Tallie's Knight. Anne Gracie

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      Chapter Three

      ‘Well, what did he say? It was a hum, was it not?’ Laetitia dragged Tallie into a nearby anteroom.

      ‘No, I am afraid it was not,’ said Tallie reluctantly. ‘You were perfectly correct, Cousin, he thought to marry me.’

      Laetitia caught the tense Tallie used and pounced eagerly. ‘But he has changed his mind?’

      Tallie knew she had to choose her words carefully, so as not to exacerbate her cousin’s volatile temper any further. She was skating on very thin ice as it was. ‘No, not exactly.’

      ‘I knew it!’ Laetitia stamped her foot. ‘He is such a selfish wretch! How could he put me in such a position? Each girl out there was in daily expectation of being made an offer!’ She glared at Tallie. ‘Each one a diamond of the first water, an heiress or a duke’s relative—and he chooses you!’

      Tallie nodded, ignoring the insult. She understood how foolish her cousin felt. She even felt some sympathy for her. Lord d’Arenville was an arrogant, selfish, thoughtless boor.

      ‘It is all right, Cousin,’ she said soothingly. ‘I intend to refuse him.’

      Laetitia froze. She stared, stupefied. Her face went white beneath the rouge. ‘What did you say?’ she whispered.

      ‘I am going to refuse him.’ Tallie smiled reassuringly.

      ‘Refuse Magnus?’

      Tallie nodded. ‘Yes.’

      ‘You—to refuse my cousin Magnus? Lord d’Arenville?’

      Tallie nodded again. ‘Absolutely. I have no wish to marry him, so there is nothing for you to be upset—’

      ‘Of all the brazen effrontery! You arrogant little bitch!’

      Tallie took a step backwards, unnerved by the fury she saw in her cousin’s face.

      ‘Who do you think you are to refuse my cousin Magnus? You—a complete nonentity! A mere Robinson! Why, he is so far above the likes of you that he is the sun to your, your…’ Laetitia waved her hand in frustration, unable to find a suitable comparison to convey to Tallie just how far beneath him she was. ‘How dare you think to humiliate me in this fashion?’

      ‘But, Cousin, how does my refusing Lord d’Arenville humiliate you?’ interrupted Tallie, confused by her cousin’s abrupt volte-face. ‘I can see how choosing me instead of your—’

      ‘Do not for one minute dare to gloat, you insolent hussy!’

      ‘I am not gloating,’ said Tallie indignantly. ‘But I don’t understand. Surely if I refuse him it saves you the embarrassment of people knowing he preferred me to your friends? We can say that your guests misunderstood.’

      Laetitia threw up her hands. ‘She even has the brass to boast of her conquest!’ she muttered. ‘Mortifying enough that my cousin chooses a shabby little nobody over my friends, but for the nobody to refuse him! No. No! It is too much!’

      She turned to face Tallie, hands on hips. ‘Little did I think when I accepted you into my household that it would come to this. You will pack your bags and be out of here within the hour. John Coachman will take you back to the village where you lived before you insinuated yourself into my home.’ Laetitia’s voice was low, furious and vengeful, her expression implacable.

      Tallie stared at her, shocked. There was no hysteria in her cousin’s manner now. ‘You…you cannot mean it, surely, Cousin?’

      Laetitia sniffed and turned her face away.

      Tallie tried again. ‘Please, Cousin, reconsider. There is nothing for me in the village. The school closed down when Miss Fisher died. And…you know I have no money.’

      ‘You should have considered that before you set your cap at my cousin.’

      ‘I did not set my cap at him. I never even spoke to him! It was Lord d’Arenville who—’

      ‘I am not interested in your excuses. You have one hour.’ Laetitia was adamant.