(COMPLETED)
It's 1817 and there is nothing more a woman wants than to marry a rich man and live a life of comfort.
But not Nancy Brooks. Having spent half her life helping her mother run her laundry shop and the other half in the local library, Na...
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Nancy felt rather glum as she walked out of the large examination room with William, though the reason for her glumness was not the exam but rather that she had not heard from Andrew in almost two months now. William and the others constantly reassured her that he was busy dealing with his estate—and his mother, of course—but Nancy was not satisfied.
"My mother will continue getting the wrong idea about us," Nancy said to William as they walked home. Since Andrew had left, William had never been far from Nancy, always watching over her. He claimed he did this out of concern for her safety, but Nancy had a strong feeling Andrew had been the one who had given William instructions to keep her safe.
"She knows you're married now," William pointed out. Nancy sighed. Her mother had been thrilled when she had found out that her daughter had married the Duke of Grafton, but that did not stop her from questioning Nancy about spending so much time in the company of William Cooper. She was under the impression that Nancy was involved with William in some way or another, and strangely, she did not discourage her daughter.
"Nancy," William began as they neared her house, "why don't you go visit Andrew in London?"
Nancy looked up, surprised. "Visit him? Why?"
"Because I am tired of seeing that glum look on your face." William smiled. "I want the old Nancy back. Not that she was any more cheerful than you are now, but..."
Nancy rolled her eyes. "I'll have to think about it. Mama might need help with the shop."
"You can leave that to me. I will get someone else to help her." William frowned. "I still don't understand why you don't let Andrew hire more workers for the shop."
"I am not going to be indebted to anyone." Andrew had offered countless times to hire delivery boys and stitching women, but Nancy had refused.
"Your husband is not anyone, Nancy." Nancy opened her mouth to retort, but William hurried on. "But as you wish. Give the idea some consideration. No doubt Andrew would be delighted to see you."
Nancy nodded and bid good-bye to him as she entered her house. It was true that having not seen Andrew in months was making her restless. She missed him terribly, and just the thought of visiting him lifted her spirits. Perhaps she should do as William had suggested.
= = =
Nancy stepped out the front door and into the cool night air. Unable to sleep, she had been pacing around her bedroom for what had felt like hours until the walls of the room had seemed to be closing in on her and she decided to step outside. She wrapped her shawl tighter around herself, sighing. She had been thinking about what William had said and had almost made up her mind to visit Andrew soon. She missed him terribly and was tired of feeling so restless. She also wanted to know why Andrew had his friends keeping such a close eye on her, since they refused to give her too many details. She knew Andrew's mother disapproved of their marriage, but what was the worst she could do to Nancy from all the way in London?
