Rags-to-Riches Bride. Mary Nichols

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СКАЧАТЬ hand and allowed him to help her up.

      He did not trouble to hide his distaste when they drew up on the corner of her street and she suggested walking the rest of the way, and he frowned in annoyance when the two urchins appeared as if from nowhere and grinned at Stephen with hands outstretched.

      ‘Your brother gave them money to buy a dinner,’ she said. ‘No doubt they think you will do the same.’

      ‘Giving to beggars only encourages them and the fact that they are here again proves it.’

      ‘They are half-starved and it is not their fault.’

      ‘People should not have children if they cannot feed and clothe them adequately.’

      ‘That is a rather harsh judgement, sir.’

      He did not comment, but looked about him at the row of dingy tenements, the soot-begrimed walls, the dusty windows, some of which were broken, the filthy steps. ‘I had no idea you lived like this. I am surprised at your father. You told me he was a sea captain…’

      ‘So he was, but he has been unable to work for some time. As soon as I have saved a little more, we shall move to somewhere better.’

      ‘Whatever my father will say about it, I cannot imagine.’

      She did not reply but entered her house, where she was greeted by Toby rushing forward and jumping up at her, barking in delight. ‘Hello, old fellow. Pleased to see me, are you? Well I am home now.’

      The door to the back regions opened and Mrs Beales came out. ‘There you are. That dog was whining all night, no one got a wink of sleep.’ She looked Stephen up and down. ‘Another man, miss? How many more? You ain’t no better than you should be for all your haughty ways.’

      ‘Mrs Beales, that is unfair. This is my employer and the brother of the man who helped my father when he had his seizure.’

      ‘For goodness’ sake, Diana, do not try to justify yourself to her. She is disgusting.’ Stephen’s lip curled.

      ‘I’ll have you know I keep a respectable house,’ the woman told him angrily. ‘And I do not allow gentleman callers for my single ladies. I only let the other one in when he said he had come to see the captain.’

      ‘Mrs Beales, please. Mr Harecroft is leaving. He has only escorted me from the hospital.’

      ‘Fine story!’

      ‘I have heard enough,’ Stephen said. ‘Diana, collect your belongings. You are leaving here now. At once.’

      ‘Don’t be silly. I have nowhere to go and I cannot pack everything up just like that.’

      ‘Yes, you can!’ This from Mrs Beales. ‘I’ve had enough of your coming in at all hours. Working late, my eye!’

      ‘Mrs Beales!’ she cried in dismay, expecting Stephen to turn on his heel and leave her to her fate. She turned on him angrily. ‘Now, see what you have done. You have made me homeless. And where am I going to find somewhere else at this time of night? Mrs Beales, you will allow me to stay tonight, won’t you?’

      ‘No,’ Stephen said. ‘You are coming home with me.’ He grabbed her arm and turned towards the door.

      ‘I can’t go now. Our belongings…’

      ‘We will send for them later. I am not prepared to stay another minute in this place, nor yet allow you to.’

      ‘Good riddance!’ Mrs Beales put in. ‘And take that hound with you.’

      Before Diana could say another word, she was on the pavement outside the house and the door had been firmly shut. ‘Mr Harecroft. Stephen. Let me go, will you? You are hurting my arm.’

      He released her. ‘I am sorry. But I had no idea how you lived. You kept it very quiet, didn’t you?’ It was said with a flash of anger.

      ‘Perhaps because I knew what your reaction might be. We had no choice, it was the best we could afford and now I haven’t even got that.’

      ‘You can stay at Harecroft House.’

      ‘I cannot do that, it would be an imposition.’

      ‘Nonsense. It will be an opportunity to get to know each other properly and it will help you to decide to accept me.’

      ‘Why do you want to marry me?’

      They had reached the gig and he turned to face her. ‘Why does anyone marry? To live together, to make a home and a family…’

      ‘No, I meant…why me?’

      ‘Because you are exactly the wife I have been looking for, someone I would be proud to have on my arm, to entertain my guests, be a mother to my children, someone to work beside me like Great-Grandmother did for Great-Grandfather, patient, efficient, not giddy or given to the vapours. Does that answer you?’ He held out his hand to help her up. ‘Come, there will be time to talk about our future when you have settled in at Harecroft House.’

      He had not mentioned love, she noticed, and he had reeled off the list of her attributes as if he had learned them by rote. ‘Supposing I do not want to come.’

      ‘Oh, do be sensible, Diana. Where else can you go at this time of night?’

      ‘Mrs Beales might change her mind…’

      ‘You know she will not. And in any case, I am not letting my future wife live in a place like that. It is a slum.’

      ‘I have no nightgown and toiletries or a change of linen.…’

      ‘None of which matters. Mama will find something for you until your own things can be fetched.’

      ‘Stephen, you are bullying me.’

      ‘I am sorry for that, my dear, it was not intended, but we could have stood arguing with that dreadful woman all night if I had not done something. Now, please get in the tilbury.’

      The dog, who had been trotting beside her, jumped up into the gig and seemed to make up her mind for her. ‘What about Toby?’

      ‘He can go to the stables. The grooms will look after him.’

      She knew she had no choice; it was too late to go searching for a bed and, being a woman on her own, no good-class establishment would entertain her. ‘Very well, just for tonight.’ She stepped up into the gig and he seated himself beside her and they set off. Neither spoke.

      She was too worried and angry with him to make conversation. He had manoeuvred her into a corner. Why did a man so disgusted with the way she lived want to marry her? Unless he, too, was being manipulated. But why? What did she have to offer that dozens of others in more advantageous circumstances did not? She had been worried about losing her job when the Harecrofts found out about her father and where she lived; she had not dreamt she would be prised out of her home and carried off, because that was what it amounted to.

      ‘Why?’ she demanded suddenly. ‘Why, when you discovered where I lived, did you not СКАЧАТЬ