appeared to have settled down.
The squire’s face cleared. ‘Then I can count myself the happiest man in England. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Miss Amy. I am to be married.’
‘Congratulations,’ said Effy faintly. ‘Does my sister know of this?’
‘I am looking forward to telling her,’ said Mr Wraxall.
Effy felt quite sick. So Amy was to be married. What on earth would she do now? She would be very lonely without Amy.
‘Are you sure you are making the right decision, Mr Wraxall?’ said Effy. ‘Surely no one can take the place of your beloved wife. And then, would it not be better to wait until Delilah has set up her own household?’
‘Delilah will understand. I thought I should never feel at ease with a lady again,’ said the squire, ‘but Miss Amy changed all that.’
Effy felt like crying. Amy would not care. Amy would be so happy and excited she would leave the house in Holles Street without a backward glance. It was terrible that Amy, plain Amy, should be the first of them to get married after all these years.
Delilah and Amy entered the room at that moment. Delilah flew into her father’s arms. Amy and Effy tactfully withdrew to leave them alone.
As Effy had already explained, Delilah had lost all her initial fury at finding the Tribbles were being paid for their services, but she could not help asking plaintively, ‘Am I so very bad, Papa?’
‘No, my chuck. But I am deeply concerned for you. I would like to see my grandchildren before I die. I cannot help feeling your continuing independence is in part my fault. I should have encouraged you more to find a suitable partner.’
‘It has been borne in on me I am judged to be a heart-breaker, Papa. My only quarrel with you is that you might have told me sooner what everyone was saying about me.’
‘What people say about you does not matter to me,’ said the squire, ‘and I confess, for a long time I put such gossip down to jealousy. But if you are content with your home life and if the idea of marriage is really repugnant to you, then you may return with me this day.’
Delilah found to her surprise that she did not want to return . . . yet. She was enjoying her life in London. Besides, she had not seen Sir Charles since the day of the picnic, and it was important that she see him again to show him how indifferent she was to him.
‘Perhaps another month,’ she said. ‘Who knows? I may find a beau yet.’
‘Have you anyone in mind?’
Delilah laughed. ‘I thought I had. There is a certain Lord Andrew Bergrave who was courting me, but it appears he is a hardened gambler and so I have been trying to keep out of his way. I suppose he
is
a hardened gambler, but I cannot help feeling that it was Sir Charles who went out of his way to make him appear so.’
‘Perhaps Sir Charles was concerned for your welfare.’
‘Not he.’
‘I think you do him an injustice. It is not that he is enamoured of you, rather that he feels a loyalty to someone from our village. I, too, would feel compelled to step in if I met a young lady from Hoppleton and thought she was about to plunge into a bad match.’
‘I detest Sir Charles. He has too high an opinion of his attractions.’
‘People might say the same about you.’
‘Why do you always defend him?’
‘I think you are too hard on him. He is a level-headed and sensible young man.’
‘Hardly young!’ exclaimed Delilah.
‘You will soon be wearing caps yourself,’ pointed out the squire brutally.
‘Pooh! There is no need to try to
frighten
me into marriage,’ said Delilah.
‘Now, listen to me,’ said the squire. ‘I have great news. I am to be married!’
‘Well, it is not so much of a surprise,’ said Delilah. She had grown to like Amy, but she had to admit she did not relish the idea of surrendering the reins of household government to anyone else.
‘You knew of my affection?’ cried the squire. ‘It is only I who was blind. It took Miss Amy to open my
The squire’s face cleared. ‘Then I can count myself the happiest man in England. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Miss Amy. I am to be married.’
‘Congratulations,’ said Effy faintly. ‘Does my sister know of this?’
‘I am looking forward to telling her,’ said Mr Wraxall.
Effy felt quite sick. So Amy was to be married. What on earth would she do now? She would be very lonely without Amy.
‘Are you sure you are making the right decision, Mr Wraxall?’ said Effy. ‘Surely no one can take the place of your beloved wife. And then, would it not be better to wait until Delilah has set up her own household?’
‘Delilah will understand. I thought I should never feel at ease with a lady again,’ said the squire, ‘but Miss Amy changed all that.’
Effy felt like crying. Amy would not care. Amy would be so happy and excited she would leave the house in Holles Street without a backward glance. It was terrible that Amy, plain Amy, should be the first of them to get married after all these years.
Delilah and Amy entered the room at that moment. Delilah flew into her father’s arms. Amy and Effy tactfully withdrew to leave them alone.
As Effy had already explained, Delilah had lost all her initial fury at finding the Tribbles were being paid for their services, but she could not help asking plaintively, ‘Am I so very bad, Papa?’
‘No, my chuck. But I am deeply concerned for you. I would like to see my grandchildren before I die. I cannot help feeling your continuing independence is in part my fault. I should have encouraged you more to find a suitable partner.’
‘It has been borne in on me I am judged to be a heart-breaker, Papa. My only quarrel with you is that you might have told me sooner what everyone was saying about me.’
‘What people say about you does not matter to me,’ said the squire, ‘and I confess, for a long time I put such gossip down to jealousy. But if you are content with your home life and if the idea of marriage is really repugnant to you, then you may return with me this day.’
Delilah found to her surprise that she did not want to return . . . yet. She was enjoying her life in London. Besides, she had not seen Sir Charles since the day of the picnic, and it was important that she see him again to show him how indifferent she was to him.
‘Perhaps another month,’ she said. ‘Who knows? I may find a beau yet.’
‘Have you anyone in mind?’
Delilah laughed. ‘I thought I had. There is a certain Lord Andrew Bergrave who was courting me, but it appears he is a hardened gambler and so I have been trying to keep out of his way. I suppose he
is
a hardened gambler, but I cannot help feeling that it was Sir Charles who went out of his way to make him appear so.’
‘Perhaps Sir Charles was concerned for your welfare.’
‘Not he.’
‘I think you do him an injustice. It is not that he is enamoured of you, rather that he feels a loyalty to someone from our village. I, too, would feel compelled to step in if I met a young lady from Hoppleton and thought she was about to plunge into a bad match.’
‘I detest Sir Charles. He has too high an opinion of his attractions.’
‘People might say the same about you.’
‘Why do you always defend him?’
‘I think you are too hard on him. He is a level-headed and sensible young man.’
‘Hardly young!’ exclaimed Delilah.
‘You will soon be wearing caps yourself,’ pointed out the squire brutally.
‘Pooh! There is no need to try to
frighten
me into marriage,’ said Delilah.
‘Now, listen to me,’ said the squire. ‘I have great news. I am to be married!’
‘Well, it is not so much of a surprise,’ said Delilah. She had grown to like Amy, but she had to admit she did not relish the idea of surrendering the reins of household government to anyone else.
‘You knew of my affection?’ cried the squire. ‘It is only I who was blind. It took Miss Amy to open my
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