Miss Fanshawe's Fortune - Linore Rose Burkard Page 0,63
she could not be sure of. Sebastian was known as an unintentional tease, according to Edward. What had he said? That his brother’s manners toward the softer sex raised hopes everywhere he went, and dashed them with equal ease, for he never followed up what had appeared as a flirtation, with an offer.
No, thinking on it, Frannie had to allow that Sebastian no doubt thought he was being only polite, not flirtatious. Kind, not admiring. His was the sort of attention that one got purely on the basis of availability. If Sebastian was present, he would be attentive. He would be kind, even offering compliments above the normal exchange, simply because he wished to please others. He was generous in nature. The only occasion when he seemed otherwise was if Edward was involved. Indeed, Edward called his brother a ‘starched shirt,’ but it was only to Edward that Sebastian was cold or stiff.
Sadly, she concluded that she must not read affection into anything Sebastian said or did towards her, though coming from another man it might indeed be construed as such. She must harden her heart, for it yearned more and more, it seemed, in his direction each day. More and more she thought only of where he was, when she would next see him, whether he would read to them of an evening, and—most of all—whether he took notice of her not only on account of his mother’s affection for her. She tried to avoid such thoughts, remembering that she might yet be deemed illegitimate—how she loathed that word, now!—and had no right, no right at all to set her cap at a future baronet. Even were he not in line for the baronetcy he would be a world above her.
Suddenly her musings ceased. Sebastian’s voice, in the corridor! It was followed by Mrs. Arundell’s higher tones. In a moment, the door opened and she swept in. “Upon my word! Such a conundrum!” She surveyed Frannie. “You must be downcast now. In the blue devils, I expect.” She came and sat across from Frannie, who could not help missing the son who had sat there earlier. With kindness in her eyes she continued, “We thought it was all to be sorted at last, only to find it a deeper muddle! But I must tell you, Frannie dear, that my inklings are never wrong. And I have a prodigiously strong one about you and your fortune. I am known for having prodigiously strong inklings, you remember.” She paused and waited for Frannie’s nod to indicate that yes, she remembered. Then she continued in her sweet, soothing tones, “You must see this as only a setback; a further waiting period, but not something that should dash your hopes.”
Frannie nodded. Sudden tears sprang to her eyes, for despite the kind words she realized that Mrs. Arundell was right; all the mystery of her past was now yet more perplexing, since Mr. Fanshawe had purposely escaped notice. It was a deeper muddle than before, a deeper muddle that put Sebastian that much further from her reach.
The older woman smoothed her skirts before settling dancing eyes upon Frannie. “So,” she said, patting her hands on her knees. “We must have no melancholia, my dear. Beau will not rest until ‘tis all sorted.” She sat back with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “We Arundells are seldom players in a real-life mystery! I warrant you have brought a diversion to us, and Beau appears quite equal to the challenge; he even relishes it, I think.”
To Frannie’s puzzled look, she hurriedly added, “Oh, I am not making light of your troubles, or would have you believe for a moment that he does. We feel your suspense. Only—” Here she paused and searched for the right words. “You are not in it alone.” The cast of her eyes was affectionate. “It will all end handsomely, you’ll see. If I weren’t utterly certain of that, I should be in the doldrums for you. But it will end in your favour, dearest.”
Frannie could not take offense at the strange delight her predicament was affording the mistress of the house, for she had called Frannie dearest. It was the favored term she used for her sons and therefore did not go unnoticed. Frannie managed a smile of gratitude with genuine answering affection. But she really could not let Mrs. Arundell suffer any longer beneath a delusion regarding her situation. She said, “Ma’am, I am much obliged to you. And all