before it happened."
"That was something of a blessing," said the doctor. "And, of course, he died happy with the knowledge that you intended to marry Felice Delisle."
"Ah, yes, Felice," said the Earl.
Jacina straightened at the sound of that name on his lips. She was longing to know what his thoughts were about the woman he was to marry. Was it possible to be in love with someone you had never actually met?
The Earl was ruminating. "The question is, though I may wish to marry Felice, will she now wish to marry me? I am not the man whose proposal she accepted. She does not know what has happened to me."
"I must interrupt there," said the doctor hurriedly. "She does know what has happened."
The Earl looked surprised. "How on earth – ! I had not yet informed her. I was uncertain as to how to break the news to her. I feared she might be in too delicate a state. She lost her first fiancé, my brother, as you know, and was ill for some time. She wrote to me after my grandfather died in February and sounded most desolate. I have not heard from her since. I was hoping to discuss the matter with someone who perhaps had some indication as to her current state of mind – someone like yourself – before I burdened her with further unpleasant news."
"I must apologise if I have exceeded my duties," said the doctor. "I wrote to her in June, as soon as I heard of your injury. I had already had occasion to write to her as executor of your grandfather's will."
The Earl, who had been brooding on the doctor's words, now gave a start.
"She was a beneficiary, even though she was going to be married to me?"
"She was," said the doctor. "I was privy to your grandfather's thoughts on this subject. Perhaps you would like me to explain them?"
The Earl nodded. He reached forward and felt for the table at the side of his chair, where he carefully deposited his glass. Then he sat back to listen.
"Your grandfather was delighted when you wrote promising to marry Felice," said the doctor. "He was extremely fond of her and he wanted to make sure her future was utterly secure. The Ruven estate is entailed, remember. Should you marry Felice and then die before her and – God forbid – without issue, the whole estate would pass to a distant male relative.
"Since Felice has no family money of her own, she could in that case be left with very little. So your grandfather arranged for a generous sum to be settled on her in the unhappy event of your death. She would of course by law retain the title of Countess."
"I see," said the Earl.
"She sent a most courteous letter acknowledging mine in early March," said the doctor. "She was saddened by the old Earl's death and most touched by his thoughtfulness. I did not communicate with her again until June, when I sent her news of your injury."
The Earl interrupted with a bitter laugh. "And, knowing how things stand with me, she has not deigned to write to me since then!"
Jacina bowed her head. For the Earl to speak in such a tone meant only one thing. He was in love with Felice Delisle!
The doctor had also noted the Earl's reaction. "I did
feel," he said gently, "that Miss Delisle should be informed of what had happened to you."
"Of course, of course," said the Earl. He had picked up his glass again and was tapping his fingers on the crystal.
"As to you not having heard from her," the doctor continued, "I should not take that as any indication of her state of mind concerning you. You have forgotten how difficult it was to get letters through during the mutiny."
"It was difficult indeed," agreed the Earl.
"I have a letter with me that should further reassure you," said the doctor. "Shall I read it to you?"
"By all means," said the Earl.
There was silence for a moment as the doctor patted his waistcoat pockets for the letter and his pince-nez. All Jacina could hear was the ticking of the large gilt clock that stood on the marble mantelpiece.
At breakfast some weeks before she had seen the
"That was something of a blessing," said the doctor. "And, of course, he died happy with the knowledge that you intended to marry Felice Delisle."
"Ah, yes, Felice," said the Earl.
Jacina straightened at the sound of that name on his lips. She was longing to know what his thoughts were about the woman he was to marry. Was it possible to be in love with someone you had never actually met?
The Earl was ruminating. "The question is, though I may wish to marry Felice, will she now wish to marry me? I am not the man whose proposal she accepted. She does not know what has happened to me."
"I must interrupt there," said the doctor hurriedly. "She does know what has happened."
The Earl looked surprised. "How on earth – ! I had not yet informed her. I was uncertain as to how to break the news to her. I feared she might be in too delicate a state. She lost her first fiancé, my brother, as you know, and was ill for some time. She wrote to me after my grandfather died in February and sounded most desolate. I have not heard from her since. I was hoping to discuss the matter with someone who perhaps had some indication as to her current state of mind – someone like yourself – before I burdened her with further unpleasant news."
"I must apologise if I have exceeded my duties," said the doctor. "I wrote to her in June, as soon as I heard of your injury. I had already had occasion to write to her as executor of your grandfather's will."
The Earl, who had been brooding on the doctor's words, now gave a start.
"She was a beneficiary, even though she was going to be married to me?"
"She was," said the doctor. "I was privy to your grandfather's thoughts on this subject. Perhaps you would like me to explain them?"
The Earl nodded. He reached forward and felt for the table at the side of his chair, where he carefully deposited his glass. Then he sat back to listen.
"Your grandfather was delighted when you wrote promising to marry Felice," said the doctor. "He was extremely fond of her and he wanted to make sure her future was utterly secure. The Ruven estate is entailed, remember. Should you marry Felice and then die before her and – God forbid – without issue, the whole estate would pass to a distant male relative.
"Since Felice has no family money of her own, she could in that case be left with very little. So your grandfather arranged for a generous sum to be settled on her in the unhappy event of your death. She would of course by law retain the title of Countess."
"I see," said the Earl.
"She sent a most courteous letter acknowledging mine in early March," said the doctor. "She was saddened by the old Earl's death and most touched by his thoughtfulness. I did not communicate with her again until June, when I sent her news of your injury."
The Earl interrupted with a bitter laugh. "And, knowing how things stand with me, she has not deigned to write to me since then!"
Jacina bowed her head. For the Earl to speak in such a tone meant only one thing. He was in love with Felice Delisle!
The doctor had also noted the Earl's reaction. "I did
feel," he said gently, "that Miss Delisle should be informed of what had happened to you."
"Of course, of course," said the Earl. He had picked up his glass again and was tapping his fingers on the crystal.
"As to you not having heard from her," the doctor continued, "I should not take that as any indication of her state of mind concerning you. You have forgotten how difficult it was to get letters through during the mutiny."
"It was difficult indeed," agreed the Earl.
"I have a letter with me that should further reassure you," said the doctor. "Shall I read it to you?"
"By all means," said the Earl.
There was silence for a moment as the doctor patted his waistcoat pockets for the letter and his pince-nez. All Jacina could hear was the ticking of the large gilt clock that stood on the marble mantelpiece.
At breakfast some weeks before she had seen the
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