The Colonel's Spinster - Audrey Harrison Page 0,46

to worry about.”

Prudence smiled at him for the gentle way he mentioned that Lady Catherine was well. She approved of his wording. “I am sure Anne will take comfort from hearing that, won’t you Anne?”

As always there was no response, but Prudence had not expected one. Fitzwilliam looked at her for direction, and she indicated that they should leave the chamber.

“Good night, Anne,” Fitzwilliam said. “I shall return on the morrow. I hope you are more in the mood for a chat then. I would so like to hear your voice again, Anne.”

Leading the way once more, Prudence went down the stairs. “I shall arrange for a room to be prepared for you.”

“Are you sure?” Fitzwilliam asked in surprise. “I expected to be staying at a local inn.”

“Why would I not offer you hospitality?”

“Oh, something to do with the way we treated you during your visit with Aunt Catherine,” came the dry response.

“As I said to Mr. Darcy, I would welcome Aunt Catherine if she came to visit Anne. Now is not the time for recriminations and going over what has happened. What’s done is done,” Prudence said. “My father and Mr. Huxley are in the drawing room.”

“Mr. Huxley?”

“Yes. He’s working for my father at the moment in order to obtain a reference as Aunt Catherine almost made him destitute.”

“He behaved inappropriately towards Anne.”

“Anne clearly did not think so.”

Fitzwilliam reached out and touched Prudence’s arm to stop her progress towards the drawing room. “Cousin ― Prudence ― you must see it was inappropriate of him? They are of a different social class.”

“And yet it did not stop you when you thought you were kissing the daughter of a cotton worker, did it?” Prudence snapped. “I suggest your whole family look at your own conduct before starting to criticise someone else’s.”

Chapter 16

Prudence entered the drawing room and immediately Mr. Bamber and Mr. Huxley stood up. Mr. Huxley looked wary and unsure, but Prudence sent him a quick smile of reassurance.

“Papa, please allow me to introduce my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.” She was surprised at the assessing look her father shot in Fitzwilliam’s direction, but she did not have the energy to ponder over it. “I’ve asked for another place to be set at the table, Cousin. I suggest we immediately remove ourselves to the dining room. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s arrival has delayed supper a little, and you know how cook repines when her sauces are in danger of spoiling.”

The gentlemen complied with Prudence’s chivvying and entered the dining room. The butler looked relieved at their entrance; it seemed Prudence had been correct about the cook’s angst.

Sitting down, Prudence resigned herself to an uncomfortable meal. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Huxley had barely exchanged a word, one looking daggers at the other, the other looking wary and unsure.

“You can speak to the doctor tomorrow, and he will tell you everything that has been done to ensure your cousin’s comfort,” Mr. Bamber said.

“I have already seen that she is being cared for extremely well,” Colonel Fitzwilliam answered.

“Aye. Poor little mite. She’s not been a robust girl, has she?”

“No. And I think my aunt did not encourage her to undertake anything that would have helped her constitution. It suited Aunt Catherine to keep Anne near her,” Colonel Fitzwilliam admitted.

“A sad thing for the child,” Mr. Bamber said with a shake of his head. “We all need to experience life as much as possible, especially when we are young.”

“Quite so.”

“I hear you have had an adventurous life yourself, sir.”

“A little too adventurous at times,” Colonel Fitzwilliam answered.

“Aye, I can only imagine. And what have you been doing since your return? Is life at home keeping you occupied?”

“There have been a few instances of unrest in your industry. We’ve been brought in to help keep the peace,” Fitzwilliam answered.

“The workforce do not like the changes we mill owners bring in, but if we do not stay ahead of our business, someone else will beat us to it, and then we will all suffer,” Mr. Bamber said.

“People are very often frightened of change or of things they do not understand,” Prudence said. “They can make presumptions that are not always right.”

Fitzwilliam looked down, supposing the comment was aimed at himself.

Prudence felt ashamed at the reaction her words caused. She cursed herself inwardly, she was better than making sly remarks. “How is Mrs. Darcy?”

“She is fine. I stopped at Pemberley on my way north,” Fitzwilliam responded. “I think there shall be another Darcy very soon.”

“I had hoped to meet her one