Will You Love Me in September

She remembered still, and she saw that Reggie was one who had not had the good fortune to fall into the hands of someone who was as sympathetic as I had been. I loved her so much because she cared for others, and passionately I wanted her to find the happiness she deserved.

I think I could have become reconciled to the marriage if there had just been Reggie.

It was the thought of the family connection with Sir Rake which appalled me. I had hated the way in which his eyes dwelt on all women-including myself. He had an air of assessing them and speculating as to how he could get them into his bed. I was sure that he lived up to his reputation.

But Sabrina was determined, and none could be more so when she had made up her mind to be.

When I told Lance he was only mildly interested. He was going to his club and was already thinking of the night's play ahead.

I did discuss the matter with Nanny Curlew, who regarded Sabrina as her own child.

Nanny Curlew said, "Well, we wanted a good match for her, but if she really loves this young man, I'm agreeable.”

Nanny Curlew obviously had not heard the evil rumors concerning Sir Rake.

They had decided not to announce the engagement just yet, for which I was thankful.

I did see Sir Ralph on one or two occasions. He came to us in Albemarle Street for a night's play. Reggie did not accompany him. Sabrina was present, and when I saw Sir Ralph's eyes following her, assessing her in his lewd way, I was deeply disturbed, and it occurred to me that Reggie had probably told his father of his proposed marriage, which would account for Sir Ralph's interest.

Then came the day when she was to visit the Lowells' town house. A note had been delivered to her from Sir Ralph.

He wrote: My dear daughter-to-be, I cannot express the delight I felt when I heard from my son that you had agreed to marry him. I have always admired you so much and there is no one I would rather welcome into the family.

I want Reginald to bring you to see me, so that the three of us can have a little talk together. He will call for you at eight of the clock tomorrow evening. Just a family affair, one might say. Then we can plan how we shall make the announcement.

So humor me in this. There is so much I wish to say to you.

From one whose joy it will be to become Your father, Ralph Lowell "He sounds as though he is pleased," I said when Sabrina showed me the note.

"I think the stories about him have been highly exaggerated," replied Sabrina.

"I thought he was unkind to Reggie.”

"Quite a lot of fathers are," she retorted with feeling.

She would judge for herself and for the occasion she would wear a very lovely gown in pink silk, cut from the waist to show a petticoat very finely embroidered beneath.

The bodice was tightfitting and rather low cut and she looked exquisite in it.

I said, "You need something to cover your shoulders." I went to a drawer and brought out the seed pearl-decorated stole. I draped it round her shoulders. The silver-gray of the stole and the delicacy of the pearls enhanced her gown. I had never seen the stole look as beautiful as it did on her that night.

She was full of confidence in the future. She was going to marry Reggie and make him a happy man; and this night she would face his father.

At precisely eight o'clock the carriage arrived. A footman knocked at the door. Sabrina was waiting. From an upper window I saw her get into the carriage and drive away.

Not for a moment did it occur to me that the happenings of this night would affect us all so bitterly.

Lance was at the club, and I was trying not to picture him at the card table, that intense look on his face as he gambled away . . ? heaven knew what.

I preferred not to think of him. Instead I was thinking of Sabrina, about to marry and go away from us. So it happened. One day Zipporah's turn would come. It was heartbreaking to lose those one had loved and cherished through their childhood, when one had been the most important person in their lives. But there must come the time when it was necessary to slip back and hand over the loved one to a husband.

Zipporah was young yet, but I was already beginning to wonder how much longer I should keep even her with me.

I should be rejoicing in Sabrina's happiness ... if happiness it was. She was like a nun dedicated to a mission. She was marrying for pity. However, I must accept the fact that it was what she wanted; and when she had set her mind on something, she would never diverge from it.

I settled down to read. It must have been nearly two hours after the carriage had left when she came back. She was wrapped in an old cloak which she had certainly not been wearing when she left the house. She came into my bedroom, and as she threw off the cloak I saw that her bodice was ripped open and her skirt was torn; there was a bruise on her neck, and her face was the color of parchment.

"Sabrina!" I cried.

She flung herself into my arms. She was sobbing and I could not quiet her.