Romancing the Heiress(33)
Author: Darcy Burke

 

“Why must I attend every event? And spend time downstairs with the other maidens fair? They’re all so provincial,” Genevieve griped as Hardy finished fastening her ball gown. “At least the dancing is in the assembly rooms tonight.”

 

“I thought one of the other maidens fair was from London too.”

 

“Oh, her.” Genevieve wrinkled her nose. “She’s a wallflower and barely speaks.”

 

Leah sought to cheer Genevieve up with something that would please her. “Well, at least you’re going to the assembly rooms tonight instead of the gardens. The festival organizers thought a change of scenery after spending all afternoon at the picnic would be welcome.”

 

“Thank heavens,” Genevieve said to Leah before taking a glove from Hardy and pulling it up her arm. She took the second glove and bade Hardy to go tend Mrs. Selkirk. The maid dipped a curtsey and rushed out of the chamber.

 

Leah had dressed herself, as usual, which was no trouble since she’d specifically accumulated a wardrobe that did not require a maid’s assistance. She donned her own gloves, wishing that she could skip the night’s festivities. “We could pretend to be ill,” she suggested softly.

 

Genevieve whipped around and stared at her before giggling. “You jest, but I would love that. Mother would never allow it, unfortunately.”

 

“Not even if you were truly unwell? Anyway, you need to settle on a husband, and tonight, you can make your final assessment of each gentleman. Is Phin still at the top of your list?” Leah nearly choked on the question. But now that she knew why Phin had been courting Genevieve, she had to help him.

 

“He is, but I’m not completely certain.” Genevieve nibbled at her lower lip, which she did from time to time when she was uncomfortable.

 

“I should not have dissuaded you. As you said, there are already things you know and like about him.” Had she said like? Leah plowed onward to help Phin. “You’d be mistress of Radford Grange. It’s a lovely house. You could host all manner of parties…or musicales.”

 

Genevieve’s mouth lifted in a faint, wistful smile. “I wish he and I could play together again like we did before the festival started. I never wanted any of this maiden fair nonsense.”

 

“If you wed, you can play every day. When he’s not tending to the botanical gardens and Radford Grange’s gardens.” Not to mention his greenhouse. How Leah ached to see the roses he was crossbreeding.

 

Genevieve wrinkled her nose. “Yes, the gardens. Well, he’ll have to tear himself away when we are wed, especially since we will spend the Season in London.”

 

Leah had to clamp her jaw shut to keep from speaking. Phin couldn’t possibly do that. Spring was the most important time in the gardens. And there was the festival to prepare for. But if he sold the gardens to Mercer, he would be free to spend his time in London. Away from his greenhouse. Except, he didn’t need to sell the gardens if he married Genevieve and obtained her dowry. He was in a fine predicament—two choices he didn’t particularly want.

 

Leah wished she could find another solution for him.

 

Frowning, Genevieve plucked up her shawl. “I do wonder if Phin won’t want to spend the Season in London, especially if he’s beholden to his gardens. Perhaps I should choose the man who lives in London. I believe he also spoke to Mother about making an offer. Or mayhap that was the gentleman from Kent. Goodness, I can’t keep them straight,” she said with a laugh. “The dowry has made this rather easy. Mother should have mentioned it at the start of the Season.”

 

That was a good point. Leah didn’t recall Mrs. Selkirk touting the dowry at all in London. How peculiar.

 

“Yes, the more I consider it, the more I think the London suitor is the right choice.” Genevieve walked toward the door with a sigh. “I will be sad not to play music with Phin again, however.”

 

Leah silently cursed her rampant tongue. She’d meant to encourage Genevieve to marry Phin, not drive her away from him. What was he going to do now? He couldn’t sell the gardens. There had to be another way.

 

And she would help him find it.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 13

 

 

 

 

 

The evening had turned cool, but in Phin’s greenhouse, the temperature was cozy due to the stove Phin’s grandfather had installed in the corner nearly fifteen years earlier. It was warm enough that Phin had removed his coat and hung it on the hook near the door. There was a second hook beside it where his grandfather had once hung his coat. Seeing it empty never failed to provoke a strong sense of loss, but also happiness at the memories it wrought.

 

There wasn’t a third hook for Phin’s father, because he’d never taken to horticulture the way Phin had. He’d worked in the gardens and learned how to care for things, but cultivating new plants wasn’t something he enjoyed. And he definitely hadn’t been interested in the potential to create hybrids.

 

Phin went to the worktable situated next to one of the long, narrow planters where he placed seeds for new plants that would one day be transferred outside—either to Radford Grange’s garden or the botanical gardens. The greenhouse contained mostly these types of planters, but some full-grown plants, two orange trees, and one lemon tree were situated in a long bed along the periphery. Grandpapa’s prized pineapple was the closest to the warm stove.

 

The bushes from which Phin had crossbred his roses stood in the center of the conservatory. Two each of the same pink damask and silvery pink China rose. He hoped to create a double-petaled rose with the silvery pink coloring of the China rose. Time would tell.

 

He ought to be at the festival tonight dancing with Genevieve. But he hadn’t been able to bring himself to go. He’d escorted her to the lawn bowling field that afternoon, but she’d declined to play. Instead, she’d spent a great deal of time commenting about the dirt on her shoes and how the wind kept pulling strands of her hair loose.

 

The more time he spent with Genevieve, the more he realized they weren’t a good match, just as Leah had said. It also didn’t help that he couldn’t stop thinking of Leah.

 

He ought to have been wondering what it would be like to sit close with Genevieve, to discuss their hopes and dreams, to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Instead, he thought of how he’d done all those things already with Leah. And he wanted to do them again. And again. Perhaps forever.

 

What did that mean? Did he want to marry Leah? Did he love Leah?

 

He couldn’t think about any of that right now. If he wasn’t going to wed Genevieve, he needed another solution to his money problem. And he had one.