Cygnet by Hiatt Brenda

Author:Hiatt, Brenda
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: poetry, historical fiction, historical romance, shakespeare, regency, regency romance, regency england
Publisher: Brenda Hiatt

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CHAPTER 10

"Your what?" gasped Deirdre, shaken out of her momentary euphoria.

"Yes, think of it, Didi," Jonas went on excitedly. "We shall be in great demand socially; poets always are. And of course—"

It was imperative that she stop him at once. "I never said I would marry you, Jonas," she said, more sharply than she had intended. Softening her tone somewhat, she continued, "In fact, I have thought seriously about your offer since this morning, but I fear my answer must be no. I value you greatly as a friend, but—"

"It is Wrotham, is it not?" broke in Jonas harshly, his excitement giving way to angry disappointment. "He is a better catch than I, no doubt, with his fancy title and vaunted wealth. Now that you will be famous, you may take your pick, I suppose. I would not have thought you so mercenary, Didi."

"Jonas, please..." she said, attempting to put her hand on his sleeve.

"No, I see you clearly now!" He pulled away from her as though she scorched him. His pride clearly wounded, he struck back cruelly. "You are no different from your sister, playing off your suitors one against the other. I might have thought your muse would win out over mere wealth and position, but I see it is not so. We could have written such beautiful sonnets together, Didi—" He broke off, the sudden pain in his eyes cutting her to the quick.

He turned away abruptly. "Goodbye, Miss Wheaton. Give my compliments to your mother," he said in a muffled voice and rushed from the room.

Deirdre's legs gave way and she sank, trembling, onto the divan. She had been so certain refusing Jonas was the right thing to do... but was it? Could he have been right, that she was putting worldly considerations —not wealth, of course, but the marquis's appearance and her physical response to him— ahead of her art? Had she made a terrible mistake turning Jonas away?

As her head cleared, she honestly thought not. In fact, she realized that Jonas had tried to force her decision with his sudden declaration —and why? Because her poetry had been published? Perhaps love was not his sole motivation for wishing to marry her, either. Someone in her position could no doubt do a great deal for an aspiring poet, particularly as his wife.

Her position? she thought suddenly. Just what was her position? She had been published, yes, but anonymously. Did she dare make her authorship of "Dreams of July" (one of her better poems, to be sure) public? What would her mother say? And... what would Lord Wrotham think?

The sound of the front door roused her from her thoughts, and when Celeste and Lord Ellerby entered the room a moment later she sat composedly embroidering, the incriminating copy of the Examiner safely bestowed in the bottom of her work bag.

"Oh, Didi, it was the grandest thing! You should have seen it, really you should! You'd have written a poem about it for certain!" exclaimed Celeste on seeing her sister, making Deirdre start guiltily and glance at Lord Ellerby.

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