An Engaged Grand Tour

Mining heiress Lucy Maldon is determined to track down her fiancé and make him fall in love with her, even if it means chasing him across the Continent. But Walter, Lord Chelmsford, has no intention of being found.

Peter Chelmsford lives in his brother’s shadow. When his older brother decides to go on Grand Tour and leave his bride-to-be behind, Peter accompanies him. While Walter pursues other interests, it’s up to Peter to keep his childhood friend safe from his brother.

Can Lucy forgive him for stealing her heart and breaking it at the same time?

Lucy Maldon intended to hunt down her missing fiancé, and if attending nursing school in Germany was the only way to do it, she would.

            She tried to tamp down the rising excitement. Finally here! After months of waiting, after the humiliation of Walter leaving for a Grand Tour without her, she was in Mainz at the Deaconess Institute. Lucy gazed at the dome of the city’s lofty cathedral through the drab windows on the chipped plaster walls.

            The bare classroom was the least likely place to feel exhilarated, especially when she had not seen Walter since May, but she wanted to run in circles around the stark lecture hall. Traces of sunlight fought their way into the dim hall. The rough wooden floor matched the condition of the worn chairs and simple desks. The stifling heat made her wonder why so many layers of clothing were necessary. At least she wore a cotton muslin dress today.

            Lucy played with her fountain pen and tapped her foot, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. 

            Papa liked all the newest inventions, like innovations in mining or new drilling procedures, but had branched out and invested in the fountain pen company when it first started twenty-nine years ago, before she’d been born. It was one of his many instincts that had paid off in dividends over the years. Using one of Poenaru’s pens felt comforting, like having family nearby.

            But she quickly tired of spinning the pen between her fingers and couldn’t help squirming a little to get a view of the other students. The stark white plaster on the walls and thin curtains around the windows gave her little else to study. 

            It was such a contrast to her own home. Aunt Ellen ran the household for her papa, and Papa spared no expense. Aunt Ellen furnished every room lavishly and redecorated often. There was not a spot without a clock, a fern, a Grecian bust, a gilded frame, an urn, or a lamp. It was rather stifling in its own way, and Lucy couldn’t wait to be on her own in Europe with her traveling companions.

            Lucy sat sandwiched between her dearest friend, Rachel Wickford, and another Englishwoman, Miss Alice Loughton. Her older brother, Colonel Loughton and his friend, Mr. Kempton, occupied the seats behind them, ready to translate the lecture. The colonel was nearly ten years older than his eighteen-year-old sister. The perfect age to marry, or so he seemed to think.

            Everyone around Lucy chattered in German. She couldn’t make out a word of their conversations. She shifted a little to the left, closer to Rachel. Now the colonel would be certain to translate for both Lucy and Rachel. Ever since they’d volunteered to attend the Institute, the colonel had been most attentive toward Rachel. 

            Lucy appreciated the chance to look for Walter. She ought to help the colonel’s cause any way she could. After all, without Colonel Loughton and Mr. Kempton’s invitation, she would still be at home in England. The colonel and Mr. Kempton intended to help Miss Nightingale establish a new training program in London, so they were taking close notes on the education at the school “The Lady With the Lamp” had attended herself. 

            Lucy felt a little guilty. She might not complete the course. She hoped she would not still be in Mainz six months from now, but at least Rachel would. Lucy’s only concern was to find her fiancé and marry as soon as possible.

            Rachel’s hands were folded primly in her lap, her posture stiff and starched as a nurse’s cap, but her eyes gleamed with excitement. “Have you attended any medical lectures before?” she asked.

            Next to her, Miss Loughton answered. “Curtis drags me everywhere he goes, so, yes, I have attended several lectures.” Her eyes held none of Rachel’s enthusiasm.

            “Really? And have you also met Miss Nightingale?” Rachel asked.

            Miss Loughton nodded. “Yes, she made a favorable impression on my brother and Mr. Kempton. They are quite devoted to her cause.”

            Rachel leaned across Lucy. “Will you tell me more about her? What is your impression of her?”

            Miss Loughton scooted her chair closer to talk to Rachel. Lucy felt trapped between the two women and quickly lost interest in the conversation. She had no idea whether she would finish the six month course or even stay more than a few days. The nursing school was a means to an end: Walter. Surely, now that she’d arrived, she would find him any day.