The engagement announcement came as a shock to Verity when she read it in the paper. She had assumed someone in her household would have informed her that her eldest brother was marrying, but perhaps they had all left it up to Ford who knew better at this point than to write to her. After all, Verity hadn't been able to stomach her outrage and disappointment beyond what was absolutely necessary in the nearly two weeks since everything had unfolded. It was all she could do to remain civil around Ford.
She ought to have been pleased that he had changed course and was now going to marry Miss Farley. It was the path she'd expected him to follow, the one that saw him as a decent man as opposed to a selfish one. And she likely would have been happy for him had they not argued after the party. If Verity had remained ignorant of the fact that Ford was entering into this entirely unwilling, then she very well could have played the part of excited sister easier. But she hadn't, and now all she could see was another Greengrass sibling being trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
The thought nauseated her.
Verity volunteered to head into the kitchen to replenish their tea and refreshments. Grace's enthusiasm was exhausting, Clementine's attitude was trying. Having a minute away from them to collect herself was a good thing, even if it came with the indignity of fulfiling roles that ought to have been done by a hired staff member. Her expression fell from her usual polite one into something more of a grimace before entering the kitchen. It was only another hour or two, and then she could retreat to her home and stew in her frustration there.
That Ford was in the kitchen wouldn't have come at a surprise normally. However, this time Verity had so thoroughly convinced herself of the expected minute alone that she jumped at the sight of him. "Ford." Verity tensely greeted in response. Her anger was already flooding the room, already suffocating her. There was a reason she hadn't sought him out, a reason she avoided any room she knew him to be lurking within. Nothing she had to say would be well received, and he wouldn't have cared to hear it either way.
The issue now was that she couldn't be outright hostile towards him in his own home. She couldn't deny him his ask with the barbed no that instantly sprang to mind. Instead, Verity nodded once before placing the tray a tad too heavily down upon the counter.
She ought to have been pleased that he had changed course and was now going to marry Miss Farley. It was the path she'd expected him to follow, the one that saw him as a decent man as opposed to a selfish one. And she likely would have been happy for him had they not argued after the party. If Verity had remained ignorant of the fact that Ford was entering into this entirely unwilling, then she very well could have played the part of excited sister easier. But she hadn't, and now all she could see was another Greengrass sibling being trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
The thought nauseated her.
Verity volunteered to head into the kitchen to replenish their tea and refreshments. Grace's enthusiasm was exhausting, Clementine's attitude was trying. Having a minute away from them to collect herself was a good thing, even if it came with the indignity of fulfiling roles that ought to have been done by a hired staff member. Her expression fell from her usual polite one into something more of a grimace before entering the kitchen. It was only another hour or two, and then she could retreat to her home and stew in her frustration there.
That Ford was in the kitchen wouldn't have come at a surprise normally. However, this time Verity had so thoroughly convinced herself of the expected minute alone that she jumped at the sight of him. "Ford." Verity tensely greeted in response. Her anger was already flooding the room, already suffocating her. There was a reason she hadn't sought him out, a reason she avoided any room she knew him to be lurking within. Nothing she had to say would be well received, and he wouldn't have cared to hear it either way.
The issue now was that she couldn't be outright hostile towards him in his own home. She couldn't deny him his ask with the barbed no that instantly sprang to mind. Instead, Verity nodded once before placing the tray a tad too heavily down upon the counter.
set by mj