Oh, Cherry Ripe

“Well, then—why did you run away, dear, and in the dead of night?”

“Nanny … dearest Polly, you … I know you will agree that I had no choice. Mama was about to marry me off to a man I have never met!” A wave of indignation swept over her even as she spoke. “I told her I wouldn’t, and she said she would see to it that I would.” Her shoulders dropped, and she added, “Nanny … I always thought that if I ever married, it would be for love …”

Nanny took all of this in with a growing frown. “She couldn’t have meant it, dearest. This start is most unlike Lady Elton. I can’t believe she would force your hand into marriage.”

“Well, at first I didn’t think so, but she said all my chances of making a respectable match were ruined. She thought all the mamas of marriageable prizes would object to me because of my long list of scandals.”

“Why then did this—who is he anyway?”

“Oh, I don’t know, and I don’t know why he didn’t mind, because Mama said he didn’t, which means he does know, so there must be something terribly wrong with him. He means to stick me somewhere no doubt where I shall be alone and miserable while he goes about his usual business. I got the notion that he is something of a seasoned rake, so he probably needs an heir. It doesn’t matter, for I shall never return to Mama’s house. I can’t trust her anymore.”

“You can’t trust her?” Nanny was moved to exclaim in shocked accents. “You are the one who has behaved in a fashion that at best can only be called … wayward, and now you say don’t trust Lady Elton? It is absurd, darling, and well you know it.”

“Polly, don’t you see? If I were to go back … things would be worse than ever. I have done yet another unforgivable thing. I have run away from home, and in the middle of the night. By now all the servants know it, and faith, if they know it, all of London will soon know it. I can never go back …”

“Nonsense. The Elton household adores you. We will return together and shall put it about that I had you with me.”

“I can’t risk it … any of it … don’t want to marry a stranger, remember, and now Mama will force me … I can’t go back.”

Polly knew the look her former charge now wore. Obstinate. Perhaps what it needed was time. And she would send off a note posthaste so further scandal could be averted.

“Which brings us to the topic of that nice gentleman who brought you safely to me.” Polly suddenly changed the subject.

In spite of herself, Cherry felt her cheeks get suddenly hot; she was sure she was bright red. “Yes, well … that was all very odd to be sure, and I can see how you might wonder, but there is a perfectly good explanation …”

“I am certain there is, and I should be most interested to hear it,” Polly answered sweetly.

Cherry peeked an uncertain look at her and tried to appear casual as she answered. “He discovered me riding along in London and rather thought I should not be allowed to head out for the New Forest alone.”

“Yes, so he said,” her nanny returned with an encouraging look. Then when Cherry seemed disinclined to add anything further to this, she said, “I did, however, find him to be a complete gentleman and shall allow the matter to rest … for now, but I am not fooled, young lady. He was most certainly and totally foxed, and you … you were most improperly clothed.”

“Yes, he was in his cups … I know, but better I thought by the time we reached here.” Cherry giggled behind her hand.

Polly got to her feet, adjusted her mobcap around her short gray curls, and said, “When you have washed and dressed—and, Cheryl love, you may be in the country but you are not to don britches.” She eyed her warningly. “Then come with me to the garden, for I need to do some thinking.”

“Yes, Nanny, but if I were a man, all this would be nonsense.”

“But you are not a man, and, my dear, it is still very much a man’s world.”

Sadly, Cherry thought, this was true …

~ Six ~

LORD SKY WESTBROOKE was announced, albeit a day late, and Lady Elton put a wavering hand to her forehead as she prepared herself for the bold lie she was about to tell.

She watched him as he strode towards where she sat on her pretty yellow ladies’ chair and was again struck by what a fine figure of a man he was. If only her Cherry had at least taken a ‘look’ at him. Ah well, that was past.

He bent over her hand and murmured some apology about being a day late and having business. She waved this off and said the carefully prepared words, “My lord, I don’t know how to say this after you came all the way here, but my darling girl awoke this morning with a terrible malady.”

“Oh, I am sorry to hear that,” he said, frowning.

“Indeed, the doctor says it is not serious, but time-consuming …”

“Time-consuming? I don’t understand,” he said. As she indicated for him to be seated with a pat on the sofa near her chair, he sat.

“Well, it is … the …” Her eyelashes fluttered. “I blush to say it …”

“Blush, then, my lady, and say it.” His lordship appeared impatient to know what was amiss with his intended bride.