Elizabeth Mansfield by The Bartered Bride Read Free Book Online Page A

Do you think all this will affect her response to your proposal?”
    “Affect her response? How can it
not
? But the question’s moot. I can’t ask her now.”
    Sandy gaped. “Can’t ask her? But, Robbie, you
must
! She’s expecting it, isn’t she? The whole of London’s expecting it. You and she have been smelling of April and May since the girl came out. She’swaited all through the war for you!”
    Kittridge, ashen-faced, stumbled to his feet. “You don’t seem to realize the extent of my indebtedness, Sandy. I have
nothing
. No income, no prospects. Only debts. I don’t know how I shall manage to support my family. In these circumstances, how can I ask
anyone
to be my wife?”
    “Damn it, Robbie, we’re speaking of
Elinor
, not some jingle-brained goosecap. She’s been loyal to you for six years. She has
character
. She will
want
to be at your side, to share in your deprivations, to help see you through.”
    “She may want to, but I won’t let her. What sort of man would ask a woman to make such a sacrifice? Would you?”
    Sandy blinked up at his friend, trying to answer honestly. “I don’t know,” he admitted at last. “No woman has ever loved me in that way.”
    Kittridge’s eyes fell. He turned and stared into the fire. “I was going up to Suffolk on Saturday to see her. It was to be our grand reunion.”
    Sandy’s face was a study in sympathy. “You’ll still go, won’t you? If she’s expecting you—”
    “Yes, I must, of course.” Kittridge lowered his head until his forehead rested on the mantel. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse. “I shall have to tell her that I won’t be making an offer after all.”
    Sandy shook his head. He didn’t believe matters would turn out as badly as that. The girl was much too fine—too loyal, too loving, too strong of character—to permit him to sacrifice their happiness. She would insist on their betrothal. Why, she might even convince her father to help Robbie with his finances! All might not be as black as Robbie imagined.
    But Sandy didn’t say anything of this aloud. Robbie was in no mood to believe him. All Sandy permitted himself to say was that he was glad Robbie still intended to call on the girl.
    “Be sure you don’t permit the dismals to keep you from driving up there,” he insisted.
    “Yes, I shall go. But it will not be in any way the reunion I’ve been dreaming of.”
    “Don’t be too sure,” Sandy said cheerfully, unable to keep his optimism hidden. Then he added with a kind of raucous gaiety, “Do you know what I wish, Robbie?”
    “What?” Robbie responded glumly, turning to stare at his ever-optimistic friend.
    “What I wish,” the moon-faced fellow said, holding up the empty bottle and eyeing it in mock disgust, “is that we had another bottle of brandy.”

Chapter Six
    The wind had eased by the week’s end, but the temperature had dropped sharply. A light snow fell quietly throughout Lord Kittridge’s drive north. By the time he arrived at Langston Hall in Suffolk he was chilled through. Snow lay over everything, softening the forbidding outlines of the dark, turreted building that had housed his ladylove since birth. His lordship spent no more than a moment, however, admiring the shadowy, snow-trimmed edifice. Shivering, he loped quickly up the steps and gained admittance.
    Sandy’s optimism notwithstanding, the greeting he was given by Elinor’s father was not very warming. “Well, Kittridge,” Lord Langston said coldly as the butler helped the new arrival off with his greatcoat, “we’ve three inches of snow on the ground, but you’re here.”
    “Yes, my lord,” the weary traveller answered, trying to sound cheerful. “You didn’t think a little snow would deter me, did you?”
    “I suppose not,” his host answered enigmatically. “At least Elinor didn’t give up hope of your arrival, even though I tried to discourage her.”
    Kittridge could not fail to notice that the house was at