Hopeless Romance

11 | Good Fortune

Addie and Grace awoke to a cacophony of rainfall and thunder. During breakfast, Mrs. Joyner cheerfully pondered Tiana's overnight stay at Forsythe Manor and hoped she would have to extend her stay due to the relentless storm. Addie, however, was too worried about her sister to eat or share in Mrs. Joyner's delight.

Near the end of breakfast, a letter arrived from Forsythe Manor. Brimming with excitement, Mrs. Joyner read Tiana's letter out loud, which explained her absence.

Yesterday, Tiana fainted while descending the manor's grand staircase, succumbing to exhaustion and the heat from the winter dress her mother forced her to wear, which led to a sprained ankle. Amidst the storm and due to her injury, Mr. Forsythe insisted she stay under his care until her recovery. Concluding the letter, Tiana conveyed her well-wishes for her family's safety through the storm and shared her longing for them.

"What good fortune! The Gods heard my prayers and bestowed their favor upon me as they always do!" exclaimed Mrs. Joyner. "I anticipated my fragile girl might faint, but to do so and sprain an ankle was beyond my expectations," she added. Addie grimaced. "My precious Tatiana has outdone herself. She will surely have to stay for the next week at least, and should the storm persist, I am convinced that Tatiana's stay at the manor will lead to a marriage proposal before Mister Forsythe leaves for Dalton.

Grace demanded to read the letter for herself, mumbling snarky remarks as she did. Mr. Joyner and Addie sat side by side, appalled by the apparent disregard shown towards Tiana.

"How can you rejoice about such news?" Addie protested. "Do you truly believe the Gods orchestrated a sprained ankle to prompt a marriage proposal?"

"Oh, settle down, Adele," Mrs. Joyner said, rolling her eyes. "'Tis merely a sprain, not a fracture. Tatiana will be up and walking within a week's time."

"But will she ever know a mother's love?" Mr. Joyner asked his wife sharply. Mrs. Joyner gasped. "Why settle for a sprain, Misses Joyner? Perhaps you'd have been happier if Tiana had snapped her neck tumbling down Mister Forsythe's stairs, ensuring her spirit would never depart from that accursed manor."

Grace laughed as Mr. and Mrs. Joyner bickered across the table, while Addie became increasingly frustrated with the chaos.

"Enough," Addie declared, cutting through the noise. "We need to visit Tiana immediately. She's probably frightened and in need of our support."

"We will do nothing of the sort," Mrs. Joyner countered firmly. "The storm is horrendous," she remarked, motioning towards the windows where the sky remained a dull gray despite the rain easing and the momentary absence of thunder and lightning. "It would be reckless to risk our lives, and our only carriage, to visit her when we can simply wait until next week when she's recovered."

"What will the Forsythes think of us for delaying our visit to see her while she's unwell?" Tracy contended.

"That we are sensible people for not underestimating such a dangerous storm when they live so far away," Mrs. Joyner retorted.

"Yes, because the storm is your primary concern," Addie remarked sarcastically. Mrs. Joyner glared at her, but Addie stood her ground. "Isn't Tiana's health more important to you than a potential marriage proposal that isn't likely to occur?"

"Watch your tongue, Adele!" Mrs. Joyner scolded. "How dare you speak to me in such a manner? And how dare you curse Tatiana's chances," she asked, holding up her knife and fork. Mr. Joyner grunted, catching Mrs. Joyner's attention. She lowered her utensils to her plate. "Tiana will marry Mister Forsythe because I have already declared it, and you shall not curse her future simply because you have no prospects of your own," she said with venomous resentment. Grace giggled following her mother's insult. Addie rolled her eyes, understanding that reasoning with her stepmother was futile.