Blackwater Brides by Jane Feather

Author:Jane Feather
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

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Chapter Thirteen

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“Nice young man, that Jonas Wedgwood,” Mr. Sutton announced at dinner, nodding benignly at his wife and daughter. “I’ve a mind to invite him to dinner the day after tomorrow. ’Tis a Wednesday, and we usually dine rather well on Wednesdays. Will that suit, Mrs. Sutton?”

“Oh, Mr. Sutton, you’ve quite forgotten, haven’t you?” his lady exclaimed. “I have told you I don’t know how many times that we are to have our own dinner party that evening. All the guests have been invited, and Lady Serena has been most helpful. That charming Mr. Sullivan has accepted, and six other couples, all carefully selected by Lady Serena.”

“Oh, then we can make room for one more. Invite young Wedgwood, madam. I like him.” Mr. Sutton helped himself liberally to the roast sirloin, beaming in his usual fashion.

“But it will throw the numbers out, Mr. Sutton,” his lady protested. “I cannot have an odd man at the table.”

“Oh, there must be plenty of single ladies about who would be glad of a good dinner. What about that relative of mine, the one who was companion to some querulous lady in Kensington? I’m sure she’d be glad of an invitation.”

His wife closed her lips tightly, knowing that if she hinted to her husband that the relative in question was not in a position to advance Abigail’s social position, he would become even more stubborn. For all his wish to see his daughter respectably established, he had a most unfortunate disinclination towards understanding the realities of his wife’s mission.

“I believe ’tis too late to issue invitations, Mr. Sutton. It would be apparent they were an afterthought and considered most discourteous.”

He looked puzzled. “That so? In my experience, no one’s ever offended by an invitation to a good dinner and a convivial evening.” He looked at Abigail. “What d’you say, puss, should we invite Mr. Wedgwood? ’Tis your party, after all.”

Abigail was torn. There was something about Jonas that made her instantly comfortable, happy to chatter away about whatever popped into her head. On the other hand, she knew that all her attention during the evening should be devoted to the handsome Mr. Sullivan. She knew he was her mother’s choice, and she couldn’t deny that she felt strangely tingly in his presence, a little hot and giggly, but despite that, she had to admit he also made her feel tongue-tied and awkward, and that was not in the least comfortable. It would be comforting to have someone at the party with whom she felt so at ease.

She temporized, anxious not to annoy her mother. “I think it would be nice to invite him, Papa. But I wonder if it wouldn’t be pleasanter to invite him to a family dinner one evening. Then you and he can have a comfortable time over the port.”

He chuckled. “Well, let us do both. You send him an invitation for this dinner, and I’ll invite him myself to take his pot luck with us one other evening. How would that be, Mrs.

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