Page 38 of The Viscount in her Bedroom
“He’s not botherin’me,” the man said grimly.
“Ah, then he’s bothering someone else in your family.”
“Tom’s not bothering her!” Mr. Plum finally exploded. “She’s too damn—excuse me, Miss Shelby—too darn forward. What’s a boy supposed to do?”
Simon gave a faint smile. “Mr. Harrison, are we referring to your daughter, Emma?”
“She’s not forward!” Mr. Harrison insisted, glaring at Mr. Plum. “She’s a good girl. It’s your son who—”
Mr. Plum opened his mouth to respond, glanced at Simon, and then sank back in his chair heaving a sad sigh. “He loves her. I’ve tried to talk sense into him, tried to tell him he could marry the miller’s daughter—even the vicar’s daughter.”
Mr. Harrison narrowed his eyes. “Are you tryin’ to say he could do better than my daughter?”
“I’ve met Emma,” Simon interjected. “She’s a fine young lady. And Mr. Plum, your son Tom is smart and ambitious. So why are the two of you so upset about their courtship? Are either of them engaged?”
Mr. Plum shook his head, as Mr. Harrison said, “No.”
“Mr. Plum, we’re nearing an agreement for you to purchase your farm.”
Mr. Plum nodded and glanced at his neighbor, who looked at him with reluctant interest.
“And Mr. Harrison,” Simon continued, “I understand that Emma has a dowry.”
“Of course she does,” Mr. Harrison said proudly.
“With Mr. Plum’s son, she would own land.”
Mr. Harrison and Mr. Plum both nodded in resignation.
“So can you settle the profits of the orchard?”
They nodded again, forgetting that Simon couldn’t see them.
“We won’t be taking any more of your time, Lord Wade,” Mr. Plum said.
Mr. Harrison reached for his hat. “We’ll send word of our agreement. Good day, Miss Shelby.”
Mr. Edgeworth followed them to the door. “I’ll see them out, my lord.”
Louisa watched Simon, who seemed to stare at the door the men had left through. “So will their children marry?”
“It seems to be inevitable,” he said, smiling.
“And that was the only source of their disagreement?”
“Every man wants his children to do better than he did. They just needed to realize they’d already accomplished that goal.”
Softly, she said, “Georgie told me she acts as your eyes in these meetings, telling you what people’s expressions conveyed to her.”
“Yes.”
“It seems to me that you understood what was going on all by yourself.”
“That was a fluke.”
“I don’t think so. I always admired your easy way with people.”
He seemed bothered by the topic. “So what are your plans for Georgie?”
