Page 27 of A Brilliant Match
“Miles!”
He looked up and saw his cousin almost upon him. He had been too consumed by his own thoughts to notice. They shook hands, and Miles forced his usual cheer.
“How was the match?”
Rock tucked his cane under his arm. “Jem’s protégé, Henry Pearce, acquitted himself well, but not as well as Cribb. I lost a monkey. Might have been more except I happened to see Cribb warming up and thought I might limit my losses.”
“You do not seem overly put out by your loss.” Miles pushed the corners of his lips up at his cousin’s unconcerned cheer. How nice it would be not to cavil at the loss of five hundred pounds.
Rock shook his head and turned to join him. “Such a great match must be considered worth it. Where are you going?”
“For the moment, nowhere. I am just enjoying a day that shows no signs of rain or a biting easterly gale.” He slipped his arm through his cousin’s, attempting to shake off his dismals. “And you? Let us go together.”
“I was on my way to White’s hoping to find you. I’ve met your Lady Dorothea.”
“Did you?” Miles glanced at him from the side, adopting an attitude of nonchalance as though the news did not affect him. “And how do you find her?”
“You’ve understated her beauty. I’ve half a mind to make an attempt for her hand myself.” Rock trained his eyes forward, a grin settling on his face.
Miles knew he was joking, but he slipped his arm out of his cousin’s. This was pressing on a wound. Rock was the better catch of the two—at least he was to someone of Lady Dorothea’s ilk. He had both title and wealth.
“No, no. Don’t give me the cut.” Rock was laughing. “By Gad you must be in earnest to take my joking so seriously. And you promised no theatrics.”
Miles gave a weak grin. “I know you are joking, but… Deuce take it! You’ve caught me in a wretched mood. My mother wrote to say that the blasted roof on my house has caved in, and Fripley confirmed that the damage is as bad as she says. I’ve scarcely enough funds to make it through the spring, much less repair a seven thousand square foot, four-gabled roof.”
Rock’s expression turned grave. “Thatisserious. Must you find a new situation for your mother? Will Penworth take her?”
Miles shook his head, then shrugged. “I cannot let her stay where she is, and I cannot say with any certainty whether my brother-in-law would welcome her. Perhaps Mary will cry, and he will then be only too eager.” A bitter attempt at humor.
“Let me help—”
“No, Rock.” Miles pulled him to a stop. “It would injure our relationship if I were to be beholden to you. I know you say it wouldn’t, but it would.”
They walked in silence for a ways, easily dodging the pedestrians since the street was not crowded—a surprising fact for how beautiful the day was.
“Propose to Lady Dorothea,” Rock said, glancing at Miles to see how he took the news, unexpectedly attentive. “She must have funds enough to save your estate. Go over the rough ground lightly. A surprise attack, you know. Perhaps such a thing will do the trick.”
Miles didn’t answer, and he added, “Do you think you have made any headway into gaining her affections?”
The fact that his cousin was willing to humor him on the subject of marriage when he himself was not ready to take the step touched Miles.
“I believe to have done so, but in all honesty can only claim to have scratched the surface of the image she presents to the world. I am far from certain I have scratched the surface of her heart. She does not willingly reveal much of herself.”
He fell silent as they walked to their club, realizing that although this was true, there was more. Lady Dorothea…no, Dorothea—he would have to stop addressing her as “my lady” in his head or he would not be able to cross the divide—did not respond to his attention at all in the usual way. It was as though she were unused to being considered the object of a man’s regard and possessed no ability to flirt. She was so serious all of the time, as though she carried a weight on her shoulders. And when he managed to make her smile, it caused his own heart to—
Blast. I’m getting carried away. What if she says no?
“So. Surprise attack, you say?” he asked, lifting his eyebrows at his cousin, attempting to lighten the mood.
“Yes. You call upon her, or take her to the park. And not Hyde Park—too many people. You declare your undying devotion and how you’ve never been so blindsided by love and in so short a time, even if it’s not true—”
“Actually, there is some truth to it,” Miles admitted, compelled to honesty.
“Well, all the better! A sincere proposal of marriage beats all. You lay out your claims. You are a gentleman. You’re heir to an earldom should something happen to me.”
“Rock, I beg of you.” Miles did not find that funny.
“It is no less than the truth, if only you would play that card.” When Miles shook his head, his cousin continued. “You have a considerable-sized estate—”
