Page 10 of The Viscount's Forgery
This, Nicholas considered, was probably the right explanation for such a thing and therefore, when she returned, his irritation had all but disappeared.
“Our mother is quite contented with the idea, though we are not to go too far from her sight,” Miss Sherwood told them all, as Lord Bothwell moved to stand next to the elder Miss Sherwood. “Shall we go?”
Nicholas nodded and followed after his friend, though it quickly became clear that Lord Bothwell and Miss Sherwood wanted only to speak with each other, which he respected and understood. He regretted now offering to join them, glancing down at the younger Miss Sherwood and feeling his irritation flicker to life again.
“We are already acquainted, as you have said,” he said, as her blue eyes lifted to his. “You are right, I do not recall it. Might you be good enough to oblige me?”
The lady considered this, then smiled up at him. “No.”
“No?” Nicholas came to a stumbling stop, though Miss Sherwood continued. “Whatever do you mean?”
“I thought such a word was clear,” she answered him, sounding a little surprised. “I think it best that I say nothing.”
“And why is that for the best?”
The young lady hesitated, then licked her lips, her gaze darting up to his again. “It simply is. That is all that I shall say.”
Nicholas’ heart turned over on itself. Surely she could not be suggesting that she had met him in some dark situation or circumstance? It could not be that he had been at a place of disrepute, only to meet her instead, surely? He was not a gentleman who often frequented such places, and he certainly would have remembered if he had met a lady of quality there!
“Are you often in London for the Season?”
“I – I… ” Nicholas frowned. “Yes, I am. I am here to enjoy myself.” He looked at her again, a little exasperated that they had changed the subject when he was still quite determined to find out where they had first metandwhy she was hiding it from him. “It is the same every Season and I have always found myself quite delighted by all that the Season has to offer me.”
“I see.”
“You will be here to find a suitable match, I presume?”
The lady’s lips lifted just a little. “It is the duty of every young lady, is it not?”
“Yes, I would say so.”
“And the duty of every gentleman, though they are blessed with a good deal more time than the ladies of society with which to do it.”
Nicholas swallowed his first defensive response, aware that he had said that very thing to Lord Bothwell only a short time ago.
“I have no intention of becoming a spinster, but for the moment, my focus is solely upon making certain that my sister is as happy and as contented as she can be, regardless of the circumstances.”
A heaviness had entered her tone, but Nicholas did not think to ask about it. It was not his place, and he had no desire to speak to her of what she had endured thus far.
“Your friend has told you of what is between himself and my sister, I suppose?” she asked, looking up at him. “You know it all?”
Nicholas nodded. “Yes, I know of it. But I have only learned of it recently.”
“I see.”
“You do not have an opinion on it, I suppose?”
She glanced at him. “If I did have an opinion, Lord Suffolk, I certainly would not freely share it with a gentleman I have only recently become acquainted with.” This was said with a slight rebuke in her tone, and Nicholas did not respond well to it, his lip curling slightly. Was the reason he recalled this particular lady because she had made a somewhat poor impression upon him? Had he been irritated by her previously, and for whatever reason, could not recall it?
“One thing I will say is that I hope the Marquess will be able to make a decision very soon,” she said before he could respond to her previous remark. “It has been very troubling for my sister these last few months.”
“I am sure it has been.” Nicholas threw her a quick look, seeing her frown. “I did not think that a lady would wait for that length of time to discover whether or not a gentleman was willing to marry her. Though mayhap there are reasons for that.”
This made Miss Shrewsbury stop short, her eyes rounding before her eyebrows fell low over her eyes. “If you mean to suggest that the only reason my sister has lingered, waiting for your friend to decide is because of his standing or his wealth, I can assure you that you are quite mistaken.”
Nicholas opened his mouth to protest, to say that he had not meant it in that particular way, only for her to continue, her words sharp and biting.
“There is more to my sister than a desire to marry above her station or to find a gentleman of good fortune, Lord Suffolk. Shehas, in fact, spoken highly of your friend’s character, thinking him an excellent gentleman and, indeed, speaking of her heart in relation to him. I would appreciate it if you would think a little more highly of her.”
