Chapter 3 #2
“Nonsense,” Robert objected with a good-natured chortle, clearly undaunted or perhaps just accustomed to dealing with Adam’s surly manners.
“What young lady doesn’t like such amusements?
Why, my pretty Celeste was a shy one until her fourteenth birthday, then when she saw what fun all the other girls were having, she came around.
I believe the best cure for such a malady is to expose oneself to frivolity on a regular basis.
I’m sure Miss Cary will find there is no harm in meeting her neighbors. ”
“Sorry, Grymes, but it won’t be possible. Now if you’ll excuse us, Elias is waiting with the carriage to take us back to Briarwood. I’m sure Miss Cary is eager to see her home.”
Susanna felt Adam’s insistent tug on her arm as he attempted to steer her away, but she chose to ignore it and remained right where she stood.
How dare both of these men talk over her head as if she wasn’t there, as if she didn’t have a tongue with which to speak!
What in bloody hell was going on here? She was so angry that this time it was difficult to keep her voice mild and steady.
“I think a house party at Briarwood on Saturday would be delightful,” she said, glancing from Adam to Robert Grymes and then demurely at the ground. “Papa would have wanted me to meet my neighbors.”
When she received no ready reply, Susanna peeked through her lashes to find the planter beaming from ear to ear and Adam glowering, his jaw taut. She knew he couldn’t argue with such a statement. Of course she would want to meet her neighbors, whether she was shy or not.
She was eager to fulfill her promise to Camille by launching herself into the Tidewater’s social whirl so she might find the right husband, but she would have to move slowly if she was to maintain her deception.
A reputedly timid young woman would not become a popular belle overnight, yet a welcome ball would be a good way to start and it could lead to other outings.
She had always dreamed of attending such an event, but as a lady’s maid, it had been out of the question. Now she would have her chance.
Before long she ought to feel right at home among the gentry and be able to drop this unpleasant part of her masquerade.
She had barely arrived, yet already acting so unlike herself was beginning to chafe, no thanks to the overbearing Adam Thornton, who seemed determined to go beyond the bounds of social propriety with his unseemly possessiveness.
She looked forward to giving him a good dressing-down, but for now, she must exercise patience, not one of her stronger traits.
Heaven give her the strength to curb her tongue and her temper!
“Splendid, Miss Cary!” Robert exclaimed, finding his voice at last. “Absolutely splendid!” He waved his hand with a wide flourish toward the gentlemen still gathered near the gangplank. “If I may, I shall tell the others. What a wonderful day it will be!”
Susanna gave a slight nod, and the planter hurried away.
“House party, my foot,” Adam grumbled under his breath. “You’re going to have a blasted mob on your hands. Every single male in the county will be there.”
“Did you say something, Mr. Thornton?” she asked innocently, though she had heard him well enough.
She didn’t understand his obvious resentment. Why should it matter to him if she met some eligible young gentlemen? Surely he knew James Cary had summoned Camille home to find an appropriate husband.
“I said, if you would point out your trunks, Miss Cary, I’ll have them loaded onto the carriage and we’ll be on our way,” Adam replied, unsettled by how quickly his plans had gone awry.
He had wanted to have Camille all to himself for the next few weeks, which would have given him plenty of time to court her without any outside interruptions.
Now that was not to be. Leave it to that fool Robert Grymes to pressure the girl into something she didn’t really want to do.
He would just have to inform her of his intention to marry her a little sooner than he had planned, and before any other bastards had a chance to meet her.
Maybe he would tell her tonight and be done with it, Adam thought.
If he worked fast enough, he might even announce the betrothal at this welcome ball.
By God, he could imagine the look on Grymes’s face at the news.
He could just as easily imagine the look on Dominick Spencer’s face if the planter had the audacity to show up at Briarwood.
Adam would sell his soul for such a moment.
“My trunks are over there, Mr. Thornton.”
Adam signaled to Elias, who was still waiting patiently by the carriage.
The huge black man rushed forward and lifted one after the other of her three trunks, carrying them back to the coach as if they contained nothing but feathers.
After the luggage was secured, he re-tethered Adam’s mount to the vehicle and called, “All’s ready, Mr. Thornton! ”
“Have you no maid?” Adam queried, it suddenly dawning on him that of course Camille wouldn’t have traveled such a distance alone. “I recall Mr. Cary saying you had a devoted waiting-maid about your age named Susanna Guthrie. Where is she?”
Susanna felt the color draining from her face. She had never thought to hear her own name mentioned in Virginia. It was an eerie sensation, especially since she knew no one would ever call her that again.
“She died a little over a week ago. The fever…” It was simply too painful to say more. Susanna fell silent, her gaze fixed on the river.
“I’m very sorry, Camille. Come, I’ll take you home.”
A few moments ago, Susanna might have taken offense that he called her by her first name. Now, it didn’t seem to matter.
Turning away from the Charming Nancy, she allowed him to lead her to the carriage, which was drawn by two magnificent dappled grays.
He lifted her inside, his strong, tanned hands easily encircling her waist, and took a place beside her on the plush wine-colored velvet seat.
She didn’t look back as the coach jolted into motion and rumbled away from the bustling dock.
She never wanted to see that cursed ship again.