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Authors: Once a Gentleman
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lord. There is no need for her to spend money for its maintenance.”
“What about servants? You answered your own door this morning. Do you keep no servants?”
Nick squirmed in his chair. “There is a maid who works half days, and a cook who comes in the mornings to prepare the day’s meals.”
“And what if Prudence wanted a personal maid? Would you allow her to spend her own money to obtain one?”
“I have enough to increase the staff as needed. If Pru wants a lady’s maid, I shall see that she has one.”
“And what of clothes? There will be a great many balls and routs and such this season. Because of Arabella’s come-out, Prudence will be expected to attend several of them, at least. Will you allow her to buy her own clothes?”
Damn the man! Nick’s hands had balled into fists, and he had to remind himself that it was his father-in-law who sat behind that desk, and it would be unwise to reach across and throttle him. “It is her money to spend however she wishes.”
“Except on the basic necessities?”
“I will provide the basic necessities,” Nick said through clenched teeth. “But recall, if you will, that this marriage was not my idea. I have not come begging your approval. However, I will not have you thinking me a complete down-and-outer, Lord Henry. I am not.”
“But you are very proud. Well, I can see that you and Prudence will have to work this out between you. But mind what I said, Parrish. I will not have her living like a church mouse when she has money that could make her life more comfortable.”
Arabella and several of her cousins had obtained permission to use the duke’s box at the theater for the evening. Coaxed and cajoled withrelentless enthusiasm by her niece, Pru finally agreed that she and Nicholas would join them. She was actually rather glad to do so. It put off a bit longer the inevitable moment of being alone with Nicholas for the first time as husband and wife.
She watched him descend the terrace steps with her father, and was bewildered to note the uncharacteristically grim look on his face. In fact, her father did not appear particularly happy, either. Oh, dear. What had they said to each other? Pru did not care to think about it. The day’s events had already precipitated more emotional turmoil than she’d endured in a lifetime, and there was still the wedding night to face. She did not need one more calamity to worry about.
By the time Nicholas reached her side, he was wearing a polite smile. There was a hint of brittleness about it, though, that seemed to mask something else. Was it anger? Had he and her father quarreled?
She quickly told him of the invitation to the theater, and he gave a nod of acknowledgment, though he said nothing. He stood quietly while Arabella and two other young cousins of her own generation tittered and giggled about who had already solicited dances for next week’s ball. Arabella turned to Nicholas.
“And I trust we shall see you leading Aunt Prudence in the first dance, Mr. Parrish?”
He gave a little start, as though his thoughts had been elsewhere, then flashed a more genuinesmile. “Yes, of course.” He looked at Pru and once again wore an expression of mock devotion, remembering, apparently, that he was supposed to be in love with her. He took her hand and placed it on his arm. “I look forward to it with the greatest pleasure.”
Soon afterward, some of the guests took their leave and the crowd began to thin. Pru’s father pulled her aside to recommend that she return to his house and begin organizing the packing and removal of her things to Golden Square. Before she could respond, he was called away by his brother Frederick, and Pru was left alone to face the implications of his words.
That was it, then. The end of her life as the spinster daughter of Lord Henry Armitage. She was to quit forever the house she had been born in and grew up in, and make a new life, somehow, with Nicholas in the house on
“What about servants? You answered your own door this morning. Do you keep no servants?”
Nick squirmed in his chair. “There is a maid who works half days, and a cook who comes in the mornings to prepare the day’s meals.”
“And what if Prudence wanted a personal maid? Would you allow her to spend her own money to obtain one?”
“I have enough to increase the staff as needed. If Pru wants a lady’s maid, I shall see that she has one.”
“And what of clothes? There will be a great many balls and routs and such this season. Because of Arabella’s come-out, Prudence will be expected to attend several of them, at least. Will you allow her to buy her own clothes?”
Damn the man! Nick’s hands had balled into fists, and he had to remind himself that it was his father-in-law who sat behind that desk, and it would be unwise to reach across and throttle him. “It is her money to spend however she wishes.”
“Except on the basic necessities?”
“I will provide the basic necessities,” Nick said through clenched teeth. “But recall, if you will, that this marriage was not my idea. I have not come begging your approval. However, I will not have you thinking me a complete down-and-outer, Lord Henry. I am not.”
“But you are very proud. Well, I can see that you and Prudence will have to work this out between you. But mind what I said, Parrish. I will not have her living like a church mouse when she has money that could make her life more comfortable.”
Arabella and several of her cousins had obtained permission to use the duke’s box at the theater for the evening. Coaxed and cajoled withrelentless enthusiasm by her niece, Pru finally agreed that she and Nicholas would join them. She was actually rather glad to do so. It put off a bit longer the inevitable moment of being alone with Nicholas for the first time as husband and wife.
She watched him descend the terrace steps with her father, and was bewildered to note the uncharacteristically grim look on his face. In fact, her father did not appear particularly happy, either. Oh, dear. What had they said to each other? Pru did not care to think about it. The day’s events had already precipitated more emotional turmoil than she’d endured in a lifetime, and there was still the wedding night to face. She did not need one more calamity to worry about.
By the time Nicholas reached her side, he was wearing a polite smile. There was a hint of brittleness about it, though, that seemed to mask something else. Was it anger? Had he and her father quarreled?
She quickly told him of the invitation to the theater, and he gave a nod of acknowledgment, though he said nothing. He stood quietly while Arabella and two other young cousins of her own generation tittered and giggled about who had already solicited dances for next week’s ball. Arabella turned to Nicholas.
“And I trust we shall see you leading Aunt Prudence in the first dance, Mr. Parrish?”
He gave a little start, as though his thoughts had been elsewhere, then flashed a more genuinesmile. “Yes, of course.” He looked at Pru and once again wore an expression of mock devotion, remembering, apparently, that he was supposed to be in love with her. He took her hand and placed it on his arm. “I look forward to it with the greatest pleasure.”
Soon afterward, some of the guests took their leave and the crowd began to thin. Pru’s father pulled her aside to recommend that she return to his house and begin organizing the packing and removal of her things to Golden Square. Before she could respond, he was called away by his brother Frederick, and Pru was left alone to face the implications of his words.
That was it, then. The end of her life as the spinster daughter of Lord Henry Armitage. She was to quit forever the house she had been born in and grew up in, and make a new life, somehow, with Nicholas in the house on
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