(I say speculative because it started as speculation on the direction one of the relationships seemed to me to be heading. Other directions look more probable now.
Changing the names to separate their work from mine seems to have changed the characters, as well. I think it's a fragment of a similar but separate story, now.
It's turning into a space Regency set in a starfaring hollowed-out asteroid.)
Enough of the plot of the House Party has been made clear that
I think it's okay to put this back up:
(The space regency story I mention above
will require more time to write, however.)
(The space regency story I mention above
will require more time to write, however.)
"Well, I'd say the Lady Douglas is quite pleased with herself. It seems her little party has made quite the additions to my household."
"I'm sorry, Father."
"For what? I am not at all displeased with the results."
Caroline smiled with mixed emotions, looking around the room.
"Four of my sons are betrothed to wonderful women." He continued, beaming at his children and their collected intended, gathered for a family council on the logistics of having four banns in parallel, and four marriages soon after. The four women and their mothers were seated around the room, each with the brother they had agreed to marry standing nearby.
Caroline sat near her father, and Jerrold stood beside her, next to Gregory and Alicia, his betrothed.
Four brothers, and a fifth, as good as a brother, and she, had attended the two-week-long house party together. The four brothers had all found agreeable matches, rather contrary to their initial expectations. She and Jerrold had, in fact, been more than a little instrumental in bringing about the matches. But neither she nor Jerrold had came away with any particular prospects of marriage.
Her father continued. "And neither my daughter, nor the son of my friend, who is almost a son to me, has been entangled in any match they would regret."
Gregory chuckled and elbowed Jerrold, who was a little more quiet than usual.
"Auspicious results indeed." Her father nodded again. "But tell me, dear Calico, was there no one at the party who caught your eye, who is still single? We could yet arrange for some smaller parties."
Caroline shook her head. "No."
"No one?"
Caroline hesitated. "Well, there is one." She felt, more than heard Jerrold shift his weight beside her. "I doubt he would be interested in me, though. He never seems to see me as more than a friend." Now she heard him stir, and looked up at him. His face gave no hint of his thoughts, but his green eyes were clouded, and would not meet hers. Once again she thought she could tell that something had greatly disappointed him.
Jerrold, the dear friend who had grown up practically as one of her brothers, who had shared so many secrets with her when she was younger, was hiding something, something she had been seeking to discover for several years.
"Who is the cad who would ignore my sister?" Frances asked, winking at Jerrold. Caroline wondered at the wink.
"No hint of interest?" Julianna, Frances's betrothed probed.
"No interest more than brotherly, I'm afraid." Again, she felt Jerrold's weight shift and looked up, to meet his eyes probing hers in sudden interest.
"Something might be done in that direction," Samantha suggested from her seat near Frederick, ".. friendly visits, or family business."
"Indeed. Maybe we can talk about it later, Calico?"
She shook her head. "I would prefer not to embarrass him, Father."
"Well, I suppose we shall have to think about this some more. And you, Jerrold? Was there no lady to catch your eye, with whose parents we might put in a good word for you?"
"I'm afraid, sir, that my situation is much the same as Cali's".
Caroline almost let a groan escape her lips. She studied his face discretely as he spoke, recalling how her feelings had changed towards this man who was as one of her brothers, and yet not her brother. And she felt, again, the frustration of wanting his attention as a suitor but not wanting to risk his friendship.
And now he was as much as admitting that there was someone else that he loved.
"I know she considers me a friend. Sometimes I think I have reason to hope she sees me as more than a friend, but then she reminds me that I could never be more than a brother to her."
Caroline caught her breath. Why did he use such a phrase, more than a brother? Oh, how it hurt. Who could this other sister be? Oh, to think there was indeed someone else that he could feel such things toward.
The party had done nothing to convince her that she could love any other. Quite to the contrary, she had only become more convinced that she could trust no other man as she trusted him. And, yet, her feelings seemed not to be answered.
Her family was among the minor nobility, and Jerrold's father had been a tradesman. His mother had abondoned her noble rank for love, and hard times had fallen on their family soon after. Some rumors had said that a spurned suitor's bribe had been responsible for the accident in which Harrold Whitcombe had lost his right arm.
Caroline's mother and Mrs. Whitcombe had been good friends, and she had prevailed on her father to hire Mr. Whitcombe to manage the estate's local manufacturing. With Mr. Whitcombe's help, her father had brought the estate to a level of prosperity envied by their neighbors.
Jerrold had not spent all his time playing with her brothers, of course, and had learned much from his father before his father passed away. He now held his father's position on the estate, promised for as long as he chose to remain with them. He and her eldest brother, Henry, ran most of the estate's day-to-day business as partners and best friends.
"Have you asked her father for permission to court her properly?"
"I have often thought about it, sir, but it would be awkward. She is somewhat above my station."
"Any woman who would care about such things would not be worthy of you, Jerr."
Caroline caught her breath at her own words. When it was just her brothers, she spoke her mind, but there were eight women in the room who just might be scandalized.
And yet, they all nodded in ready agreement to her words. Her father grinned.
Of course her brothers would choose well, and none would be inclined toward a prejudiced woman.
These women were, in fact, all her friends, and had been even before the house party. Perhaps the matches might not have been made as readily without the formal introductions, but none of the matches were particular surprises.
Her father chuckled, and Jerrold turned to her.
"Do you really think so, Cali?"
Jerrold's eyes implored her in a way she had not often seen from him, and her heart missed a beat.
"Most definitely."
"But I would not risk her friendship."
"If someone else marries her, you will lose both her friendship and her love without even trying."
What was she saying? Why would she encourage him to court another woman?
But that was part of her love for him, to want him to be happy. That was why she refrained from making her feelings known. She did not wish him to feel duty-bound to respond to her affections.
"Cali has a point," Gregory nodded, and no one disagreed.
"Son, I think you should talk to her father at once."
Caroline reached out and squeezed Jerrold's hand. "Be brave, Jerr." Jerr looked at her and what she read in his eyes shocked her. She forgot to breath, much less retrieve her hand.
"Should I, sir?" Jerrold did not turn away from her.
"I really think you should," her father's words were warm.
"Could I ask her, sir?"
Caroline squeeled, eyes open wide in shock and just a little fear mixed with joy.
"You should probably go ahead and ask her."
Jerrold dropped to both knees in front of her and raised her hand to his lips.
"I know this is sudden, but we have known each other a long time."
"Yes!"
"May I have the privilege of seeking your hand in marriage?"
She retrieved her hand and slapped him over the head.
He recoiled, and she put a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry, Jerr," she whispered.
He looked down in misery and started suddenly to stand and turn away. But she grabbed his hand again, rising with him. He turned and walked toward the door and she followed him out, keeping his hand.
"Why did you slap me?"
Their voices floated through the door.
"I was expecting a different question."
"What question?"
"I'll wait until you're ready to ask it."
"You didn't answer me."
"Well, the answer to that question is also --"
And the outside door closed.
"Well, who wants to inform the Lady Douglas she's six for six for our family?" Henry asked as Marguerite stood to follow him to the front room, where they could quietly keep an eye on his little sister and his best friend outside in the afternoon sun.
