Page 16 of The Missing Book
“Is this not a marvelous place?” Anna came hurrying back towards him, her eyes bright though the light in them slowly began to fade as he frowned. “No doubt you will have some criticism to make or some such thing, yes? It will not have met your high standards, there will be something amiss somewhere and you will speak poorly of it for many a day.”
Leopold blinked, trying to regain his composure but finding his heart still clinging to Lady Amelia for some reason.
“No?” Anna’s eyebrows rose. “You have nothing to say to me about this place whatsoever?”
“I – I have not yet been in it long enough to make any sort of judgment,” he managed to say, though Anna only rolled her eyes at this and folded her arms over her chest. “Though I must say, I am surprised to see so many people present… though not all are gentry.”
Anna stamped her foot, making Leopold scowl at such an improper display. “You are impossible to please!” she exclaimed, her eyes as sharp as broken glass. “I think I shall return to Melford and Gwendoline. At leasttheyare enjoying this place.”
Leopold watched her go, a tightness in his chest that he could not seem to rid from his frame. For the first time since taking on the title, he felt deep disappointment in himself as though somehow, in some way, he had done wrong by Anna. Though that was ridiculous, was it not? He had always done what was best for her, and had made decisions based solely on what he knew society expected and demanded! So why now should those few parting words upset him so?
This has been a foolish endeavor,he told himself, angry now that he had been almost coerced into joining his brother and sister on their visit.I should never have stepped out of the house.
This strangeness towards Lady Amelia and the discomfiture he felt over Anna’s remarks made him confused and uncertain. With a scowl now near permanently tugging at his lips, Leopold began to meander through the stacks of books without any real interest, his mind too jumbled with thoughts and doubts.
“One thing is clear,” he muttered to himself, his brows low over his eyes. “I must stay away from Lady Amelia and Anna must do the same. I will not have her in my company nor evenmentioned by my sister.” His lips flattened.As far as I am concerned, it is as though we are not even acquainted. In fact, I would be glad never to set eyes on her again.
7
“Well, I must say that I found our meeting a little… dull.”
Amelia laughed along with the other bluestockings as Lady Isobella’s remarks though she felt the very same thing. Their conversation had been about some of the most recent books each of them had read and normally, Amelia would find that very satisfying indeed. The difficulty, however, was that in recent times, the bluestocking book club had been used to help solve two confusing or mysterious situations which meant that now, a discussion on a particular book was a little lacking.
“There will be more for us to discuss, I am sure,” Lady Rosalyn said, as she reached to pour the tea. “We might talk about something other than what we have been reading about, for example?” Her eyes twinkled. “Mayhap we could turn into dreadful gossipmongers who talk only of the failures and misbehavior of others!”
With a small smile, Amelia shook her head. “I do not think I should like that. Though I must say, I would be glad to speak of the conversation I had with Lord Broughton.” She looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling a little uncertain. After theprevious afternoon, she had found her actions and her remarks to Lord Broughton weighing heavily upon her mind. “I do wonder if I spoke a little too sharply to him. I think I might have been somewhat rude, in fact.”
“Rude?” The surprise in Miss Trentworth’s voice made Amelia look up at once. “No, indeed not. You were firm, yes, but I do not think you were rude.”
“I confess that I do not know what you said,” Miss Sherwood put in, looking back at Amelia curiously. “You feel a little unsure about it all.”
With a sigh, Amelia spread out her hands. “I have been upset about Lord Broughton’s remarks as regards bluestockings.” Her eyes closed. “More than that, I took umbrage when Lady Anna told me that her brother has made it clear that she isnotto keep company with me. Because of that, I fear that I may have spoken to him with that upset in mind and therefore, did so in a manner that was not at all proper.”
“I do not think that you did,” Miss Trentworth said again, rather briskly. “But then again, I am also a little outspoken so mayhap I am not the best judge.”
This made the other bluestockings laugh, though Amelia clasped her hands tightly together, not at all certain as to whether or not this meant shehadbeen a little impolite.
“I heard what you said,” Lady Isobella said, with a slight tilt of her head. “Amelia, I will be honest and say I was a tad surprised at how blunt you were when you drew close to him but, at the very same time, it was merited.”
Hearing this, Amelia closed her eyes. “Then mayhap I owe the gentleman an apology.”
“No!”
Her head lifted, eyes opening as all of her friends spoke at once.
“No, indeed you do not!” Lady Rosalyn exclaimed. “That gentleman has said so many insulting things that it is forhimto apologize, not for you to do so!”
“I quite agree,” Miss Sherwood added. “Even though I was not present, to hear that he has forbidden his sister from being in company with you is very poor form indeed! Why should he do such a thing?”
Amelia managed a wry smile, guilt still sitting upon her shoulders. “I was impolite, yes?” Seeing Miss Sherwood’s curious glance around the room, she sighed and then closed her eyes again. “I told him that he was much too judgmental and that was a truly terrible characteristic for a gentleman to possess.”
Miss Sherwood said nothing though when Amelia looked back at her, she only shrugged.
“Thereafter,” Amelia continued, knowing that none of her friends had heard her speak to the gentleman for the second time, “once we had entered the bookshop, I went to speak to him again.”
“You did?” Miss Trentworth’s eyes rounded. “I did not know that.”
“I could not help it!” Amelia protested. “After his complaints and his remarks about bluestockings and how he was to keep his sister from us, he appeared so astonished by this marvelous bookshop that I found myself beside him.”
