Page 36 of The Dreaming Beauty
“I meant the duke.”
The duke? She had been so intimidated that she hardly knew what to think of him. She was still attempting to find her footing with Mr. Taylor, and the duke was another matter entirely.
“Mr. Taylor is a decent sort, but we must be wary of his brother.” Iris pointed at Tansy. “Men of power and connections can be quite dangerous.”
Aster leaned toward the window and stared at Mr. Taylor’s fading view. “Yes, but the duke paid Tansy special attention, a true compliment.”
Iris frowned. “I suppose fate has come full circle.”
“What do you mean by that?” Tansy asked.
“What I mean is that as much as I want to believe your future will be happier than ours, I cannot but caution you.” She sighed. “But I suppose that if you must marry, you might as well choose between two handsome suitors. And it’s a contest if I ever saw one.” Iris’s hardened expression softened, and a gleam formed in her eyes. “Both men are easy on the eyes, if I do say so myself.”
“Neither of those men is a suitor.” Tansy stared from one aunt to the other, taken back by their remarks. Her eyes settled on Iris. “Besides, I can hardly believe a handsome face could change your opinion about men so decisively.”
“Mr. Taylor is not just any man,” Iris said. “He rescued you, did he not? And he has proved himself time and again in our company. As for this duke, well, whatever my concerns are, I would be a simpleton indeed to stand in the way of such a match.”
Tansy refused to confess any partiality. “Aster, you cannot be of the same mind as Iris. We do not live in the same world as they do.”
Aster sighed, her hands coming together in her lap. “We must be careful, to be sure. You are the most important person in our lives, and we do not take lightly the responsibility of your future. The truth of the matter is you cannot afford to marry a poor man. We could never have hoped for such an opportunity.”
Iris gave a swift nod. “If I thought loving a man was bad, make him poor and it’s a formidable combination.”
This conversation was hardly rational. Someone ought to see the ridiculousness of their implications. “Even if I were to attract either man’s attention, I am not worthy of it. I could never be a duchess, and the audacity of pairing myself with even the brother of a duke seems rather selfish. I would be improving my own situation and bringing his down at the same time. I could not do that.”
Aster did not agree. “Your connections are nothing to be ashamed of.”
Tansy wanted to agree, but no matter how loyal she was to her aunts, their circumstances could not be denied. They had little money, few friends, and even fewer opportunities. Most young ladies her age spent years cultivating their talents and refining their deportment. What did she have to offer someone of the upper class? All Tansy had to show for herself was a battered heart, and she did not want to have to prove she was good enough for someone. She tried to resurrect Mr. Robinson in her mind and recreate the anger and hurt romance had brought her. But all she saw was Mr. Taylor, the darling chairs for Daisy, and his delicious scones.
Blast those scones!
Daisy lifted her head off Tansy’s shoulder. “My vote is for Mr. Taylor.” She hugged the chairs to her chest.
“Ah, but there you might have competition.” Iris smiled coyly and smoothed her dress. “I am not so old as all that.”
“Iris!” Tansy’s scold came out with a laugh.
Daisy scoffed. “I am much younger. If Mr. Taylor does not have the sense to choose Tansy, he will surely consider me before you.”
“Of all the ridiculous notions.” Aster glared at both of her sisters. “Tansy, all I ask is that you think on it.”
Tansy wanted to latch on to that beautiful hope, but she squelched it before it could take root. “I will think on how wonderful it will be to attend the wedding of Mrs. Palmer or Miss White to the handsome Mr. Taylor.”
Aster groaned, but Daisy and Iris cheered, and Tansy found herself laughing. She couldn’t be flustered for long after such a pleasant afternoon. They all might be the silliest creatures alive, but wasn’t their happiness worth a collective daydream of the intriguing Mr. Taylor? Surely such innocent thoughts could hardly change her own heart on the subject.
Chapter 15
Two days later Tansy wasinvited back to Ashbury Court for another painting lesson. Never had she regretted her lackluster wardrobe more. But even with her dated canary-yellow gown and the presence of a duke beside her, she learned a few shading tips that made her roses leap off the canvas. She enjoyed every minute with her brush in hand, and the duke’s banter kept her laughing. His open manner helped her relax, but she was still careful with her words. At least her confidence in herself and her abilities seemed to have grown from her first lesson.
There was only one thing missing.
Mr. Taylor.
“Are you searching for Marcus?” His Grace asked.
Marcus? So that was his given name. It was friendly and unpretentious. It fit him well. She would never be able to think of him differently now. She pulled her gaze away from the house and to His Grace. She hadn’t realized she had been searching for Marcus, but that was exactly what she was doing. But the duke needn’t know that. “I am seeing if my aunts are comfortable or if I have been painting too long for their comfort.”
His Grace set his brush in a cup of water. “I do forget myself when I am at work. Let’s call it a day before I exhaust you all.”
