How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back Read online

  HOW MISS RUTHERFORD GOT HER GROOVE BACK

  SOPHIE BARNES

  DEDICATION

  To my two boys,

  whose sunny dispositions brighten up my days,

  and to my husband,

  whose love and support have made this story possible.

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Acknowledgments

  An Excerpt

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  About the Author

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  PROLOGUE

  Hardington, 1811

  There was nothing but blue skies for as far as the eye could see as Emily Rutherford made light, brisk steps along the dusty road. She had been out much of that morning, as she oftentimes was whenever the weather allowed (and when she was free to do so), working on her landscape painting. There was a quiet spot not far from the cottage—up on a hill—from which she had a splendid view of the village of Hardington with its quaint stone church, winding streets, and colorful gardens that lay like neatly arranged postage stamps behind the houses.

  To the right of the village lay Coldwell Manor, a wide stone building that sat heavily upon the English countryside. Emily had been there on a number of occasions as a child, when her parents had still been alive.

  James Rutherford, the Viscount of Hillsbury, and his wife, Anna, had been one of the most celebrated couples in the area, their acquaintance sought after with great effort, as they always held the most spectacular and talked-about parties.

  But that was then and this was now. Emily’s parents had both passed away five years earlier in a boating accident. To the great misfortune of Emily and her sisters, Claire and Beatrice, there had been no will. Their parents had been young and had in all likelihood imagined that there would be plenty of time for that later. Thus, they had been left with next to nothing, since the majority of their parents’ fortune had passed to the next male heir, their cousin Edward.

  You see, when Emily’s grandmother had passed away, their grandfather had remarried a widow who had brought her own son, Jack, into the family. Jack had left home as soon as it had been possible for him to do so, and had hastily married a young woman named Elizabeth. She had died no more than a year after the wedding while giving birth to Edward.

  Even though the Rutherford girls and their parents had always treated Jack and Edward as if they were blood relations, Edward had always been painfully aware of the fact that he did not belong. So it was with great satisfaction that he discovered that he’d inherited Lord Hillsbury’s fortune, simply because Emily’s grandfather had secretly adopted Jack years earlier, in the hopes of strengthening his and Edward’s ties with the rest of the family.

  Emily and her sisters had been shocked to find that they’d been left without the right to anything, save for the modest cottage that their cousin had, out of the supposed goodness of his heart, purchased for them to live in. They were family, after all. But they would be expected to find themselves suitable husbands to support them and, it was hoped, become less of a burden to their distant relative.

  And so it was that Emily had accepted a position at the nearby school in order to help make ends meet. She was not one to be blown over by the difficulties life had to offer, but was instead determined to make the best of any given situation. And, besides, she loved her students, who gave her a sense of purpose and always filled her with good cheer.

  The three sisters were striking, with petite figures they’d inherited from their mother, though Emily was the only one blessed with her famous green eyes.

  As the eldest of the three sisters, Beatrice had been the one to take charge of the household. She had put her heart and soul into ensuring that they were well cared for, and she had done it well, and without a single complaint, ever.

  But it was clear that they could not go on like this forever. Husbands had to be found for all three of them. The trouble was that having had it all and then so graciously fallen, they needed to find suitors who could restore them to their former glory—no small task.

  At present, the only one who had the chance to restore each of them to their rightful station was Emily. She had since childhood been a close friend of Adrian Fairchild, Viscount Carroway’s son, of Coldwell Manor. In fact, they had been best friends and still saw each other regularly. Marriage between the two seemed inevitable.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Emily clutched her canvas and easel tightly under her right arm as she quickened her step, her box of paints held firmly in her left hand. She realized she must look terribly awkward as she struggled along, trying desperately not to drop anything.

  As the rustic little cottage with its climbing roses spread across its façade came into view, Emily hurried ahead. She was eager to return home for there was much to be done today. She and her sisters had been formally invited to attend the yearly ball at Coldwell Manor. It had of course been Adrian’s doing, for nobody would have thought to invite them otherwise.

  The invitation had arrived a little over a week ago, and the three sisters had talked of nothing else since. It was the only invitation that they had received in the last year, as it had been the only one they’d received the year before that, and the year before that. And since it was only once a year that they were invited out, it had become the occasion they looked forward to with unparalleled eagerness and anticipation.

  Bursting through the front door of the cottage, Emily immediately set down her cumbersome load on the floor to rest against the wall. She untied the green ribbon of her bonnet and removed it, running her fingers lightly through her hair. She was all jitters, she knew—something that would suit a young girl but hardly a fully-grown woman. So she took a moment to calm herself and smooth over her dress before quietly opening the door to the parlor.

