Yours Truly

Chapter Ten

"Aunt Margaret, what am I going to do? I haven't been charming anybody!"

Margaret laughed and mysteriously replied, "Oh, Adelaide, I'm sure you'll manage to capture one or two lucky young men's hearts tonight.

"So you are beginning your matchmaking efforts in earnest?" Adelaide laughed.

Margaret fixed her with a stern look, the first Adelaide had ever received from her.

"We both know that your father certainly doesn't have your best interests at heart. And you cannot survive on your own, no matter how much money you have earned. I know about your tin with all the money in it and I have guessed at your plans." Adelaide flushed and looked away from Margaret.

"A single woman cannot live on her own for long. Even if I were to give you a large amount of money, your father could lay claim to it as your caretaker. This is why we must find a decent gentleman, one that you can see yourself having some degree of affection for in the future, and will allow you to continue to paint."

"But can't you see?" Adelaide exclaimed, "My father will just manipulate him into doing what he pleases. Or my husband will control me!"

"Darling, I understand your concern but you must understand that London marriages are not meant as the sacred sacrament of marriage. More often than not, a husband and wife will keep separate homes after their children are grown. Or even before! All we need to do is find a man that has no issue with keeping your marriage one in name only." Margaret's face softened a little.

"If you are worried about love, Adelaide...I understand that you are rector's daughter but you can always seek that outside of your marriage."

Adelaide laughed to herself. Not too long ago, she had thought of affairs in a different context. Now if she married the mythical perfect man that Margaret promised her, she could always have an affair with Henry. That was likely only what he wanted anyway.

"Can I not marry someone that I truly love?" Adelaide asked.

"I am afraid that your father will change his mind," Margaret confessed. "That we will not have enough time to find a decent man who will respect you, let alone someone you love."

Adelaide nodded and turned to leave Margaret's room.

"Darling?"

Adelaide turned to look at Margaret.

"I am so sorry and I truly hope that we can find him."

While her maid, Bridgitte, began arranging Adelaide's hair, she heard a faint commotion downstairs. It sounded like a male voice but her father had already left...

"Bridgitte, would you dearly mind seeing what the ruckus is about downstairs?"

"Certainly, Miss Fairfax," Bridgitte hurried out of the room. She was as anxious to witness the latest gossip as Adelaide was to hear it.

The footsteps and voices seemed to approach Adelaide's door and then, stalk back the way they came. How peculiar!

After a few tension-filled minutes, Bridgitte came hurrying back into the room. With wide eyes, she declares, "Lord Devonshire is having an argument with Margaret about some woman he's been courting! He just stormed into the house and demanded to speak to Margaret. Then, she pulled him into the sitting room and everyone was listening in, of course."

"Of course," Adelaide murmured in agreement.

"But," Bridgette continues, "They could really only get about every other word because of those blasted thick doors to the sitting room. They did hear, however, that 'proposal' was thrown around quite a bit!"