Page 108 of The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter
“What did that horrid young woman say to you, Alex?” Viola asked when he returned and settled with a grunt in the chair beside hers.
“Nothing important. She is a haughty piece of goods. Completely unsuitable to be anyone’s viscountess.” Indeed, young ladies like Lady Felicity Rose were scary. Not an ounce of compassion in them. He would rather face the French army, for death would come swiftly when lined up against a wall to be shot.
But marriage to one such as that diamond?
An excruciatingly slow death.
Viola lightly kicked his foot to nudge him out of his darkening thoughts. “Tell Alex what you told me about your cave explorations, Adela. What sort of fossils did you find in Devonshire?”
Adela Swift turned out to be someone very much like Viola, modest and intelligent. A pretty girl, but not nearly as beautiful. No one could hold a candle to Viola’s strikingly good looks as far as Alexander was concerned.
Their supper conversation afterward was surprisingly interesting, and the sumptuous fare comprising of game fowl, fish, and various meats was good, but also nothing to compare to Viola’s cooking. “Have you found anything of significance in these caves that might appeal to the Royal Society, Miss Swift?” he asked.
“I think so. Plant fossils mostly, my lord. A few shards of pottery which indicates these cave dwellers had some sophistication. I’ve also come upon drawings on the cave walls of unusual beasts I have yet to identify. I have friends at home who join me in my explorations. We are hoping to find a bone or two belonging to these extinct creatures, but no luck so far. As for the Royal Society, they have rejected all my ideas to date.”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “They have experienced archeologists, but not one of them is inclined to work with me. If I could get the attention of the British Museum, I would drop those righteous windbags at the Royal Society. But the museum staff has already allocated its budget for their own projects and do not appear all that interested in what they consider amateur digs.”
Alexander listened with interest. “This must be quite frustrating for you.”
She nodded. “It is, but at least they are not rude in rejecting me. The pompous oafs in the Royal Society demean all my work for no reason other than I am a woman. Yet, I have no doubt at least one of them will later claim my discoveries for his own, and not one of their Fellows will condemn him as a plagiarist. It is indeed infuriating and quite frustrating.”
“Can you not publish your work independently?” Viola asked.
“No.” Adela took a bite of her food and shook her head. “No one will accept my submissions without the backing of a reputable society.” She took a sip of her wine and then set her glass down while regarding them thoughtfully. “May I ask an impertinent question?”
Alexander nodded. “Yes, as long as it is not too impertinent.”
“Why are you paying attention to me? I am not nearly as pretty as someone like Lady Felicity Rose, nor am I wealthy. The marriage mart is excruciating torture for me and every party I am forced to attend simply proves how out of my depth I am. So how do I attract the kind attention of ones such as you? Forgive me for another impertinent comment, Lord Ardley. But were you not married to your lovely wife, every debutante in this room would be stabbing me in the back to push me out of the way so they could share supper with you.”
Alexander winced. “These parties hold little enjoyment for me. Viola is new to this, too. But I daresay, she handles these affairs much better than I do. We would much rather be home in the company of those we know and trust. Just because a girl is beautiful, does not mean a man should be swept away by her. Most of these diamonds quickly lose their sparkle because they are intolerant, mercenary, and sometimes downright cruel.”
She smiled. “This is why you had me join you for supper. You pitied me.”
“I would not call it pity so much as common courtesy and consideration. I was angry when I noticed several other young ladies sneer at you. Lady Felicity Rose was not the only one showing you discourtesy.”
“I try to ignore them as much as possible. Still, it hurts.”
He nodded. “Any man of quality would have a far more pleasant time with you than any of them. Dazzling looks count for something, but you would be surprised how quickly that brilliance fades once one’s true nature is revealed…or how beautiful one can become when one is as loving and compassionate as my wife.”
Viola blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, Alex.”
“When we are through with supper, Adela,” he said, “I will introduce you to my sister-in-law. Daisy is a Farthingale and quite well connected. Her sister is Lily Farthingale. Perhaps you have heard of her.”
Adela’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Yes, I’ve heard of Lily Farthingale. What scholar hasn’t? I wish I had one-tenth her brilliance. I would love an introduction. Does she have any sway with the Duke of Lotheil? He is chairman of the Royal Society and I believe Lily is married to his grandson.”
“She is.” Alexander grinned, enjoying the chance to do something productive while in London. “She and the duke got off to a bad start, but he adores her now. However, she and her husband spend most of their time in Scotland.”
“Oh.”
“You will have your chance to meet the duke. He adores all of Lily’s sisters. His other grandchildren are also married to Farthingales. He cannot escape that family connection, nor will they allow him to avoid you.”
She laughed. “Thank you, my lord. Seems my stumbling on the dance floor was the best thing that could have happened to me tonight.”
After introducing Adela to Daisy and Gabriel, he took Viola back onto the dance floor for the last waltz of the evening. “I love you, Viola. You grow more beautiful in my eyes with each passing day. I think my heart is going to burst, you fill it with such joy.”
“I feel the same way about you, Alex. I’m so proud of how kind you were to Adela.”
“It wasn’t a chore. These diamonds…I never acquired a taste for their shallow brilliance. They are just lumps of coal with a thin layer of shine on the surface. Dig deeper and there is nothing there but coal dust. No heart. No compassion. No sunlight.”
