A Chaotic Courtship (Rough Draft)

Chapter Fourteen

As morning changed to afternoon, Mary began to look more and more frazzled as she announced visitor after visitor. I saw Mother's expression become stressed. Sarah's smile had become false after an hour, and I feared she would lose her manners altogether. At least I wasn't suffering through it alone.

"Mrs. Knighton. Lady Anna. Mrs. Carter, Miss Carter, Miss Elizabeth Carter, Mrs. Reynolds, Miss Reynolds, Mrs. Delan, and Miss Delan."

Mother's eyes widened at Mary's announcement. All the ladies of the house party had come? Well, with the picnic canceled, as it must have been, what else would they have to amuse themselves. How would they all even fit in the sitting room? We didn't have many chairs! I couldn't help a small giggle as I realized this kind of crush would have been considered a good thing in London!

"If another one says 'My poor Mrs. Forester' and so on, I swear I will scream," Sarah said through her teeth.

"You just want to get sent to your room, so I wouldn't recommend you do so," I said in a low voice.

For the first time in many weeks, we exchanged understanding looks. It felt good to be thinking the same thing as my sister. The room began to feel extremely small as all of the ladies entered. Anna wove her way around several ladies to reach where I was.

"You look terrible, Diana," she said as she took a seat on the edge of the chaise.

"Thank you for telling me something I already knew," I said with a smile. "Having non-stop visitors does take its toll, you know. Especially when I have to repeat the same thing over and over again."

An answering smile appeared on her face, and she glanced around. "Are those flowers I see over there? Can I assume a certain person brought them?"

She would be the first one to notice the flowers. "You are allowed to assume whatever you want. Whatever goes on in your own mind is your business."

Anna laughed at that. "Getting hit on the head has made you grumpy, my friend." Her attention went to where the other ladies were still surrounding Mother. "I can try to keep them away for you, but there's only so much I can do."

"Why did they all come?" I asked with a groan. The cacophony of voices bordered on deafening.

"Well, I wasn't going to stay away a moment longer than I had to, and Miss Delan wanted to see how you were feeling. So Mrs. Delan had to come. The Carters didn't want to be left out, so they came. And Miss Reynolds was sure the whole story was made up, so she and her mother came. Only Miss Jenson thought it might be too much company all at once."

"Made up?" Sarah repeated, stepping closer. Anger flashed in my sister's eyes. "Is that what she thinks?"

Anna and I both regarded her with surprise. "What unusual flowers!" Miss Reynolds said before I could figure out what had Sarah so mad. A brief lull in conversation allowed her words to be heard clearly by all. "I believe I have seen the same weeds—I mean, flowers— growing along the road. Did one of your brothers give you these? How sweet of them."

How dare she? What did she know about my brothers? "They were a gift, but not from our brothers," Sarah said, her voice surprisingly polite. "How kind of you to take notice of them, Miss Reynolds."

Miss Reynolds' eyes narrowed. "A suitor, then? You poor dear! You must tell me who it is, and I will set him straight on the kind of flowers a lady wishes to receive!"

Standing up, Anna put one hand on Sarah's arm, presumably to keep my sister from reacting in an unladylike way. "Have you had much experience with suitors then, Miss Reynolds?" Sarah asked, nevertheless. "I had no idea!"