‘What I knew is immaterial. What I did not know was that your sister would take your unplanned absence as an excuse to elope.’
Amy sat down hard in the chair in front of the desk, suddenly at a loss. When she could manage to speak, she asked, ‘With whom?’
‘Guy Templeton. The very man whose case you were pleading the day I promised Belle to Lovell.’ Her father’s eyes narrowed. ‘Did you orchestrate this disobedience? Because if you knew and arranged this trip simply so you would not be blamed...’
‘What utter nonsense. You know, Father, that if I meant to disobey you, there would have been no subterfuge involved.’
‘I suppose that is true,’ he said, after a moment’s thought. ‘You really are the most contrary creature.’
‘And I did know that Templeton was fond of her,’ Amy admitted. ‘But since the engagement, I have been doing my best to warn her off him. I had no idea that things had progressed so far.’
But she had. Belle had all but admitted the truth to her, and argued for her right to think independently and marry the man she loved. In return she had scolded her and told her the exact thing that everyone else did: that she was not smart enough to know her own mind on the most important decision of her life.
And now Amy did not know whether to be hopeful for Belle or horrified. But she definitely felt ashamed of her own behaviour. ‘Is there no chance we can get her to come back?’
Her father shook his head. ‘Their absence was not noted for some time. Lovell found a note, explaining their intentions. I suppose we must console ourselves that he means to marry her.’
‘Oh.’ In either case, Belle had likely spent more than one night as a woman with no feminine instruction and with only Guy Templeton for company. Surprisingly, the thought did not panic her as it should have. Instead, it seemed more than right. She had a gentle and caring husband to teach her what she needed to know.
Most of her recent advice to her sister had been totally wrong, anyway. Perhaps in this, it would be better to let Belle make her own way. ‘I am sure Mr Templeton loves her, Father. And she is very fond of him as well. It will be all right.’ Having seen the look in Mr Templeton’s eyes as they’d danced, it was obvious that they belonged together, no matter what others might think. Wherever they were now, they were probably quite happy.
‘But I do not want Guy Templeton as a son,’ her father shouted. ‘The man is a ninny. Even worse than that, he is a Whig.’ At this, he held his head in his hands, clearly beyond consolation. ‘Lovell sent a search party after them, as soon as he knew, but they were too quick. He blames himself, since he was the one who invited that damned interloper into his home. But really, it was all your fault.’ He glared at Amy again. ‘If you had left well enough alone and watched your sister instead of abandoning her to search for things that did not concern you, this never would have happened.’
Leaving Kew was far from her greatest sin of the week. But if it made her father feel better to blame her, she would allow it, if only so she didn’t have to explain herself. ‘I am sure Mr Lovell will recover,’ she said, trying not to smile.
‘Thank you so much for your opinion, Amelia,’ he said, sarcastically. ‘But suppose he doesn’t? What am I to do to make amends? I promised the man a future in government and the hand of my daughter. I have no idea what to say to him, now.’
‘You still have the seats to offer,’ she reminded him. ‘And you have two daughters.’ She regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth.
‘It is not as if I need to be reminded of the fact. You are standing right in front of me.’ By the look on his face, the information was currently an unpleasant truth. ‘But we live in modern England and not the Book of Genesis. I cannot exactly throw a veil over you and trade one girl for another like Leban tricked Jacob.’
‘You are probably right,’ she said with a moue of feigned disappointment. ‘Especially since it was your trickery over Belle’s engagement that has brought us to this point. I doubt he will trust anything you say, should you try to hand him me as a substitute.’
‘Do not be flippant with me, girl.’
In the past, she might have let the comment pass unremarked. Today, she was in no mood to be bullied. ‘Do not be flippant. Is that what you said to Belle that left her crying on the day we departed for Kew? She told us both that she did not want to marry him. We have got what we deserved for ignoring her.’
‘All I wanted was for her to be safely married,’ he snapped back. ‘It was my perfectly reasonable hope that one of my daughters would obey me.’