Annabelle (aka Belle) lost her heart to a young man who was training to be a physician. Unfortunately, her father is more than a bit full of himself. He’s a narcissist of the first order, and a physician as a son-in-law will not do. So, he makes sure to separate Belle from Fritz and hopes to see Belle married to someone more suitable. However, six years later, Belle is still unmarried, and her father gives up hope. Therefore, when his sister in Bath asks to have Belle join her as her companion, he’s more than willing to send her away. Little does he (or Belle) know that Aunt Augusta’s physician is Fritz.
This story, His Irreplaceable Belle, is an original sweet Regency romance with a Persuasion flavour and is book four in my Touches of Austen series.
Below is an excerpt from chapter 2.
Enjoy!
From Chapter 2, His Irreplaceable Belle
Annabelle Chapman attempted not to look back at the house she and her aunt had just departed. However, the temptation was too great, and surreptitiously, she cast a glance over her shoulder.
“Is he watching us?”
Belle startled at her aunt’s question. She had thought she was being careful.
“I am not blind, my dear,” her aunt continued when Belle did not reply immediately. “Nor am I unfamiliar with the longing of a young heart.”
“My heart is not so very young,” Belle replied, neatly dodging her aunt’s original question or so she hoped. She would rather not speak about Mr. Norman. It was bad enough that she was going to have to see him and hear about him.
“It is not so very old either,” Aunt Augusta said with a laugh. “Now, tell me if he was watching us.”
It seemed that speaking about Mr. Norman was not something Belle was going to be able to avoid.
“He was, but he is not any longer.” Was it because he had seen her glance just as her aunt had? Was that why he had stepped away from the window so quickly?
“Do you really think it is wise to keep him as your physician?”
“I will tell you again what I have already told you five times. Mr. Norman is the best, and as you know, I like the best. You are just going to have to prepare yourself to see him on occasion.”
How did one do that? How did a lady harden her heart against the sorrow which seeing him would bring? As much as she longed for Fritz to once again proclaim his undying love for her, she did not expect him to do so, even if her heart, the foolish thing, hoped he might be persuaded in time. However, that seemed more like a young girl’s dream – the sort of dream which only came true when the girl was a creation made of ink and fancy who lived happily between covers of leather on a library shelf.
“Did he agree to see you willingly?” She doubted it. He had not called in two weeks and before that, he had only called briefly and refused to stay for a cup of tea. Aunt Augusta had groused and grumbled for a full hour on each occasion.
“No, but I did not expect him to do so.” She and Belle turned into the Sydney Gardens. “I cannot blame him for being skittish. A gentleman can only repair his life so many times – and I imagine, it gets harder as one gets older. However, he has nothing to fear from me for he will never receive anything but praise from my lips.”
“But Father –”
“Is a pompous bore. That man has always cared more for his appearance than he has ever cared for anything else, and your brother, Andrew, as improper as it might be to speak ill of the dead, was just the same.”
She stopped in front of a bench. “A brisk walk is much better if is it interrupted by a bit of repose,” she said as she arranged herself on the bench. “We are not making a complete circuit. We have gone as far as I wish to go.”
With a sigh, Belle sank down next to Aunt Augusta, placed her reticule on her lap, and passed her hand over the embroidered pattern on it, enjoying the variety of sensations the dots and curves created against her fingers and palm.
There was no point in arguing with Aunt Augusta about the need for more exercise, for her aunt could be very recalcitrant when it came to doing what she wanted. That was how Belle had known that Fritz would agree to see her aunt again. Aunt Augusta would leave him no option.
In that way, her aunt and father were alike. They were both stubborn old goats. Aunt Augusta was likely the more stubborn of the two, for she seemed to be the only one in all of Belle’s acquaintances who did not care how much she angered Belle’s father. Everyone else did as Sir Allen said, but not Aunt Augusta. At least, she did not if she had a different notion about what should be done, which was most of the time.
“I believe you had a letter from your mother,” Aunt Augusta interrupted Belle’s reflection.
“I did.”
“Is she well?”
Belle nodded. “She says she is.”
“And does she miss you?”
That was a good question. “She said she does.”
“But…” Her aunt looked at her expectantly.
“But, it was added as an afterthought at the end of the letter after she had told me all about how well Henrietta was progressing with her music and dance lessons. You can read the letter if you wish.” Belle took the folded missive from her reticule.
“I am afraid the sun is not bright enough for that.”
“Of all the preposterous things, Aunt Augusta! You do not even require spectacles to stitch until the lamps must be lit.”
Aunt Augusta laughed. “Very well, it is not that I cannot read it. It is just that I do not wish to bother with reading when there are people to watch. Do you see that couple over there?” She pointed to a gentleman and lady who were walking arm in arm along the path to their left. “She is his sister. She is much admired, and he seems excessively protective of her.” She looked at Belle and raised an eyebrow. “He can be very particular and is not afraid to voice his opinions about things if you understand my meaning.”
“He is a fine-looking gentleman.”
“Oh, to be sure. Tall, handsome, and with a bank account to match him in size and attractiveness. However, he is not for you.” Her aunt was correct about that. No gentleman would ever be for her ever again. She had given her heart to Fritz many years ago now, and he still had it, whether he wished for it or not. She could not love another for she loved Fritz.
