No love for Louisa

TWENTY TWO

 It was a few day later, that Adrian Carstairs, filled a with a sense of purpose,  decided to call on Rosemary, to invite her out for a drive in his carriage with him.  After she had paid more than the usual  attention to him, at the last ball they had attended earlier in the week, he had been contemplating proposing to her and finally sealing the deal. He was feeling sure she would accept.  But now, he had plucked up the nerve to do the deed, hence wanting to have this time with her, before his rival, the pesky French Viscount, had the chance to get in before him.

 He was happy to see that when he set eyes on her, she looked more than delighted to see him,  exclaiming she would like nothing more than to be seen out and about with him, which only  further boosted his confidence about proposing to her.

 As she got herself ready, he found himself waiting with nervous anticipation, whilst he still rehearsed in his mind what he was going to say, when he decided it was a good time to do so.

It was only whilst he was helping her into his carriage, he suddenly became aware that it was one of Hettie's maids, responsible  for caring for Rosemary's needs, who was to accompany and chaperone them, and there was no sign of her cousin, who was usually by Rosemary's side. Then it dawned on Adrian that he had not seen her at all, when he had arrived  to invite Rosemary out, which made him slightly curious.

"So, is Miss O'Mara not with us today?  I hope she is well, and not ailing?" he enquired politely

Rosemary's happy countenance seem to fade for a moment, making him think that perhaps her cousin was indeed ill.

"Lou Lou is well enough,  but she is no longer with us and has gone back to our family estate in Devon" she then informed him her tone a little stiff

"Oh?" Adrian replied, sensing all was not well,  and wondering why the sudden departure had occurred

"Well, we decided it was for the best, you know, after what happened at the ball with your brother" Rosemary then spoke up meaningfully  in a lower tone

Adrian just looked a little puzzled "Did something happen? I cannot really recall" he replied

Rosemary's eyes widened in surprise, "How can you say that? Surely you  must know everyone is talking about it?  And how  they are saying, how your brother intervened between Louisa and the Viscount, like  some bold white knight, riding to the lady's  rescue, and now  they all believe he has lost his heart to her" 

Realisation filled Adrian's eyes, and he looked slightly amused, "Oh that. Yes, I have heard some of it. But I am afraid I take no heed of such talk of gossipmongers and their stirring stories, it only gives them more credence.  I am rather surprised that  you do"  he then remarked, thinking it no more than a trifle of an annoyance.

"Well, of course I know the stories are ridiculous," Rosemary laughed, sounding slightly defensive at the same time.  " Indeed, how people will want to believe anything like it is beyond me. Why, anyone with a bit of sense knows that it is foolishness, and that  your brother only looks upon my poor cousin as no more than one of his  charity cases, that he feels sorry for. To make it sound   that could actually have feelings for her, is preposterous! and I shall tell people so if they speak to me of it"

As she relayed this to him, Adrian found himself looking a little  harder into Rosemary's pretty face and found with much disconcertion, her expression of derision over his brother's friendship with Miss O'Mara, had all of a sudden  made her  beauty and radiance fade somewhat in his eyes.

Having lived in London for most of his life, he was used to the tittle tattle and gossip which he had grown to ignore. But, he was also astute enough  to realise  as he had watched Alex and Louisa together, noting their friendship grow through the season, it was certainly not out of some sort of pity and it there had  been a genuine. warmth there between them, and he had been rather pleased to see his elder brother had come out of his doldrums after  being jilted, and was taking an interest in other things other than his charity work.