Never Kiss a Toad

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Jonny demolished the plate of food the maid brought him and went upstairs to catch an hour or two's sleep before the rest of the household woke.

Sally asked the night footman, who had returned from finding accommodations for the post boy and his horses, to make sure she was roused as soon as her parents were up, and then she went to bed herself.

It was a nuisance, and would be slightly embarrassing. But Maddox would tell David what had happened, and all would be well. As long as David still wishes to marry me. The thought followed her into sleep, and she tossed in restless dreams of walking up the aisle to the wrong groom, and waking in bed with the wrong husband.

She woke when Aronui brought her morning coffee. "The Rangatira wishes to see you when you are ready, lady," her maid said.

"My father? Is he already up?" She handed the coffee cup back to Aronui, and scrambled out of bed.

"He is in the breakfast room," Aronui said.

Why hadn't she been awakened as she requested? She could find out later. For now, she needed to get dressed and and reach her father before he read the newspaper.

She was too late. By the time she got downstairs, Papa was striding to and fro in front of the fireplace, stopping at intervals to hold a page of the newspaper at arms length, reread the offending passage, shake the paper and start pacing again.

He turned as she entered the room and, before she could speak, he said, "I forbid it. You are Wellbridge's and this—" he stabbed a finger at the paper— "aberration will not be tolerated."

Wellbridge's? Like a horse or an estate, to be passed from one gentleman to another? This from the man who had kept her from David all these years? Who had pushed Maddox on her? She took a deep breath through her nostrils and exhaled through her mouth as she crossed the room to the sideboard, where a plethora of dishes showed the staff's delight at having the family home.

"I take it you have seen the announcement," she said, as she lifted covers and selected a rasher of bacon, a scoop of mushrooms and another of egg, a spoonful of apple preserve. Her stomach roiled, and she doubted she'd be able to eat any of the food she served herself, but the activity armoured her against her father.

"Maddox has not spoken to me, and if he had I would have refused him," Papa insisted.

Sally shot him a glance. "As you refused David? Without asking me what I wanted?"

That silenced him for the moment. She took her seat at the table and poured herself a cup of coffee. She must not allow her temper to get the better of her. She had come downstairs to ask for Papa's help in resolving the tangle Penchley had made. She took a sip of the coffee while she thought of how to begin.

Papa spoke before she could. "Sally, you know that I—."

Sally didn't wait for him to finish. "You will say you acted out of love for me, but look at the results, Your Grace. We have travelled across the half the world, and everywhere we go I hear of Wellbridge's princesses and countesses and Queen's ladies, and I know not else. Do you think it does not tear at my heart? And it is your fault. Did your eye roam, Your Grace, once you had Mama at your side, in your bed? Nor would his, had I been with him. I was his best friend, and you have taken that from me."

"Sally, listen to me–"

Sally interrupted again. "Listen to you? Papa, I have been listening to you for years. I cannot have back the years that listening to you has cost me. It is at an end; do you hear me? From now on, I will take counsel with myself. I will listen to myself. I will please myself. You have served me very ill, Your Grace; you and Uncle Wellbridge both."