Forced Offer Read Online Free
Author: Gloria Gay
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Regency, Fiction - Romance
favorite daughter had soon forgotten Belinda in her concern for Roselle's health.
"Ah, here is the warm honey, my sweet," she said to Roselle, "we will soon be rid of that nasty cough."
* * * * *
But Roselle's cough got worse, rather than better, and by the end of the week she was bedridden.
"The modiste will come here instead, my darling," her mother assured Roselle, though the girl, her face wan and pale, for the first time took no interest in her appearance.
Mrs. Presleigh seemed at times impatient and at others preoccupied.
Valuable weeks that had been meant for wardrobe preparations were being wasted, as Roselle took little interest in the magazines spread before her and the snippets of material the seamstress brought with her. And fittings were now practically done away with as Roselle protested she was too weak to be moved from her bed.
The physician came every day, but did little for her, assuring Mrs. Presleigh that it was just a matter of time. They must simply allow la grippe to ride itself out.
"Minnie has caught a cold, too, Belinda," said Mrs. Presleigh. I require you to accompany me to Bond Street. There are still many accessories I must secure for Roselle before the Season starts.
Belinda looked up from her book in surprise. Her mother never desired her company for shopping. Belinda could not remember having once gone shopping with her mother.
"I'm fagged from worrying over Roselle," Mrs. Presleigh added, as Belinda donned her pelisse, for there was still a sharp breeze and the day was cold and gray.
Belinda would much rather have stayed by the fire reading but she dared not protest.
"I hear the carriage out front. Elvira will accompany us," Mrs. Presleigh said of the maid who was waiting at the front door with the rugs.
Soon they were on their way and Belinda could see her breath before her. She wished spring would arrive and blow off this lingering cold.
She looked out the window and saw a few carriages on the road. It was still fairly early, just a little beyond the noon hour.
"Perhaps another doctor should be called," Belinda, said. Her thoughts with her sister and how she seemed not to be getting better, but slowly worse. Roselle was a lot thinner too.
Mrs. Presleigh ignored Belinda's advice, as she was wont to do, dismissing it peremptorily.
"You should not concern yourself with decisions that are mine to make, Belinda. Dr. Haskell has assured us Roselle will be just fine, it will be just a matter of a few more days."
"She is not improving, Mama, but rather, getting worse," insisted Belinda.
"No more talk on this, you are irritating me, miss," snapped Mrs. Presleigh, "is that understood?"
"Here we are," she added, looking annoyed and upset. Belinda could see that she was regretting having ordered her to come with her. Elvira would have been a much better choice by herself.
Roger, the driver, got down and together with the groom, helped the ladies out.
"We shall be in this shop about half an hour, Roger," said Mrs. Presleigh as she pulled Belinda along.
Mrs. Presleigh, having brought snippets of material to match to gloves, reticules, slippers and hats was in rapt concentration for over an hour, never once asking Belinda her opinion. Rather, she relied on the shop owner's opinion or her own.
An hour and a half passed at a snail pace for Belinda, who having little to do, gazed distractedly at the wares with little interest. If it had been a bookstore the time would have flown for her. But clothes and accessories had little interest for her since she was convinced nothing looked good on her. Her mother's eyes told her this often enough. Besides, she needn't worry about wardrobes, thankfully, since she would not be making her debut.
All the fuss and commotion was for Roselle alone. Belinda would be lucky if her father acceded to taking her to Kew Gardens and the Royal Academy. There was also the The Tower that she was anxious to see.
Almack's, the hollowed temple of
"Ah, here is the warm honey, my sweet," she said to Roselle, "we will soon be rid of that nasty cough."
* * * * *
But Roselle's cough got worse, rather than better, and by the end of the week she was bedridden.
"The modiste will come here instead, my darling," her mother assured Roselle, though the girl, her face wan and pale, for the first time took no interest in her appearance.
Mrs. Presleigh seemed at times impatient and at others preoccupied.
Valuable weeks that had been meant for wardrobe preparations were being wasted, as Roselle took little interest in the magazines spread before her and the snippets of material the seamstress brought with her. And fittings were now practically done away with as Roselle protested she was too weak to be moved from her bed.
The physician came every day, but did little for her, assuring Mrs. Presleigh that it was just a matter of time. They must simply allow la grippe to ride itself out.
"Minnie has caught a cold, too, Belinda," said Mrs. Presleigh. I require you to accompany me to Bond Street. There are still many accessories I must secure for Roselle before the Season starts.
Belinda looked up from her book in surprise. Her mother never desired her company for shopping. Belinda could not remember having once gone shopping with her mother.
"I'm fagged from worrying over Roselle," Mrs. Presleigh added, as Belinda donned her pelisse, for there was still a sharp breeze and the day was cold and gray.
Belinda would much rather have stayed by the fire reading but she dared not protest.
"I hear the carriage out front. Elvira will accompany us," Mrs. Presleigh said of the maid who was waiting at the front door with the rugs.
Soon they were on their way and Belinda could see her breath before her. She wished spring would arrive and blow off this lingering cold.
She looked out the window and saw a few carriages on the road. It was still fairly early, just a little beyond the noon hour.
"Perhaps another doctor should be called," Belinda, said. Her thoughts with her sister and how she seemed not to be getting better, but slowly worse. Roselle was a lot thinner too.
Mrs. Presleigh ignored Belinda's advice, as she was wont to do, dismissing it peremptorily.
"You should not concern yourself with decisions that are mine to make, Belinda. Dr. Haskell has assured us Roselle will be just fine, it will be just a matter of a few more days."
"She is not improving, Mama, but rather, getting worse," insisted Belinda.
"No more talk on this, you are irritating me, miss," snapped Mrs. Presleigh, "is that understood?"
"Here we are," she added, looking annoyed and upset. Belinda could see that she was regretting having ordered her to come with her. Elvira would have been a much better choice by herself.
Roger, the driver, got down and together with the groom, helped the ladies out.
"We shall be in this shop about half an hour, Roger," said Mrs. Presleigh as she pulled Belinda along.
Mrs. Presleigh, having brought snippets of material to match to gloves, reticules, slippers and hats was in rapt concentration for over an hour, never once asking Belinda her opinion. Rather, she relied on the shop owner's opinion or her own.
An hour and a half passed at a snail pace for Belinda, who having little to do, gazed distractedly at the wares with little interest. If it had been a bookstore the time would have flown for her. But clothes and accessories had little interest for her since she was convinced nothing looked good on her. Her mother's eyes told her this often enough. Besides, she needn't worry about wardrobes, thankfully, since she would not be making her debut.
All the fuss and commotion was for Roselle alone. Belinda would be lucky if her father acceded to taking her to Kew Gardens and the Royal Academy. There was also the The Tower that she was anxious to see.
Almack's, the hollowed temple of