Such a reflection did not make Dot sad because she could not remember her mother at all.
When she finished her chocolate, Meg returned with a freshly pressed dress that Mrs. Gainsworth had just delivered. “Oh, Miss Pankhurst! I never seen anything so beautiful.”
Had Dot not been to Bath’s elegant Assembly Rooms, she would never have seen a dress as fine as this, either. It was snowy white and embellished with hand-embroidered ivory flowers and trimmed in white lace. She couldn’t wait to wear it for Forrester.
“You’ll never guess,” Meg said, “who’s in yer father’s library right now.”
Dot knew very well who was there. Would her father and her betrothed be discussing marriage settlements and those boring financial matters? How happy she was that she was not taking part in those discussions.
* * *
The prospect of addressing Dot’s father made Appleton even more nervous than actually asking the lady for her hand in marriage. He supposed his fears emanated from guilt. Knowing how dearly Mr. Pankhurst cherished his daughter and would expect his daughter to be cherished, Appleton worried that the father would suspect Appleton’s true motives for wishing to wed his only child.
What would he say if the father asked him if he was in love with Dot? Appleton abhorred lying.
Mr. Pankhurst put him at ease immediately, clasping his hand and shaking it vigorously as he smiled and referred to him as my boy. “Do let’s come into my library.”
Like the rest of the house, the scarlet library was decorated in excellent taste, with walnut paneled walls and furnishings. “Let us sit on the sofa before the fire. There’s quite a chill after all this blasted rain.”
They sank into a plush red velvet. “So I’m finally going to have a son,” Mr. Pankhurst began. The man could barely contain his glee. He was as excited as a pauper who’d won the sweepstakes. “And a lord at that! I don’t mind telling you I couldn’t have wished for a better mate for my girl.”
“Thank you, sir, but I’m the fortunate one.” He hoped such a remark would appease the adoring father.
“You certainly are! Just you wait and see what a fine wife you’ve selected, my lord. Tell me, when do you plan to marry my girl?”
“I thought we ought to spend a bit of time together to get to know one another better, but I’d like to marry before the month’s out. I shall, of course, procure a special license.”
Mr. Pankhurst nodded. “A good plan, I daresay. You need to have time with each other without a lot of other people. Just you and Dot, free to talk to each other without disruptions.”
“I agree.”
The older man cleared his throat. “I’ve done a bit of asking around about you.”
Appleton’s stomach dropped. “As a dutiful father should.”
“It’s come to my attention that you’ve recently come into some serious financial losses.”
Uh oh. He felt as if he’d been walloped with a tree trunk. How in the devil had Pankhurst learned that? Appleton supposed that a man with very deep pockets could obtain whatever information he sought. “I won’t deny it. It’s the first time in my thirty years I’ve ever done anything so foolish, and I give you my word it will never happen again.”
Mr. Pankhurst’s face grew solemn as he nodded. “I suppose you know I’m a very wealthy man?”
“I won’t deny that, either, sir.”
“Dot has a generous dowry, and when I’m gone, all my property will go to her.”
“You must know that as head of the Appleton family I’m obliged to live on our estate. When not at Bath, I plan to live at Hawthorne Manor as my ancestors have for the past two-hundred-and-fifty years. If Dot should inherit . . . Blandings, is it not?”
“It is.”
“It would always stay in our family, but I see it going to one of our children, perhaps a second son. He could even take on the name Pankhurst.”
It was a few seconds before the older man responded. Had he offended him? Was something wrong? Then Appleton saw that Mr. Pankhurst must be overcome with emotion. His eyes moistened. “A grandson. A grandson to carry on all I’ve built. My own father would be so proud.”
Appleton had not contemplated having children with Dot, but now the prospect held vast appeal. The more sons, the better! “I should be very proud to enter into a parental partnership with one as . . . as intelligent and as caring as your daughter.” He hadn’t lied. He truly meant what he said. And he hadn’t stretched the truth and professed to be in love with this man’s daughter.
“I believe the two of you will have very fine children, and I give you my blessing. My solicitor will draw up the settlements.”
The meeting had gone as well as Appleton could have hoped. He rose and shook his future father-in-law’s hand. “I’d like to see Dot now, if she’s seeing callers.”
“She’s received another of her lovely dresses, therefore, I believe she’ll be wanting to display herself in it to her betrothed.” Mr. Pankhurst rang for a servant and when the butler came, instructed him to tell the lady that Lord Appleton was calling on Miss Pankhurst.
“Now,” Mr. Pankhurst said, “I’ll let you be alone with your betrothed.”
Unlike his own sisters, who could take hours to make themselves presentable, his affianced came downstairs almost immediately. He could scarcely credit it when she entered the cozy library. It was as if sparkling sunshine burst into the chamber from beyond the scarlet draperies. It was impossible not to be cheerful when confronted with Dot’s perpetual smile.
Miss Dorothea Pankhurst could now hold her own amongst the most fashionable ladies in London’s finest ballrooms. Not that she was overly dressed this afternoon.