  Claire and Beatrice were both seated within, animatedly conversing with a guest that Emily recognized immediately. “Kate!” she exclaimed, forgetting herself and her composure as she rushed forward, her arms spread wide. “How good of you to have come! I’ve missed you terribly, and not a day has gone by where I haven’t wondered about you. How long has it been?”

  “Far too long, I suppose,” Kate replied. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with a tall, shapely figure and light blonde hair. Her eyes were the clearest blue, her lips full and rosy. She and Emily had spent much of their childhood together in one another’s company, though they’d seen less of each other in recent years now that Kate’s family had moved to Stonebrook, the estate that her father had inherited from his brother.

  At present, Kate had just returned from her annual
two-week visit to her aunt and uncle. As they happened to live in London, Kate thoroughly enjoyed her visits.

  “Tell me about your stay, Kate,” Emily said, as she took the last remaining seat. “It must have been thoroughly splendid. Was it?”

  Kate gave a slight nod followed by a broad smile. “It was indeed. I was just telling Claire and Beatrice that Aunt Harriet and Uncle Geoffrey took me to the theatre a number of times. We saw Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty on one occasion and very much enjoyed Romeo and Juliet on another. And the parties! Oh Emily, you would have loved it . . . all the lovely dresses, the music, and the dancing.”

  Claire and Beatrice both raised an eyebrow. “The dancing?” Beatrice asked. “Did you happen to meet any young gentlemen who sparked your interest?”

  It was no secret that the main reason Kate’s parents encouraged her to visit London was in order for her aunt and uncle to introduce her to the ton. Her parents hoped that she would find herself a suitable husband there. She was, after all, approaching her twenty-fourth year. Still, she had returned from her visit earlier than intended, in order to attend the Carroway ball that evening.

  Kate giggled shyly as a bright pink hue flooded her face. “I must admit that there was one particular gentleman who . . .”

  A squeal of delight filled the air, cutting her off, and before Kate knew what was happening, Emily had sprung out of her chair and was throwing her arms about her in a tight embrace. “That’s wonderful news! You must tell us everything at once! Who is he? Are you engaged?”

  “As a matter of fact, we have formed an attachment.” Kate peeled herself away from Emily, her cheeks even redder than before from all the attention. “However, I did intend for this to be a quick visit. After all, there are a lot of things that need my attention before the ball this evening. I understand from your sisters that you shall all be attending?”

  Emily’s face brightened at the mere mention of that evening’s event and found it impossible to hide a brilliant smile. “Oh, absolutely,” she said. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “Then I shall tell you everything later,” Kate said, looking at each of them with a secretive smile. “Now, I really must be off.” She rose to her feet and reached for her bonnet.

  “Well, it was lovely to see you again,” Emily told her. “I shall look forward to seeing you this evening and finding out more about this elusive gentleman whom you plan to marry.”

  “As shall I,” Kate told her with a small smile as she gave Emily a quick hug.

  Emily and her sisters stood in the doorway and watched her walk away. She turned once to wave to them, still tying the ribbon of her bonnet below her chin.

  “Her parents must be relieved,” Beatrice remarked as they went back inside. “Considering her looks and the fact that her mother is the Duke of Bedford’s sister, I’m surprised it took her this long to form an attachment.”

  “She’s a romantic,” Emily said. “She believes in true love and a happily ever after just as much as I do. Finding that can take time.”

  “At least you don’t have to worry about that, dear sister,” Claire said with a teasing smile.

  Now it was Emily’s turn to blush. Her sisters were both aware of her undying love for Adrian. She had in truth pined away endless hours, daydreaming of what her future would be like if she were married to him.

  “When do you suppose that he will offer for you?” Claire now asked. “From what you have told us, it seems that the two of you have some sort of understanding?”

  “Yes, we do,” Emily said with a thoughtful smile. “I do not know if he is in love with me, as I am with him, but I do not doubt that he loves me in some way or he would not have suggested that we should one day marry.”

  “I’ve told you too many times to count, surely he must be in love with you if he suggested as much,” Beatrice told her. “How could he not be?”

  Emily regarded her sister for a brief moment. The concern was clear in her eyes. She was clearly worried that Emily would end up unhappy in her marriage if Adrian didn’t love her wholeheartedly.

  “Oh, Bea,” Emily said, wishing she could wash away her sister’s fears. “You do so worry about us, don’t you?”

  “It is my job to worry about you, and I do believe that it has kept you safe from harm thus far.”

