Putting on Airs by Ivy Brooke Read Free Book Online

of her resolve.  Emmeline stopped her before she got too far down the hall.
          "Sister, where are you going in your nightgown?"
          "What?"  Looking down, she realized she was not appropriately dressed for an audience with her cousin.  "Where is our cousin?"
     
          "None of us have seen him all morning, and the servant could only say that he went into town and would not be back until after noon."
          "Coward," Imogene mumbled.
          "And..." Emmeline began timidly, "...I have heard that I should congratulate you on your—"
          "Do not tell me that he announced our engagement to you all."  Emmeline only nodded.  "I cannot believe him!  Well, Emmeline, I want you to be the first to know that I refused him ,and that he has lied to you all."
          Mrs. Barton had just caught up with the two girls when Imogene turned right around and rushed back into her room, closing the door behind her.  She looked feverishly at the four walls surrounding her and opened the window again, breathing the cool air.  She quickly changed out of her nightclothes and hastened outside.  But no matter how wide open the fields were, she still felt trapped, as if beyond the sky there was a ceiling coming down lower and lower, and all the trees were merely paintings on walls that were moving in closer and closer.  She fell into the tall grass and stared up at the swirling grey skies, searching in vain for one gap leading to clear blue sky.
          "Is this all?" she thought quietly.  "I grow up, I marry someone I do not love in order to secure wealth and reputation, I have children that I do not even very much want...I give my entire life to another person whom I would rather never see again..."  She knew too well that that was the way things were supposed to be.  It had been taught to her in more ways than one over the years, and had even seen proof of it everywhere she went.  How they could all grin and bear it, she could never guess.
     
          "Imogene!"  Emmeline rushed to where sister lie, a smile beaming on her face.  "Are you all right?"
          Imogene simply sat up and looked up at her sister.  "What have you come all the way out here for?"
          "The Coles have invited us all to supper tonight!"
          "Really?  It will be nice to see Nell again.  Wait, when you say ‘all', does that include our cousin?"
          "Yes."
          "Of course...Then before we go, I shall have to set things straight with him.  If one more person were to congratulate me, I should burst into tears."  Rising, she took her sister's hand.  "God bless you for finding someone you love."
          "Mr. Campbell is very critical of you."
          "Thank you for bringing that to my attention, dear sister.  Do you know if either Mr. Cole is engaged to anyone?"
          "No, I believe they are both bachelors."
          "Young Mr. Cole is a good man."
          "What are you getting at?"
          "Nothing.  Do not mind me; I think I may be delirious."
          "Do you need a doctor?"
          "No, a doctor will not do.  For this delirium, there is no cure.  Though, perhaps, a mild sedative..."
    ------
     
    Imogene was the first to encounter Mr. Campbell upon his return to the house.  She stood at the door, waiting for him to climb out of the carriage.
          "Did you have a pleasant journey, sir?" she asked nonchalantly.
          "Yes, thank you.  I was fortunate to make it back before the rain could start."  As if on cue, a gentle sprinkling of rain began to fall.
          "Sir, did you tell everyone that we are engaged?"
          "Yes, of course.  And I was just in town procuring your ring."
          " My ring? "  Though she did not shout, her tone was enough to put Mr. Campbell on his guard.  "Sir, do you not recall our conversation last night?"
          In order to not allow himself to be the victim this time, he matched