Page 18 of Bargaining for the Barrister
Louisa did not expect torun into Mr. Sheldon right outside her bedroom on her way to breakfast Monday morning. He was dressed in riding breeches and looked much too bright-eyed for the hour. Her brother was continually urging her to rise earlier, but she valued her sleep ever so much. Unfortunately, there was little sleep to be had in the bed chosen for her.
“Good morning, Mr. Sheldon.”
“Good morning. I trust you slept well?”
Had his mother put him up to this genial conversation? They had spent the majority of the day together yesterday, except for an hour when he’d disappeared to meet some friends. Despite their ample time together, they had hardly had any one-on-one conversation.And there had been no warmth in his words, leaving her to wonder if she had imagined the connection she had felt the previous night.
She realized she had yet to answer his question. “I slept better, thank you.” Better as in she had not moved her pillow to the floor like she had done before.
“Good. Your brother was up early, and we have agreed to go riding. My father is planning on joining us as well.” He seemed reluctant to include her, but she knew the invitation was coming. “Do you ride?”
“Yes, I enjoy riding a great deal.” It had once been a daily pastime with her mother.
“Then, perhaps—”
“No, thank you.” She couldn’t wait for his insincere invitation to leave his mouth. “As you have probably learned, my brother is a connoisseur of horses. He does not take time away from his business often enough to indulge himself. He will likely consume all your attention on your ride with questions about your stables, which will be of no interest to me at all. I will content myself to the library today and let him have his fill with the men.”
He eyed her, seemingly surprised once again by one of her responses. “That is kind of you to think of your brother.”
In truth, she wasn’t thinking of Logan as much as she was thinking of Mr. Sheldon. No good would come if her very presence was an annoyance to him. Patience would be her greatest ally.
After breakfast, Louisa retrieved her copy of Sense and Sensibility and went in the direction of the library. While thoughts of the horse ride she would miss made her think of her mother, this particular room reminded her of her father, not just because it was a library but because it held similar collections to his. Her father had loved the great poets and had especially loved Shakespeare. Louisa, on the other hand, preferred romances. She might not believe it was a priority for herself to find love, but it brought her joy knowing it existed. Taking her time, she perused the first row of titles closest to the door.
Mrs. Sheldon came in then and grinned at her discovery. “There you are! Did I interrupt your reading?”
“I had not started yet,” Louisa answered, holding up her battered book.
“I have a few other books I just know you will adore.” Mrs. Sheldon moved to a shelf another row in and pointed.
Louisa followed her and saw the entire works of Jane Austen. “How wonderful! I have practically worn out my copy of Sense and Sensibility and have been eager to try Miss Austen’s other stories.”
“It’s a dear friend indeed who can bond with you over a good book.” Mrs. Sheldon moved her hand across the spines. “You must read them all at your leisure. I’ll happily lend them to you.”
Louisa grinned. “I will, thank you.”
Mrs. Sheldon put her finger to her lip and tapped it twice. “I wonder. While you read, do you mind very much if I step out for a visit? Lady Kellen wants my opinion on a personal matter, but I do hate to abandon you.”
“You will not be abandoning me. These books and I are destined to be quite good friends. I shan’t be lonely with them at hand.”
Mrs. Sheldon gave a sage nod. “We can agree on that!” She retreated from the room, leaving Louisa quite alone.
Louisa selected a new book, and stretched her legs out on the sofa, content for some solitary time at Rothbrier Hall without any pressure to impress anyone. She was only a few chapters into Persuasion when the butler, Mr. Barret, a man with heavy jowls and a gentle disposition, interrupted her with a knock on the open door.
She swung her legs down. “Yes, Mr. Barret?”
“You have callers, miss.”
“Me?”
“Yes, a Miss Fielding and a Miss Manning specifically requested to see you.”
She did not remember hearing either of their names before. “Are they regular callers? Do you know them?” She dearly hoped Mr. Barret would indulge her with some details like her butler, Newton, did back home.
“They are cousins, miss. Both are considered longtime friends of the younger Mr. Sheldon and the family. Everyone thinks very highly of them.”
Truly? It was more information than she’d expected. Curiosity spurred more questions that would only be satisfied by greeting the callers herself. “I shall receive them in the drawing room right away. Will you see that someone sends in some tea?”
“Yes, miss.”