  “Well, Adrian would never hurt me. He has been my truest friend for as long as I can remember. I do not mind if he is not in love with me. I should find myself fortunate indeed if I became his wife, and I should be thoroughly happy. Aside from the fact that I can think of no other man that I would rather spend my life with, do you not see what my marrying him would mean for us?”

  “Of course we do,” Claire told her. “We just don’t want you to give up on finding true happiness on our account. Emily, you must not agree to marry him just because it will reinstate us to our rightful positions.”

  Emily gave an exasperated sigh. She knew how much her sisters loved her, but they were taking this too far. “Do you not see?” she asked them. “Marrying Adrian would be a dream come true for me—it would be true happiness. I love him with all my heart and I know that he loves me.”

  “Then by all means, let us hope that he will soon honor your agreement and offer for you,” Claire told her.

  “Yes, let’s,” Beatrice agreed with a warm smile. “Who knows? Perhaps you and Kate will both be married before the year is out.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Emily and her sisters spent the rest of the day readying themselves for the evening ahead. They had laundered their dresses the previous day and now took turns pressing them in the kitchen, where the oven kept the irons hot.

  At three o’clock, they paused for tea. They had just sat down in the parlor when Beatrice spotted Mrs. Hughes through the window. She was a short, plump woman in her fifties, with short, curly hair that had recently begun to show signs of grey.

  “I daresay,” Beatrice exclaimed. “I do believe that Mrs. Hughes intends to pay us a visit.”

  Claire immediately turned her head in order to have a look for herself. “Well, I hope we shall not be too delayed by this. After all, we still have to bathe and dress and . . .” she trailed off with a sigh. “You know how much the woman loves to talk.”

  It was true. Mrs. Hughes was a veritable gossip who could be very difficult to get rid of if they encouraged her to stay for tea.

  “We cannot be so rude as to turn her away,” Emily said. “Especially not when we are just now sitting down to tea ourselves. It would be very poor behavior on our part.”

  “Yes, of course we must invite her in,” Beatrice said as she rose to her feet. “I shall go and greet her. Claire, stop scowling.”

  A moment later, Mrs. Hughes was sitting in their parlor on a chair next to Emily. “I’m terribly sorry if I caught you at a bad time,” she began, still drawing heavy breaths from her quick walk. “I presume you must be readying yourselves for the ball this evening.”

  “Well . . . we . . .” Claire began.

  “We were just taking a break from all of that and allowing ourselves to enjoy a cup of tea,” Beatrice cut in, quickly interrupting any inappropriate remark her sister might have been about to make.

  “Would you like a cup?” Emily asked.

  Claire groaned, and Emily and Beatrice both glanced at her reproachfully, in response to which she gave an exasperated sigh. There was no telling how long Mrs. Hughes planned to stay.

  “I would love a cup” was the reply. “If it’s not too much trouble,” she added, looking around.

  “No trouble at all,” Emily told her as she went to fetch another teacup from the china cabinet. She set it on a small round table next to Mrs. Hughes’s chair and proceeded to pour tea into it. She then offered her a biscuit, which Mrs. Hughes eagerly accepted.

  “What brings you here this afternoon?” Beatrice asked with a friendly smile. “I am guessing that there is something that you wish to tell us.”

  “Well,” Mrs. H
ughes began as she took a bite from the biscuit and followed it with a sip of tea. “There are two issues which I thought might be of interest to you. Firstly, I have been led to believe that the young Mr. Fairchild is inclined to choose a bride this season.”

  Emily almost choked on her tea. “Adrian?” she virtually sputtered.

  “Why, of course,” Mrs. Hughes told her, as if that was the silliest of all questions. “His brothers are already married, are they not?”

  “Why, yes, I suppose they are,” Emily agreed.

  “If I am not completely misinformed, I do believe that you must have some inkling as to whom his chosen bride shall be. Is that not so, Miss Emily?” Mrs. Hughes regarded her kindly as she sipped her tea.

  Emily’s bright red blush was hard to miss. She was thankful that if she should blush so, then it was amongst only those who had her best interests at heart. “We do have an agreement,” Emily confessed. “But nothing has been set in stone. Perhaps he has other intentions.”

  The mere thought of Adrian planning to marry someone other than her made her immensely nervous. What would she do if that happened? Her heart would surely shatter into a thousand pieces.

  “Honestly, my dear, there really is no need to fret about such things. You have an agreement and Adrian is above all else a true gentleman. Everyone in Hardington knows how much he adores you,” Mrs. Hughes told her as she placed her hand on Emily’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze.