Page 39 of The Lady Glass
Cadogen glanced over his shoulder, taking in the streets and people in one sweep. “I observed something last night, but I’mno matchmaker, and I don’t aspire to be one. You’ll have to figure it out on your own, Rolland. Just don’t disappoint me.”
If anyone else would’ve said the same thing, Rolland would’ve been entirely irritated. Cadogen, on the other hand, had a way of drawing a person in with his words and making them question all their life choices.
“No pressure, Rolland.” Marcus chuckled. “Wars and toiling for our bread might humble and give us character, but it’s love that makes men out of us. I agree with Cadogen; you need to figure this out the hard way, the same as we did.”
Cadogen inclined his head. “No journey is more fraught or more worthwhile. The struggle will do you good.”
“Love? Struggle?” Rolland grimaced. “What happened to you both while I was away at sea? There is nothing of that sort between Ther—Lady Glass and me.”
“What is or isn’t between you and Lady Glass?”
Rolland whirled around to find his father standing there. He squirmed like a child shying away from telling the truth, when in all actuality, he had no reason to be flustered. No reason except for Miss Shields and the invisible hold she had on him. “Father.” He cleared his throat. “Did you just arrive, then?”
“Yes, in the last carriage.” From several feet away his mother called out to his father, waving him over to join her conversation with the Havershams. “Your mother needs me, but wewilltalk later.”
Rolland watched him walk away, but the short moment in his father’s presence had filled him with unease. He and his friends shouldn’t be talking about romance when his father’s life was at stake. Rolland kept losing his focus. And, worse, his friends were starting to notice. They were imagining more to his relationship with Theresia than there really was. Rolland had no desire to fail anyone—her included—but that hardly meant he was in love with her.
Chapter 19
After selecting some gloves, thethree ladies moved toward the bonnets. “What do you think of this one, Theresia?” Lady Cadogen asked.
Theresia turned to see a red-velvet poke bonnet with a short brim. It was trimmed with black ribbon and black feathers. “Oh, Lady Cadogen, it’s—”
“Not Lady Cadogen. You must call me Andalin.”
After they had entered the milliner’s shop, Andalin had insisted they drop pretenses. They knew Theresia had no real title, but perhaps they’d forgotten. Besides, no Englishwoman had ever willingly wanted to be her friend. “Forgive me.Andalin. I’m afraid it will take some getting used to.”
“I have not known Andalin long myself,” Her Grace—Tansy—said. “But she assures me that she is desperate for our friendship. How can we argue with a story as helpless as that?” She winked conspiratorially.
Andalin shrugged. “Too many are afraid of my husband to desire any real connection to me. His reputation as a baron gone highwayman is not so easily removed as was his mask.”
After Theresia had become a teacher, she had seen newspaper articles about Lord Cadogen, but she had not put them together with the couple until now. “I don’t know your husband well, but I would hope there are some people who are less harsh in their judgments.” She knew she was being a hypocrite in her dislike of the English, but there were so few who were as good and kind as these two. She set the red bonnet on her head and let Andalin propel her toward a mirror.
“I can relate to Andalin in my own way,” Tansy said, coming up beside them. “My truest friends were always my aunts. No one else saw the real me. There are honorable people in the world, but there are plenty of cruel ones too.” She tilted her head soshe could see Theresia’s face. “I like it immensely. The red is the perfect contrast against your hair.”
“I thought only a foreigner like myself struggled with making friends.” Theresia adjusted the bonnet as if she were thinking it over. She had no intention of spending a single penny of her savings, but it would not hurt to humor the others.
Tansy shook her head. “I might have said something similar about my own situation only a few short months ago. I didn’t have a father’s good name to stand under and was treated differently because of it.”
Andalin linked arms with Tansy. “We all want to be normal, but is anyone really? We should post an advertisement in every store advocating for lonely women. Attention: Friend Wanted. Make haste with your applications, for the demand is infinite. Must be trustworthy and kind, notwithstanding appearance or fortune.”
“Or family connections,” Tansy added.
Andalin raised one brow. “Or especially brooding husbands.”
Theresia laughed with them. The sound of it blending with the others was strange to her ears—like bubbling happiness, the sound of belonging. She wanted to believe two such caring people could include her in their circle, but instead of holding tight to their immediate acceptance, she let herself brush against it, testing the feel of it. Trust hadn’t been easy to come by these last eight years.
“Look. There is Captain Reese.” Andalin pointed toward the bay window at the front of the store.
Rolland was speaking to Lord Vernon, who wore his arrogance like a suit of clothes. At least he was not glaring at her at the moment.
“Should we ask the captain’s opinion of the bonnet?” Andalin asked with feigned innocence.
Theresia didn’t want to ruin the easy comradery between themby inviting Rolland inside. Such a practical man as he could have no interest in frippery. “Is that necessary?”
“Not necessary but completely advisable,” Tansy added with a grin.
Theresia couldn’t miss the glint of mischief in both of their eyes. What were they up to? “He doesn’t strike me as caring much for fashion, or for what I wear, for that matter.” The latter was debatable since she well remembered how pleased he’d seemed when she’d met him at Rose Cottage dressed in what she’d thought was an ordinary, serviceable morning dress. He was equally so when she’d walked into the drawing room the night before in her new, elegant purple gown.
