Page 49 of An Unwitting Alliance
Her nurturing abilities impressed him, and he found he greatly admired her for them.
At the end of the night, after Tom had finished telling the boys a riveting story about his antics as a child with the Rebels, whom he referred to as his friends, he found himself alone in the corridor with Cassie.
“I caught the end of your story. What a diverting childhood you must have had.”
Her evening gown matched the blue bellflowers from the garden. The color brought out her eyes even in the low light.
Tom tried to focus on the conversation and not the thrill of finally having her to himself. “We had our larks, but it was not all fun and games. Every family has their struggles.”
“I am not naive enough to believe otherwise, and yet I cannot help but imagine you must have had an idyllic life.”
Immediately he thought of Charley and the blot on his time line that smeared over every memory afterward. Grief had a way of presenting itself when he least expected it, and it was all he could do to push those difficult thoughts aside. “I hide it well, then.”
Cassie studied him. “I have never seen that expression on you before. You seemed almost sad. Will you tell me what memory surfaced just now?” His eyes widened, causing her to duck her head. “It is a personal question, I know, but I have a selfish motive. I want to hear about someone else’s difficulty so I can forget my own. It’s been a long day, and I cannot stop worrying about what is happening in London and if Mama is capable of enduring another day in bed away from her little girls.”
He swallowed and ran his hands down the tops of his breeches. “As much as I want to do that for you, I prefer to focus on the good aspects of life. Perhaps I could tell you a storythat would make you laugh, like the time I hid in the Earl of Kellen’s bed and surprised him. Now, that is a man you do not want to cross. I nearly lost my life that day.”
Cassie looked up at him, her expression downcast. “Perhaps another time. I find I am more tired than I realized. I should turn in.”
Tom watched her until she disappeared into her room and shut the door behind her. He blew out a slow breath. “Well done, Tom.” He shook his head, disappointed in himself, and moved toward his own room.
Instead of changing into his nightclothes, he pulled out the letter containing the Matchmaking Mamas’ advice once more. He flicked it against the trunk a few times before convincing himself to open it again. He had not heard anything about Cassandra’s response to the flowers and wondered if it was polite to ask. He was not well-versed in the ways of courting and had managed to avoid the activity for the majority of his life. Besides, such a question sounded so serious and completely against his nature. Apparently, just like talking about his past. About Charley.
He reluctantly unfolded the letter and found the third piece of advice.
When words fail—or, in your case, when you put your foot in your mouth—show her how you feel. Let her see what we have all seen in you for years. Be a gentleman in every sense of the word, foremost in the way you love her.
—Lady Kellen
He had not been a gentleman at the ball, but he was determined to be one now. He sighed and reread the first line. He knew of only one way a man showed a woman he cared.
But if he did so, there would be no turning back. Not for him, anyway.
Chapter 19
Mama had gone mad. Hadshe thought of nothing else during her time in bed than ways for Cassandra to make Tom fall in love with her? She shut Mama’s bedchamber door, grateful for a reason to escape to the schoolroom, and grimaced. As much as she worried over Mama, it might be for the best that she was retained to her room. Especially because Cassandra planned to ignore all her suggestions.
There was no way she was taking Tom to pay a call on the vicar. They were not going to read Shakespeare together either. The list of ideas had been endless: compliment him after everything he does, remind him of his masculinity at every opportunity, ask to watch him ride his horse, challenge him in chess but be sure to lose, invite him for walks around the garden, and of course, hold her tongue.
Thank the stars Mama was not free to monitor Cassandra’s every minute, though the lack of structured activities was not the kindest reward for their guest. Tom was not one to stay cooped up in a house for long. He always seemed to be ready for the next adventure. She was not surprised that when school started to run long, he interrupted everyone. “How about a reward if we can get the schoolwork done right away?”
“What sort of reward?” Michael asked. The freckles on his forehead merged as his brows came together.
“An outing.” Tom’s enthusiasm was contagious, as always. “Let us all go to town and buy something sweet for Bethy and Janie and deliver it to them.”
“Can we?” Robert jumped from his seat, ready to leave that very second.
Cassandra put a hand on his shoulder and gently guided him to sit once more. “I am afraid seeing Bethany and Jane might make them want to come home with us, and Mama is not ready for them.”
“Ah, but clandestine missions are my specialty,” Tom said. “We simply deliver the treats with a little note and disappear before we are discovered.”
“I am a fast runner,” Michael said. “I can even beat Peter.”
Tom grinned. “Excellent, Michelangelo. We are in need of a runner.”
“I can pick out the sweets,” Robert said. “I know what Bethany and Jane like best.”
Cassandra’s smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and finally escaped. “Very well. But only if you finish your studies quickly. And we shall have to ask Aunt Evans to join us. Megan woke with a headache, so I will see if she will stay with Mama.”
