Marry Me Read Online Free Page B

house. Sure enough, her mother watched from the window, peeking from behind the curtain. Millie slipped a reluctant arm through Mr. Elliott’s. There was no way of getting out of it without making a scene.
    Oh, how Millie wanted to make a scene!
    Millie looked at today’s accessory, Mr. Elliott, and wondered if anyone would notice or care.
    They’d notice all right. As he led her westward along the street, he made sure he smiled and nodded to anyone of consequence they passed. He even greeted a few by name, as if acquainted.
    No one stopped to chat. The better-mannered men automatically tipped their hats as they hurried along their way and the women gave a small nod, no more than was considered polite to a stranger.
    Millie’s cheeks flushed. Why did he have to greet every single person he saw? He might be enthused about the world, but the world turned him a chilly shoulder.
    Millie spotted her friend Sarah approaching. Millie tilted her head down. They passed by as if strangers. A twinge of bitterness stung Millie’s heart. It was best that she not stop to chat than risk being asked what she was doing with Mr. Elliott.
    How would she survive the day?
    ****
    Raymond had been looking forward to the Junior Regatta purely for the company of his nieces and nephews. Today’s modern children were not as cruel as the companions he’d grown up with. None of them mocked him for his stutter. Granted, it could have been that they were taught to respect their elders—if not their peers—and none would dare mock the Chandler’s interesting uncle.
    He intended to live up to his reputation. No sooner had the Chandlers arrived at the park than all the Chandler children’s friends gathered about him. Thomas set off with his older pals to admire each other’s boats, but the younger set stuck with Raymond.
    Young Dandy Bellwether, one of Helen’s friends, came up to him with a gum wrapper in her hand. “Do a bird?” she asked.
    He took the wrapper, gave it a few folds until it looked like a beak with wings. Then he blew on it and flicked it off his hand.
    The bird flapped and soared about. Dandy shrieked in delight and clapped her hands. Several more children clamoured about him, fists of candy wrappers, napkins, and even scraps of newspaper, all hoping for one of “Uncle Raymond’s birds”.
    Soon all of them danced about, with various creatures of the air evading their reaching grasps. Only after every child was occupied, did Raymond have an opportunity to join his sister beside the lake.
    Mary feasted in style. A picnic had been laid out for the Chandler crowd, with a small folding table and several chairs, while the children would be content with a spread blanket. A maid set out select sandwiches.
    Raymond sank into one of the chairs with a sigh of relief. “B—busy things.” He meant the children.
    Mary, comfortably ensconced in the other folding chair, swapped her parasol to the other shoulder so she could reach a sandwich. “Normally this is the time I would encourage you to start a family of your own, and so on.” She drew in a breath. “Any luck finding your mystery lady?”
    Another regatta family set up their picnicking gear on the other side of the Chandlers. Mary called out a greeting. No doubt they would stop by later for a longer conversation.
    “You know,” Mary continued, “The Moores over there have a daughter—”
    But Raymond shook his head. How could he even begin to entertain the thought of yet another debutante when his heart was set on the lovely young thing he met the other day.
    Then he saw her, out across the grass.
    Her, with her elegance and grace as she turned her face to the sun.
    He rose from his chair and pointed his finger. “Th-there.” Like most fashionable ladies of the day, she wore a white promenade dress, tied ever-so-neatly at the waist by a pink sash. She wore a corsage of bright red beribboned flowers that seemed out of place for an outing such as this. Who gave her those?