Page 11 of Charming the Accidental Suitor
“Not at all.” When he looked fit to bursting with impatience, she continued. “I overheard just as little as you. However, you may have realized by now that I live in the same home as my Uncle Edward, and we do things such as take meals together and sit by the fire in the evenings. We even have a tendency totalkto one another on these occasions.”
Now it was his turn to blink and she saw her meaning take hold. “And what is it that you talk about?”
“Oh, all sorts of things,” she started.
Felicity was distracted when Lady Olivia passed. Poor dear had only just arrived in London and was meant to marry The Marquess of Kalvin, but now that he was off the market, so to speak, she was surrounded by young lords eager to take his place.
Lady Olivia smiled and Felicity gave her a little wave.
“Miss McGovern,” Albright said. And then, in a harder tone, “Felicity!”
She drew her attention back to him. “Really, Lord Albright. You act as if it’s your right to know all that I know and yet you are so very loath to share your own knowledge.”
“That’s because it is not fit for a lady.”
“And here we must agree to disagree,” she said.
Another heavy silence fell, and this time she was the one whose patience was waning. Her next words slipped out with more urgency and pleading than intended. “I could help you.”
He stiffened. “I do not see how.”
“Don’t you?” She didn’t try to hide her disdain. It was one thing to try and protect her, but she’d never enjoyed being patronized. “You do not see how a young heiress and the niece to his prospective business partner might be useful in some way?”
“Useful,” he repeated. A muscle in his jaw ticked and his warm brown eyes grew so much warmer. Goodness, he could burn a girl with a look that scalding. “I do not see how agentleman couldusea young lady at all and still call himself a gentleman. I do not need your help, Miss McGovern, and I thought I’d made it clear I do not want it.”
Her breath caught as his words struck their mark.
He couldn’t even pretend that she might have some use. Her chest felt empty and her lungs struggled to work. But she recovered quickly. Of course she did. His opinion of her was one she was well used to. There was no reason it should hurt her.
“I see.” She forced a smile. “Very well.”
His eyes darted between hers, and his expression clouded with…concern? Or perhaps a hint of guilt?
“I understand,” she added, smiling even brighter.
“Do you?”
Of course she did. Despite the way he’d twisted her words, he couldn’t have made himself more clear. Because she was a silly young lady, she had no use.
It was an opinion many shared. Especially her parents. It really shouldn’t be so disappointing that he felt the same.
And yet, she had to swallow hard before she continued. “Mr. Everson approached my uncle in regards to a business proposal. It seems Everson is starting a trading company and is looking for investors.”
Albright seemed a little stunned. Was it this news that so surprised him or the fact that she’d readily shared it? “I…” He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
She nodded, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. “My friends will be wondering what we’re discussing if we stay here much longer.” She flashed him her best, most dazzling smile. “If you’ll excuse me…”
He started to respond, but she did not linger to hear it.
Her friends and Mrs. Bishop watched her rejoin the party with blatant curiosity, but Felicity returned to her seat, reached for some bread, and asked brightly, “What did I miss?”
Dear Meg and Jane rose to the occasion, filling the silence with cheerful chatter and taking the attention away from Felicity. All she had to do was sit there and smile as her heart rate returned to normal.
Once it did, she felt that familiar, reliable stubborn streak rally.
If Lord Albright didn’t want her help, that was fine.
She had plans of her own to make. Her teeth clamped down on the bread with more force than necessary. She wouldn’t give that dreadful Lord Albright another thought.
