Damn. I had hoped they would have moved on.
“Ah yes,” the marchioness spoke up. “For I do not understand why your reasoning would interfere with obtaining a wife.”
I did not wish to dwell on this matter, so I smiled and said, “I fear I have no drawing room.”
Verity giggled beside me, as well as Hathor and even Silva. But still the elders would not let me free.
“Of course, she certainly will not be a grand lady expecting a sizable estate to manage, but she will at least seek a small home of her own to live in. A small foyer could even do,” Lady Fancot stated.
“Mother, not all of us must marry.” Henry tried to ease the interest off me.
“All of you most certainly must,” said the marchioness finally, lifting her spoon. “Amiable young men such as yourselves are surely in need of a wife, and thus a wife is out there in need of you all. You ought not disappoint them. The sooner you find your wives, the better.”
“Mother, I am one year Darrington’s senior and did not wed till this very year,” Damon replied, trying to help as well.
“Do you take that as a thing of pride? Had you come to your senses earlier would that not have made life easier for Silva? Right, my dear?” she pressed back, and looked to the young blonde in question.
Silva’s eyes widened as she looked between her husband and mother-in-law. “Yes, it would have, your ladyship.”
Damon could only sigh.
“See? And besides, Damon, you were not in nearly the same situation as the doctor, as not only do you have multiple homes but a great many people to watch over you. Dr. Darrington dedicates his life to those in need. A wife would do him good and would watch over him, for we do more than languish in fine rooms,” the marchioness stated.
“That comes in time,” Lord Bolen stated before looking down toward me. “You ought to think wisely, for marriage is a serious commitment.”
“Has Lord Bolen not been engaged twice and never married?” Hathor said so softly that I thought I misheard it. However, the look on Henry’s and Verity’s faces said I had not.
“A commitment we must all make. And I shall see it done, for I am marriage’s very own advocate.” The marchioness drew our attention once more. “I could very well introduce you to Mrs. Frinton-Smith’s niece Edwina. She is quite lovely.”
“Those are the bakers on West Elm?” Lady Fancot questioned.
“They also own several inns in the countryside. I hear they are acquiring a copper mine in Cornwall as well.”
Beside me, I noticed Verity’s grip on her fork tighten, but I was not sure why.
“Thank you, your ladyship, but I believe your efforts are better served on Henry,” I replied, my final attempt to save myself. Henry looked to me wide-eyed, his nose flaring.
Better you than I, I thought as they began to hound him while the butlers brought out the next course on sliver trays.
“You seem well able to converse now,” Verity whispered, glancing up to me. “Or is it because they are married women?”
“They simply are not you.” The words flew from my mouth without a thought.
“I knew it.” She frowned heavily. “But what have I done to offend you, sir?”
“Nothing,” I replied quickly. How had I so badly caused this misunderstanding!
“Then what makes me different?”
I fixed my lips to answer but there was nothing…nothing at all I could say but the truth. And the truth frightened me to admit.
“I see. Very well, I will not force you.” She turned her face from me and the sheer movement alone caused me to fear hurting her feelings.
The truth would hurt me and my silence would offend her.
How maddening it was that her feelings already took greater precedence to me than my own.
I exhaled softly and simply said, “I did not speak during our dance because I was nervous. Currently I am still nervous and to avoid embarrassing myself I chose silence. But that has given way to misunderstanding between us.”
When she finally met my gaze, I knew what she would ask so I braced for it.
“Why on earth would you be nervous? I did not think myself to be so unnerving.”
“The fault lies with me, for being so greatly enamored with you,” I said softly and when she once again looked to me I dared not look away. “I was and am nervous due to my feelings for you, Lady Verity. That is what makes you different to me. I beg your forgiveness.”
Her gaze was unflinching and I could not at all read her expression. My courage now gone, I quickly made conversation elsewhere with Henry.
Damn me!
Damn this racing heart of mine.
Verity
The dinner had ended with the promise of another dinner later in the week at Lord and Lady Fancot’s home. It was quite obviously a plot designed to bring Henry and Hathor together. However, I could not help but think it would also bring Dr. Darrington and me together once more.
His words…they left my head spinning.
The fault lies with me, for being so greatly enamored with you, he had said. I was certain I had misheard, or at the very least misunderstood his meaning. But since he wished to leave no doubt, he stated he had feelings for me.
How could he have feelings for me? We hardly knew each other.
And what…what was this sensation? I reached to touch my chest, rubbing over my heart as if I were trying to keep it from jumping up and down.
So strange.
“Are you awake?”
I glanced to the door to see Hathor’s brown face poking in. The moment she saw me sitting up in bed she smiled, rushing in and closing the door behind her. Since I was still dressed for the evening, she hopped onto my bed.
“Did Aphrodite let you do this often?” I asked her.
“Yes. Why?”
I shook my head. “Very well, I concede. Now, what brings you here? Oh, what else but the topic of marriage?”
“Ah right, you much prefer the halls of Oxford or Cambridge?” she mocked me in return.
“Is that so strange?”
“Yes, and that Dr. Darrington is even stranger,” she shot back to my annoyance, but just as I was about to speak she added, “I have never heard a man advocate for us ladies in such a manner before. It is surprising, is it not? I have never minded drawing rooms, I love drawing and I enjoyed playing the pianoforte, I only stopped because I feel so inferior to Devana’s talents. Not once did I find myself forced, but he made me wonder what other young ladies feel. Then you go and boldly claim you are one of those other young ladies. Do you truly hate it?”