Free Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe Page A

early to make such an emphatic pronouncement,” declared Diana.
    There was nothing for it, but to explain the matter in its entirety. Well perhaps not the entirety, her brother need not know of Ian’s passionate kisses in the garden.
    Annabelle felt Ian’s proposal did her no credit, but it would be the only way of explaining her aversion to his marked attention.
    As she spoke, her brother looked hard-pressed not to laugh. The mirth in his eyes did nothing for her sense of injured dignity. She scowled at him.
    “It is not amusing.” She waved the newspaper before him. “Now this. How would you like to be painted in such unflattering terms and the latest on-dit on the tip of everyone’s tongue?”
    His mirth vanished. Robert had a horror of being the center of gossip or scandal.
    Diana’s reaction aligned itself immediately with Annabelle. “How dare he. The brute. You are a perfectly lovely creature and if he’s so blind he can’t see that, he doesn’t deserve you. As for this rag,” she said, indicating the paper with a condescending sweep of her hands, “they simply do not understand a lady taking her time to the altar.” Her friend’s staunch support went a long way toward restoring Annabelle’s good mood.
    Cresswell entered the room. “There is a fire lit in the drawing room per Lady Beauford’s orders.” When no one moved, he spoke again. “It is quite comfortable in there.”
    Diana took the situation in hand. “Robert, go pay your respects to your aunt. She’s undoubtedly ready to receive company by now.” When he hesitated, she shooed him with her hand. “Go. I will be up momentarily.”
    Robert left the room and Diana tugged on Annabelle’s arm. “Come, let us retire to the drawing room. Cresswell seems quite put out that no one is in there to appreciate Lady Beauford’s generosity in ordering the fire lit.” Annabelle followed Diana to the other room. They sat on matching tapestry chairs near the brazier. She regretted her choice of dress for the second time that morning. The heat of the fire made the wool prickle against her skin.
    “Tell me all,” Diana said firmly.
    Annabelle grimaced. “The proposal was truly awful.”
    “Yes, yes, so you’ve said. What about the rest?”

    “The rest?” Now that the opportunity had come for Annabelle to unburden herself, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to. Would Diana understand her quandary? Happily married to the man she loved, could she understand all the riotous emotions coursing through Annabelle?
    “Yes, the rest. You would not be so beside yourself if Lord Graenfrae had simply made a proposal of no consequence.”
    “You cannot believe an impertinent marriage proposal of no consequence,” Annabelle exclaimed.
    Diana patted her arm. “Of course not. Haven’t I already said so? But your sense of humor has served you well in other circumstances that could have been equally devastating.”
    Annabelle stood and moved away from the heat of the fire. She spoke with her back to Diana. “Nothing has ever been this provoking.” Diana laughed. “That is hard to believe. Remember when Freddy Jenkins was on the verge of proposing and then he fell for that empty-headed Mary Potts? When he came to explain his change of heart to you, you laughed him out of the room. You were not affected at all.”
    Recalling Freddy’s ignominious exit, Annabelle could not help smiling just a little.
    Picking up one of the trinkets on a lacquer table she idly played with it before setting it down with a thump.
    “This is entirely different. Freddy’s idea of our relationship was amusing in the extreme, but Ian is an infuriating man with no concept of the tender emotions, much less the meaning of denial.”
    Diana shifted in her chair to face Annabelle. “My dear, you are putting too much importance on this matter. The Scotsman will eventually give up when you continue to deny his proposal.”
    Annabelle whirled around to face her friend, nearly