Free To Win the Lady by Mary Nichols

respects
at some time during the following afternoon, many bearing flowers or
sweetmeats, anxious to forward their suit with the younger Miss Paget. She was
flattered, there was no denying it, and accepted several invitations, but it
was obvious that she was not paying as much attention as she should and was
listening anxiously for the arrival of one of their number who had not yet put
in an appearance. After staying a few minutes, they left, one by one.
    ‘He is not
coming,’ Felicity said when the two girls were alone once more.
    ‘There is time.
Be patient.’
    `There’s a
carriage now.’ She ran to the window and peeped from behind the folds of the
curtain. ‘Oh, it is Major Baverstock!’
    ‘Come away from
the window, do,’ Georgie admonished her. Her own heart was beating
unaccountably fast and she did not notice the drop in her sister’s voice. ‘It
is not done to appear too eager, you know.’
    Her sister had
barely left the window and arranged herself prettily in a chair when Major
Baverstock was announced. He strode into the salon where they had been
receiving their callers and bowed to both ladies. He was obviously ready for
their outing, for he wore a well-cut coat of Bath cloth, biscuit pantaloons and
highly polished hessians.
    ‘Your servant,
Miss Paget, Miss Felicity,’ he said, tucking his curly-brimmed hat beneath his
arm and sweeping them a bow. ‘I trust I find you both well?’
    Somehow the
pleasantries sounded affected coming from him, as if he was repeating something
he had learned by rote and did not really comprehend. Georgie smiled. ‘We are
very well, Major, and looking forward to our ride, aren’t we, Felicity?’
    ‘I beg pardon?
Oh, yes, of course...’
    Felicity seemed
to be in a world of her own and having trouble concentrating; Georgie surmised
that she was nervous and overawed by the attentions of the Major and decided
she would have to speak to her about it. ‘We will go and put on our bonnets and
coats,’ she said. ‘It will not do to keep the horses waiting.’
    She took
Felicity’s arm and propelled her from the room and up the stairs,
notwithstanding the fact that her sister seemed reluctant to go. ‘What are you
thinking of, Felicity? You must not be so missish. He does not expect you to go
into vapours at the sight of him; you should have smiled and welcomed him and
made some conversation. Do pull yourself together, dearest, or he will be quite
put off.’
    ‘If he is so
easily discouraged, I would as lief not entertain him at all,’ Felicity said
with more than usual spirit. ‘I should like him to have a little more
resolution than to be deterred because I am a little distracted.’
    ‘Why are you
distracted?’
    They had
reached the door of Felicity’s room and she turned to go inside, saying, ‘Oh, I
am tired. After the quiet of the country, London is all rush and tear. I shall
be in fine fettle directly.’
    Georgie went to
her own room and five minutes later, having donned a light silk shawl and a
plain straw bonnet, which was all that was needed for the weather was very
warm, she went downstairs again to find Felicity already there in a light
pelisse and ribbon-trimmed bonnet, chattering nineteen to the dozen to the
Major. ‘Oh, here is my sister. Now we can go,’ she said brightly. ‘Come,
Georgie, it was you who said the horses must not be kept waiting.’ She turned
to Richard as they left the house together. ‘That is all my sister thinks of,
Major. Horses are her only interest. She would sleep in the stables if she
could. It is all Papa’s fault, of course. He would have liked a son...’
    ‘Felicity, I am
sure the Major does not want to know about me,’ Georgie put in, noticing the
twitch at the corner of Richard’s mouth.
    ‘On the
contrary,’ he said politely as he handed them both into the phaeton which stood
at the door. ‘It is pleasing to hear sisters so loyal to each other. I am
persuaded that is not often the case.’
    ‘Have