A Midsummer Night's Kiss (Howertys #1)

Chapter 28: Gambit

***Content warning for this chapter: attempted rape***

Dear Diary,
I always believed Aunt Christine's greatest
crime was negligence but I'm coming to
realise she did more damage than I
ever thought possible.

The drawing room was still filled with bouquets when Angel entered a few days later. Congratulatory flowers for the newly engaged. She smiled as nervous excitement made her stomach flip. Her engagement to Nathaniel. Without thinking, her fingers automatically touched the ring on her left hand. It was such a sweet gesture. He wasn't marrying her for love, but he was still proving to be a thoughtful man. Maybe love wasn't so important after all. A particular new bloom caught her eye; in a tall, thin vase stood a single deep red rose. Walking over to it, she carefully touched its soft petals.

"That one came today without a card," Joan said as she noticed her looking. "I don't know who it's from."

Angel did. That Nathaniel remembered her bit of nonsense about preferring roses to other flowers made her feel better about their impending nuptials. He obviously cared enough to make sure she knew he remembered. One could definitely do a lot worse for a husband. She was still smiling when she sat down on the sofa to share tea and biscuits with her aunt and cousin, eliciting some odd looks from the two women.

"It's such a pity you didn't accept Mr Chettisham as your husband," Aunt Christine said as she put three pieces of sugar into her small teacup.

How were they back to that again? They had all literally attended her engagement to another man last night. She had believed her aunt would give up promoting Philip when the engagement became known, but her aunt was nothing if not persistent. Taking a sip of her own tea, she pretended not to have heard her aunt's comment. Naturally, that didn't dissuade the older woman.

"Mr Chettisham is such a nice-looking man," she continued. "Of course, nothing like your marquess, but he is quite popular among the ladies. Without the reputation that follows the marquess."

"Nathaniel's reputation is hardly bad," Angel cut in, unable to keep silent. "He's an honourable man."

Aunt Christine looked at her and shook her head as she made a clucking sound. "He really is known to be quite favoured by the ladies, you know. A man with his looks and fortune would be. Though, naturally, he doesn't have a reputation anywhere near that of his friend, the earl. Now, that one is a true rake. But you should be careful nonetheless, Angel. When a man is used to his pick of all the ladies, he might not settle for only one woman. Even if he is married."

Flexing her hands around her teacup, Angel tried to tamp down the anger her aunt's words provoked. How dare she insinuate Nathaniel might not be faithful? Many men kept a mistress, but that was something between her and Nathaniel, and not something her aunt should discuss with her.

"I think that is something for me to worry about, and not you," she said stiffly.

"Yes. That is true, of course." Aunt Christine took a sip of her tea and glanced towards the clock on the mantelpiece. "I only want you to go into this marriage with your eyes wide open."

Seething, Angel remained silent, staring into her tea. This had always been how her aunt behaved around her. She would never outright be rude, but she would make little comments here and there that stuck in Angel's mind and made her question her own beliefs. She vaguely registered that the butler came in to announce a visitor.

"Oh, how lovely," Aunt Christine said cheerily. "Please show them in."

Not having paid attention, Angel nearly choked on her tea when Philip walked through the door a few moments later. It had been nearly two weeks since she last saw him, but he looked the same as she remembered. His tall form was clad in grey with a white neckcloth. As he sat down next to her, she moved a few inches to the side, not wanting to sit too close. What was her aunt thinking to invite him into their house after what he had done? He had single-handedly nearly brought her to social ruin. Then her aunt suddenly made an excuse and brought Joan with her out of the room, closing the door behind them. Angel stared at the closed door in shock. It was highly inappropriate for her to spend time alone with a man behind a closed door.