Expectations of Happiness by Rebecca Ann Collins

Author:Rebecca Ann Collins [Collins, Rebecca Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2011-01-03T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

In Provence, Claire Jones and Margaret Dashwood were preparing to return to England, having correctly interpreted the first signs of the Mistral as heralding the arrival of winter into the Mediterranean. They had but four days before it would be time to return to Marseilles and the vessel that would take them back to Plymouth, when Claire surprised her friend with the news that Nicholas and she planned to go away together to a little place in the lower slopes of the Alpilles.

“Nicholas has asked me to marry him,” Claire said quietly, and before Margaret, who had long suspected Mr Wilcox of being in love with her friend, could respond, she added, “I am not sure it’s what I want, but I am very fond of him and I do not wish to refuse him without discovering if I do want to marry him or not.”

Margaret did not know what to say; she had, over the years, become quite accustomed to her friend’s liberal views regarding relationships, which she had accepted as part of the sophistication that gave Claire Jones a particular savoir faire, which perturbed some of the straitlaced denizens of Dorsetshire. However, Margaret had never been confronted with a situation such as was being proposed now and she found it exceedingly difficult to respond. Determined not to appear prudish, she was nevertheless concerned about her friend’s reputation and asked in the most innocuous way if Claire had considered all the consequences of such a scheme.

“Of course I have,” she replied. “Should it be talked about back in England, I shall probably be labelled a wanton hussy; but no one will know, Margaret, except the four of us and I know I can trust you not to gossip. As for Daniel Brooke, Nicholas would trust him with his life! No one here cares—they adore lovers and enjoy seeing them together.”

Margaret was confused. “I think you already know you love Nicholas, he certainly loves you…” she began, and when Claire nodded, she asked, “Then why must you—?” Anticipating her question, Claire interrupted her. “Because, my dear young friend, I have believed myself in love before and become engaged only to find that I was not. It is not a pleasant prospect. Fortunately, it was easy enough to become disengaged. But this is the first time I have seriously contemplated matrimony and I must discover if I love Nicholas enough to want to settle into marriage at twenty-seven and not regret it.”

Seeing Margaret’s troubled countenance, she added, “Now, Margaret, you are not going to be all miss-ish and disapprove of me, are you?” to which Margaret could only reply, in as lighthearted a manner as she could muster, “Of course not, but anyone can see he loves you desperately, Claire, so do take care you don’t break his heart.”

Claire laughed, the long, uninhibited laugh that Margaret enjoyed so much, and said lightly, “I shan’t do that, I know he loves me and I am exceedingly fond of him; I just need to know if I love him enough to want to marry him and change my life completely.

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