Page 18 of The Wallflower's Choice
“Oh? It cannot be about his title, I am sure. A Marquess is a very high title indeed.”
Prudence shook her head.
“No, it is not.”
“Then do you think you cannot believe Lord Childers? That Lord Childers has made up this story for reasons of his own?”
“I confess that I did put that to Lord Childers when I last spoke to him,” Prudence admitted. “He did reassure me, however.”
Miss Rockwell scowled, her expression rather dark as she reached to take a sip of her tea before setting it back down again.
“I understand that you have been reassured, but I am not certain that you can trust either Lord Childers or Lord Kingshill. It has taken too long for this introduction. I do not see why Lord Childers cannot simply do as he has said!”
“I think that he will,” Prudence answered, a little surprised at how quickly she came to Lord Childers’ defense. “He has told me that Lord Kingshill is taking a little time to consider allthat has been put to him. Lord Childers explained that it came as something of a surprise, for within only a few days of Lord Kingshill expressing his desire to wed – and to wed quickly – Lord Childers came upon us and then, after he had spoken to me, went to his friend with the news.”
“And why is there so much haste?” Miss Rockwell’s eyes narrowed just a little. “Thereisa reason for his haste, is there not?”
Prudence nodded.
“He does not desire to court or the like.” Something like embarrassment swarmed through her and she reached for her tea to cover it. “He desires to have an heir produced as quickly as possible.”
“And yet he takes all this time to consider?” Miss Rockwell clicked her tongue. “I am not certain that such a thing is true.”
“There is another reason.” Prudence pressed her lips tightly together, steeling herself for whatever reaction Miss Rockwell would throw at her. “Lord Childers told me that his friend is as much a scoundrel as he is.”
Miss Rockwell froze in place, her teacup held halfway between the table and her mouth. She stared back at Prudence with wide eyes and Prudence, feeling her embarrassment rising all the more, simply looked away, unable to bear her friend’s astonished look.
“I was terribly shocked,” she admitted, when her friend still said nothing. “But Lord Childers has told me that Lord Kingshill will reform himself when he marries. And I, being a wallflower all the same, cannot exactly think of a reason why I ought to refuse him simply because of his reputation.” A strangled sound came from her friend, but when Prudence looked at her, waiting for her response, Miss Rockwell simply shook her head. “Not everyone can have the happiness that you have found,” Prudence murmured, when Miss Rockwell finally took a sip of her tea. “Iwill admit to being a little envious of that. While being very glad for you indeed, but my situation is vastly different. I do not have any other gentlemen vying for my hand and nor do I have the prospect of such gentlemen coming to seek me out either! All I have is this rogue pursuing me in the hope that I will agree to marry his friend. And I cannot see a good reason to refuse him.”
Miss Rockwell nodded slowly and then, after a moment, let out a slow breath.
“Far be it from me to offer you any advice,” she said, softly. “But please, my dear friend, consider all of this with great seriousness and be aware that you are placing a great deal of trust in all that Lord Childers says about Lord Kingshill.”
Prudence nodded, a sense of relief washing over her now that she had been honest with her friend.
“Thank you, Anna.” She let out another breath, her shoulders dropping just a little. “I swear to you, I shall be.”
Chapter Eight
“Ithink I must meet her. It has been too long now since that idea first came to me.”
James lifted an eyebrow.
“I do not think that any such idea came toyou,” he remarked as they walked through the park, reminding James of the conversation he had enjoyed with Lady Prudence not too long ago. “I was the one who suggested it, was I not?"
Lord Kingshill chuckled, though the sound irritated James somewhat.
“Yes, I suppose that is true. I haveyouto thank for this arrangement, though,” he continued, shooting James a hard look, “you have not yet introduced me to Lady Prudence. I had even thought that I should, mayhap, wander around the ballroom and speak to each and every wallflower in the hope of meeting her!”
“And you did not?”
His friend snorted.
“Of course I did not! I had other ladies that I was eager to spend time with and I could not simply set that aside in the hope of meeting Lady Prudence now, could I?” His eyes glittered as he chuckled and though James laughed, something aboutwhat his friend had said sank down into his soul and pulled his contentment from him. It was not as though Lord Kingshill had said anything wrong, or was at all insulting in his statement, but rather that James himself was rather unsettled by it. A memory of Lady Prudence came to mind, reminding him of just how shocked and upset she had been to realize that the gentleman she was to wed was nothing other than a rake.
“I did tell her about your reputation.”
The smile shattered on Lord Kingshill’s face.
