Page 26 of Bargaining for the Barrister
His mouth fell open at the mention of his friends. They must have called on her already. “Especially not them.”
“Truly?”
Now his mind was spinning. “Might I ask what gave you such an idea?” He had trusted them to treat Miss Cox gently.Had they acted besotted with him?
She appraised him. “Why would they come to see me if not to make their claim upon you known?”
He sputtered a laugh. “There could be nothing further from the truth. Miss Fielding and I differ too much in our opinions, and Miss Manning is like a sister to me. They came because I asked them to, though I had not heard any report of their visit.”
Her expression turned thoughtful, more curious than offended. “Did you send them to befriend me or to spy on me?”
How easily she had pinned him. “I merely asked the Rebels to do a little digging to confirm my suspicions.”
“The Rebels?”
Lud. In his haste to explain, he’d revealed too much. “My friends. We, ah, call ourselves that. Nothing we do is unlawful, I assure you. It’s our way of standing up against certain rules in Society that are unjust.” He blew out a long breath and rubbed his jaw. “I have never shared that with anyone.”
She stared at him with wide eyes for a long moment. “You can trust me not to share about your friends.”
“I thank you for that.” He wanted to shake his head in wonder. How could she be so courteous after his dismissal of her? “Please, do not mind their visit. They meant no harm.”
“It is a rather roundabout way to secure information. If you were suspicious about me, why not simply ask your mother? She knows my entire history.”
It might seem to her like the best course of action, but his relationship with his family was complex. “I’d rather take care of this in a way that doesn’t hurt my parents.”
“Because of your mother’s health?”
His mouth opened in surprise. “You knew?”
She stood from her seat and walked to the first shapeless mound draped in holland covers. Her lilac-colored dress fluttered as she turned to him. “I wondered why you’d require an arranged marriage. Once I arrived, your mother’s frailness became apparent, although she hides it well behind her enthusiasm. My guess is she wants to enjoy grandchildren and saw no other way to motivate you to act. I am sorry you have been cornered in such a way and for my part in it. This arrangement was very much in my favor, though we did hope you would come around to the idea.”
“Your brother did not coerce you into coming?” He had wondered, what with such sparse information about her brother’s business dealings.
“No, Lady Kellen told me a little of you, and I came willingly.”
Miss Cox had chosen him? Sight unseen? What on earth had prompted her to do so? Lady Kellen had surely left out the details of his dark past. He put his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. “You must have been desperate to agree to this arrangement, then.” He knew what desperation felt like. Poor woman.
“Not quite desperate,” she said after a moment. “Mostly hopeful.”
She seemed to epitomize such an attitude.
Guilt pricked him. There was nothing scheming about her open manner, but he would still be forced to disappoint her. “My apologies, but I am not the man you are searching for.”
She stared across the attic, her gaze unfocused, and at last she nodded.
He added, “If it helps, whoever he is will be a lucky man.”
A small smile returned. “You don’t have to placate me, Mr. Sheldon. I might still be young, but I am well-acquainted with disappointment. This, however, has not crushed me. You are kind, but...”
He wrinkled his nose. “But?”
“Not that kind.” She grinned.
He blew out his breath in mock exasperation. “It cannot be because I hit you in the stomach the first time I saw you.”
“That was a trifle. It’s because you never took me to see the orchard.” She glanced longingly out the window sorely in need of a washing and sighed dramatically. “I do so love a good orchard.”
How she could tease at a time like this, he did not know. “For the record, I had an unexpected meeting with a solicitor delivering a case. Though, I confess, I was grateful for the excuse to avoid you—for the sake of the arrangement, of course. I have no particular complaint about you as a person.” He was surprised at how well this conversation had gone. She seemed perfectly understanding. He stood and held out his arm. “Come, there’s no time like the present to take a walk through the orchard.”
