“Yes, yes, of course. But that is wonderful that he is getting on with the other two gentlemen!” She looked so happy that Henrietta hated to ruin her mood. “It is always good when the husbands of your friends like the gentleman you like.”
“It is.” She nodded. “He has also met Grandmamma, and she approves of him as well.”
Dotty’s brows drew slightly together, forming a line above the bridge of her nose. “And has he spoken to Merton?”
“After a fashion. They met at Jackson’s”
“Jackson’s?” She seemed slightly confused. “He said nothing about meeting a Mr. Meadows.”
“Er. Yes.” Henrietta bit down on her lip. This was it, then. “Mr. Meadows is Lord Fotherby.”
Dotty’s expression turned from slightly confused to hard anger. “Fotherby!” Dotty’s voice was full of loathing, as if he was the lowest creature on the earth. “No. I will not allow it. How dare he court you when he must know how I feel about him.” Her glare turned on Henrietta. “How dare you accept an introduction to him?”
This was exactly the reaction Henrietta had been dreading. “I only know what you told me about what he was like four years ago.” She kept her tone as steady as she could. “If you remember, I knew him before we were introduced.” Her sister’s expression had not softened. “Please understand. He is not the same man at all. If only you would meet with him, you would know that.”
“I said no. I will not even consider the match.” Dotty’s face flushed and her breathing quickened.
“I love him.” Henrietta never thought she would plead, but she was. “He truly is different, and he is very sorry that he abducted you. If you would just speak with him . . .”
“No. Never.” Dotty shook her head. “If you insisted on meeting with him, I shall send you home.”
There had to be some way to get through to her. “You married the man you loved when Worthington and his family disapproved. Mama married the man she loved.” Henrietta stared at her sister’s hard mien. Could she do this? Could she live without her sister in her life? But could she live without Nate? She straightened her shoulders. “I shall marry the man I love. And he loves me. As much as I love you, I will not allow you to stand in the way of my happiness. You have no right to do so.”
“No right?” Dotty slammed her hand down on the writing desk, causing the inkpot to rattle in its stand, and Henrietta almost jumped. She willed herself not to react. Not to change her mind. “He abducted me the day before my betrothal ball! He did not even care about my reputation. He is a scoundrel, a blackguard, a snake. Can you not see how he is tricking you?”
Dotty’s anguish rolled off in waves so real, Henrietta felt it. Tears pricked her eyes. For a moment she considered telling Nate that they would have to wait. But wait for what? She was not sure her sister would ever change her mind. Could she really give him up? She took her sister’s hands in hers, hoping to calm Dotty. This could not be good for the baby.
“I will tell Merton to forbid you from marrying,” Dotty spat the words.
Henrietta dropped Dotty’s hands. “Even if it means destroying my happiness?”
“You are beautiful and intelligent. You will find someone else.”
“How can you even say that?” Finding someone to love wasn’t a matter of going to a store and ordering one. Nate was the first gentleman she had ever been interested in. He was the only man who fit her. “Do you not care that we love each other?”
Her sister seemed to hesitate; then her face was like marble again. “I will do whatever it takes to stop you from being with him.”
She blinked back the tears threatening to fall. Nothing was going to change Dotty’s mind. “You can try.” Henrietta swiped at her eyes. “Grandmamma has already given her permission, as has Mama.”
Dotty’s eyes flew open. “No! She did not.”
“Yes.” Henrietta nodded. “I did not want to upset you, but I have made up my mind. He is the only gentleman I wish to wed.” She walked to the door and turned to face her sister again. “I am truly sorry you cannot bring yourself to find it in you to even give him a chance to ask for your forgiveness.”
“I will never see him.” Tears welled in Dotty’s eyes. “I will not see you if you wed him.”
“I am sorry it has come to this. I thought our love for each other would make you want to try to understand what I see in him.”
“Never.”
“I realize that now. I will ask Dorie if I can stay with her until the wedding.” Henrietta blinked back her own tears, opened the door, and ran to her room.
She threw herself down on her bed and let the tears flow. This was every bit as bad as she feared it would be and worse. Everyone else had come around. Why could her sister not at least try?
“Oh, there you are,” Styles said. “The boy from the Phoenix Society is asking for you.”
Henrietta grabbed her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. “Send him to my parlor.”
Her maid gave her a dubious look. “Yes, miss.”
She went through the door to her parlor, and a few seconds later a footman brought Toby in. “What is it?”
“Mrs. Perriman said as we’re gonna need help today, and if you’d come. We got a mess of babies to pick up. She thought it ’ud be fine ’cause it’s full day.”
“Yes, of course.” This, at least, would give her something to do. “I’ll change and be right down. You can ask Cook for something to eat in the kitchen.”
“Ain’t got time. I got another place ta go.”
“Very well. I’ll go straight to Phoenix House.”
The lad gave two sharp nods and dashed out of the room.
Henrietta rushed back into her bedchamber. “I must change. The dark blue wool serge gown.”
She got out her pistol and loaded it. “Tell Parkin I will need two men to accompany me.”
In less than a half hour, one of the servants was up with the coachman and the other was on the back of the carriage.
Nate saw Henrietta in her brother-in-law’s unmarked town coach turning onto Grosvenor Street. He’d wager she was going to Phoenix House as well. He was about to hail her when she turned her head in his direction and saw him.
She signaled to the coachman to stop. “Are you going to Phoenix House?”
He rode over to her. “I am. I take it you’re going there as well.”
“Yes. Take Darragh back and you can ride with me.” Her lovely lips were set in a thin line. “We are betrothed. No one will think anything of it.”
“Very well.” Nate was glad they were still betrothed, and he wondered if she had had her conversation with Lady Merton. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“Not at the moment.” She gave him a watery smile. “I’ll tell you on the way back.”
The coach followed him to the mews and turned around as he gave his horse to a groom.
He signaled to the footman in plain clothes to remain where he was and jumped into the coach sitting next to his betrothed. “Did Toby visit you?”
“He did.” Nate finally had a good look at Henrietta. Her eyes were a bit red and puffy, as if she had been crying. What had her sister said to her?