Hopeless Romance

1 | First Impressions

"He's home! Papa has returned from Mister Forsythe's manor!" Grace exclaimed from the backdoor to Addie and Tiana, unaware her sisters first saw their father's carriage arrive while strolling through their overgrown garden. "Make haste!" she said before returning indoors. Addie and Tiana hurried inside to witness the pestering of Mr. Joyner by his youngest daughter and fretful wife.

Mr. Joyner barely made it through the door and out of his coat before Grace and Mrs. Joyner flocked to him like moths to a flame with endless questions about Mr. Forsythe and his conversation with him. Of course, Mr. Joyner had no opportunity to answer these questions as one quickly followed another on his way to the parlor where Addie and Tiana awaited him. Addie poured him a glass of icy water from the sweaty tin pitcher next to the armchair Mr. Joyner slowly settled into with the help of his cane. Dry coughs escaped Mr. Joyner before he took a long sip.

"Papa, you haven't answered any of my questions yet," Grace complained as he drank. "Do you mean to torture me?"

"That's precisely what I mean to do," he answered sarcastically. Only Addie found his suspense amusing.

"Is he as handsome and rich as they say?" Grace repeated.

"By your standards, my dear," Mr. Joyner said, "I would say he's quite handsome." Grace squealed.

"Is he charming? Is he kind and good-natured?" Tiana asked. Grace scoffed before asking about his height.

"He isn't particularly tall, but he certainly makes up for it in looks, wealth, and charisma," Mr. Joyner said to appease both of his daughters.

"Perfectly tolerable," Grace said.

"Did you mention Tatiana?" Mrs. Joyner asked referring to her daughter, Tiana.

"Mister Forsythe has been made aware of her existence per your demands, my dear," he said exasperatedly.

"Will he be in attendance at tomorrow's assembly?" Grace asked in anticipation. "Please say he will." Mrs. Joyner watched Mr. Joyner both carefully and impatiently for his reply.

"He shall."

Grace broke into dance and soon pulled Tiana from the velvet chaise to join her. Addie chuckled watching them.

"What does it matter that he will be in attendance if we haven't made his acquaintance beforehand?" Mrs. Joyner complained. "This is why you should have taken Tatiana with you to the manor as I insisted, or at the very least invited him to dine with us tonight." Mr. Joyner casually took another sip of water. "Need I remind you that Misses Higgins has bragged relentlessly about her humdrum family having already dined with Mister Forsythe, before us?" Mrs. Joyner said. "And Miss Higgins has already met and entertained him several times since his arrival, before my Tatiana and Grace!"

"I'm aware," Mr. Joyner said.

"It's unacceptable! Thank goodness beauty couldn't touch her with a thirty-meter stick." Grace guffawed while Tiana barely held in her laughter. Addie looked at the three ladies disapprovingly, upset by Mrs. Joyner's harsh words against her best friend, Ms. Martha Higgins. "Nevertheless, we should have been the first family to make his acquaintance. He's our neighbor for goodness sake!"

A month prior, news swirled across the small town of Braeland that Mr. William Forsythe, a wealthy bachelor from the city of Dalton, had purchased the old manor three kilometers from the Joyner estate in the Braeland Heights, a suburb housing the upper class that boasted beautiful meadows, rolling hills, and vistas that made the countryside one of the many highlights of the town. Mrs. Joyner, like many mothers of eligible maidens, had already set her sights on Mister Forsythe—and his fortune—for her eldest daughter, Tiana. She'd hounded Mr. Joyner daily about introducing Tiana to Mr. Forsythe well before Mr. Forsythe arrived. Days had passed since his arrival, however, and Mrs. Joyner was peeved to hear Mr. Forsythe and his entourage had already met several other families in the neighborhood.