she folded her hands in her lap. "I fear I owe you an apology, Mr. O'Connor. It was quite rude of me to shout at you the way I did at our last meeting."
One broad shoulder lifted. "My dear girl, I'm hardly offended. To be honest, I'd not given it another thought. And I certainly gave you cause to react that way."
His reminder made her grow hot all over again. What was it he'd asked?
When is the child due
? Lord, that he could even think she would do such a thing! She could count on the fingers of one hand the few times Nathaniel had kissed her. Besides, such frankness between man and woman was unheard of. She was shocked that he could speak of it so casually.
It also seemed she judged too soon.
His eyes had lowered to her lap. "
Ah
," he murmured. "I see you've removed your wedding ring."
Elizabeth flushed. She didn't appreciate his reminder of her dishonesty. Her chin rose a notch and her eyes flashed mutinously.
"I came here to thank you for your hospitality, sir, but you make it exceedingly difficult."
He inclined his head. "I accept your gratitude, Elizabeth. But I have the feeling there's more."
Elizabeth sat very still. Lord, was there nothing this man did not overlook? It was as if he could see right through to the marrow of her bones.
And it was a feeling she heartily disliked… as indeed, she heartily disliked
him
.
Her tone was clipped. "I shall come directly to the point then, sir. My illness was most unfortunate, for it waylaid my purpose in coming here." She paused. "You said the day I arrived that Nathaniel was not here. But you are his brother, and the only one to whom I might turn. And so I would ask you again… where can I find him?"
"And I shall come directly to the point. I do not know, for I am hardly his keeper."
Elizabeth was undaunted. "But surely you must know something… You must have some idea when he will return."
His expression had turned as hard as stone. She held her breath, for she feared he would refuse to answer. But then he spoke.
"No, I do not."
"But this is his home—"
"Yes, Boston is his home. And I suppose you are right. No doubt he will return. He always does, sooner or later."
"And will he return here? To this house?"
Again that damnable silence. "No," he said at last.
Still she persisted. "The two of you don't share this house?"
"I thought I made that quite clear."
"You are both unmarried. Why not?"
"That is none of your business."
Elizabeth caught her breath. His tone was quite rude. By some miracle she maintained a pleasant countenance. "I beg to differ, sir, for I believe it is my business. Nathaniel will be my husband. You will be my brother-in-law. And if you are privy to his whereabouts, so should I be."
"My dear Elizabeth," he drawled. "My attorneys see to it that my brother receives a more than generous allowance, yet for Nathaniel it is not always enough—I see him only when he is in need of excess funds. He lives for the moment, through the generosity of others. Or did he neglect to tell you this too?" A jet brow rose high. "Why, should the two of you actually marry, I wouldn't be surprised if you found it necessary to pawn the very ring you wore on your journey here. So tell me, Elizabeth. Does that change your perception of my dear brother?"
His manner was sheer arrogance. Elizabeth's temper began to simmer. "It changes nothing," she retorted. "And you, sir, are unforgivably rude."
His lips twisted. "No, lady. I am unfailingly honest, unlike my brother." Their eyes tangled fiercely. To her dismay, Elizabeth was the first to look away.
He said nothing for a moment, merely stood with his arms braced across his chest. "What do you intend to do?"
She squared her shoulders. "Wait."
"For Nathaniel?" The sound he made was one of sheer disgust. "Good God! You're determined to see this through, aren't you?"
"He asked me to marry him," she said levelly. "He may not be here, but that doesn't change the fact that he proposed to me."
"And what if he is
One broad shoulder lifted. "My dear girl, I'm hardly offended. To be honest, I'd not given it another thought. And I certainly gave you cause to react that way."
His reminder made her grow hot all over again. What was it he'd asked?
When is the child due
? Lord, that he could even think she would do such a thing! She could count on the fingers of one hand the few times Nathaniel had kissed her. Besides, such frankness between man and woman was unheard of. She was shocked that he could speak of it so casually.
It also seemed she judged too soon.
His eyes had lowered to her lap. "
Ah
," he murmured. "I see you've removed your wedding ring."
Elizabeth flushed. She didn't appreciate his reminder of her dishonesty. Her chin rose a notch and her eyes flashed mutinously.
"I came here to thank you for your hospitality, sir, but you make it exceedingly difficult."
He inclined his head. "I accept your gratitude, Elizabeth. But I have the feeling there's more."
Elizabeth sat very still. Lord, was there nothing this man did not overlook? It was as if he could see right through to the marrow of her bones.
And it was a feeling she heartily disliked… as indeed, she heartily disliked
him
.
Her tone was clipped. "I shall come directly to the point then, sir. My illness was most unfortunate, for it waylaid my purpose in coming here." She paused. "You said the day I arrived that Nathaniel was not here. But you are his brother, and the only one to whom I might turn. And so I would ask you again… where can I find him?"
"And I shall come directly to the point. I do not know, for I am hardly his keeper."
Elizabeth was undaunted. "But surely you must know something… You must have some idea when he will return."
His expression had turned as hard as stone. She held her breath, for she feared he would refuse to answer. But then he spoke.
"No, I do not."
"But this is his home—"
"Yes, Boston is his home. And I suppose you are right. No doubt he will return. He always does, sooner or later."
"And will he return here? To this house?"
Again that damnable silence. "No," he said at last.
Still she persisted. "The two of you don't share this house?"
"I thought I made that quite clear."
"You are both unmarried. Why not?"
"That is none of your business."
Elizabeth caught her breath. His tone was quite rude. By some miracle she maintained a pleasant countenance. "I beg to differ, sir, for I believe it is my business. Nathaniel will be my husband. You will be my brother-in-law. And if you are privy to his whereabouts, so should I be."
"My dear Elizabeth," he drawled. "My attorneys see to it that my brother receives a more than generous allowance, yet for Nathaniel it is not always enough—I see him only when he is in need of excess funds. He lives for the moment, through the generosity of others. Or did he neglect to tell you this too?" A jet brow rose high. "Why, should the two of you actually marry, I wouldn't be surprised if you found it necessary to pawn the very ring you wore on your journey here. So tell me, Elizabeth. Does that change your perception of my dear brother?"
His manner was sheer arrogance. Elizabeth's temper began to simmer. "It changes nothing," she retorted. "And you, sir, are unforgivably rude."
His lips twisted. "No, lady. I am unfailingly honest, unlike my brother." Their eyes tangled fiercely. To her dismay, Elizabeth was the first to look away.
He said nothing for a moment, merely stood with his arms braced across his chest. "What do you intend to do?"
She squared her shoulders. "Wait."
"For Nathaniel?" The sound he made was one of sheer disgust. "Good God! You're determined to see this through, aren't you?"
"He asked me to marry him," she said levelly. "He may not be here, but that doesn't change the fact that he proposed to me."
"And what if he is
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