spent much of the month of December in each other's company, helping to plan the wedding and the wedding trip their siblings would take. Now Jack had come to town and he seemed to have taken up residence in Hetty's front parlor.

He'd also taken to joining them for their afternoon walks. Now that the spring was getting on and the weather was warming up, afternoon strolls in the park were a relaxing delight for Hetty and Cat, a welcome break from inside spaces and fancy gowns.

On this particular afternoon, the sun was shining warmly and the trees were beginning to think about blooming. There was a fresh smell in the air, very different to the cold of winter. Hetty took a deep breath and observed the world around her.

Many people had taken the same opportunity of a fine afternoon to stretch their legs (and probably to walk off whatever amount of liquor they had consumed the previous night). Yet the park still had a kind of hush about it.

Hearing a chime of laughter from Cat, Hetty turned her attention to the pair ahead of her. Cat and Jack walked close together, clearly conspiring about something. They did make a handsome pair, Hetty had to admit. But far be it from her to push any match on her niece. That would be the surest way to make her run in the other direction.

She was just beginning to think of subtle ways to push Cat and Jack together when her friend Mrs. Lola Wigand joined her.

“Hello, Lola,” Hetty greeted her friend warmly.

“Good afternoon, Hetty. How are we today?” Lola's face scrunched up into a smile. Her eyes nearly disappeared above her round and plump cheeks.

“Wonderful, thank you.”

“Oh, good. It is a lovely afternoon to be out, isn't it? The spring is finally springing!” Lola had always been a cheerful woman. Her cheeriness was catching. “And I see that Mr. Jack Shepherd had the same idea?” Lola winked significantly at her friend.

“Lola!” Hetty scolded. “Please do not utter a word in that direction.”

“Can't they see that they suit?”

Hetty laughed. “It seems it has not yet occurred to them. But I think they are both such people as would deny it and stubbornly refuse to consider it at all if meddling aunts and their friends tried to point it out to them.”

“Oh, well then,” Lola sighed. “I guess I shall have to turn my matchmaking skills elsewhere.”

“What skills?” Hetty teased.

“Really, Hetty,” Lola protested good-naturedly. “I have brought together many couples over the years.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I have.”

Lola and Hetty had been friends since their debut seasons in London. Lola had married well and established a bustling London household for herself and her husband. They had raised a son and daughter, both now married to their mother's satisfaction. But through it all, the women had remained fast friends. Hetty had spent many afternoons at Lola's house sipping tea and laughing about whatever silly gossip they'd both heard the evening before.

Mr. Wigand had died nearly five years ago now and left Lola a wealthy widow. Though she was even plumper than she had been in her younger years, she was still an amiable and lovely woman. However, she had told Hetty on no uncertain terms that she was not interested in a second marriage.

“I shall take your word for your matchmaking abilities, I guess. And anyway, how are the children?”

Lola quickly warmed to her subject. She loved her children well and never hesitated to share their accomplishments with anyone who would listen. “Sarah and her husband are doing well. In fact, she writes that they are expecting their first child.”

“Oh, Lola!” Hetty enthused. “How wonderful! You will be an excellent grandmother, and I reserve the right to dote on the child as if it were my own grandchild.”

“Hetty, you know that Sarah would love that. Especially with her father gone, she wants the child to have as much family – blood-related or not – as she can. And you were such a part of her life growing up, I cannot imagine that she ever thought of excluding you.”

“And Howard and his wife? How are they?”

“They are in town, in fact! Did I not tell you?”

“No, you have not. When did they return?”

“A few days ago now. They are settling in and appreciating some of the entertainments London has to offer. I suspect,” Lola lowered her voice, though there was no one near enough to hear them, “that both young people had grown a bit weary of her parents. From what I have seen of them, they do tend to smother her. I cannot imagine it was any less on their own home patch.”

Hetty giggled. “Now, don't disparage their parenting, Lola.”

“Says the woman who has remained blissfully childless her whole life,” Lola teased.

“I have,” Hetty confirmed. “Children are good if they belong to someone else and I can give them back at the end of the day.” The women laughed. They'd been through this all before.

“It is your privilege to say that. You, who have never had to stay up all night with a child who will not sleep.”

“Ah, that is where you are wrong, my friend. I have stayed up many nights – most recently on this last visit to my sister – nursing children through illnesses.”

“So you have the duty without the ownership. Sounds like a bad deal to me,” Lola shook her head.

“We have been over this many times. I am aunt to many children and godmother to yours. I have my hands full.”

“You do, indeed.”

“So what has Howard been up to since his arrival? I have not seen him or Maria at any of the parties we've been to.”

“They've been having a quiet time of it, though I'm sure you'll see them soon. I rather think that Maria hasn't been feeling well and they've been trying to keep it from me.”

“I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it is not anything serious.”

“I hope so too. But they have ventured out in the afternoons to various places. In fact, I had wanted to tell you about a showing they liked at Dulwich.”

“A new artist?” Hetty was intrigued.

“Apparently. And Howard had nothing but good things to say for the art. He said we simply
must
go and see it. He said it's art that makes him smile, that makes him feel good, whatever that means. Maria echoed his sentiments.”